Movies, or films as they are more frequently called by the Irish, have been a notable part of my time in Galway. One of the study options for William & Mary students is a course called Screening Ireland. And, for the four Mondays we've been at NUIG, the film professors have hosted "movie nights" for all in the film course and for any of the rest of us who are interested. We've had a nearly full showing up from all 22 students, Larry and me.
Dark humor is well loved by Irish filmmakers and audiences, and uncomfortable (perhaps even shocking) for some Americans.
Our first film was The Butcher Boy (released in 1997). As an introduction to the film, the Irish prof suggested we allow ourselves to enjoy it despite the very dark humor. She anticipated the discomfort or shock we Americans might experience with the film's treatment of 12-year-old Francie Brady's dysfunctional family. Besides being laugh out loud funny, this film deals directly with many of the negative aspects of Irish society and the hypocrisy of religious institutions. The students had a 500-word personal response essay to write in time for the next day's film class; The Butcher Boy made such an impact on me, I almost wrote one of my own.
Week two brought the 1996 Michael Collins with Northern-Ireland-born Liam Neeson. As the title reveals, the film is a biopic of Michael Collins, the Irish patriot and revolutionary who died in the Irish Civil War. The film was a nice recap of what we've all absorbed in museums, what students have learned in Larry's Irish Politics class, and the cultural references we've picked up in the cities we've visited. Despite its relevance, I found the film slow and boring; plus the cast includes Julia Roberts and you all know how strongly I feel about that.
The film shown for week three was my personal favorite because it was not the scheduled one. Walking into the screening room that evening, I was expecting The Quiet Man. Who wouldn't want to watch John Wayne in all his Technicolor glory while on Irish soil? But to be fair, who's also not tired of that 1952 version of Irish life? The Irish prof, realizing he just couldn't do it again, made a switch. He screened two American motion pictures: A silent one-reel called The Lad From Old Ireland (1910) and the Jimmy Cagney classic, The Public Enemy (1931).
Mixed in with William & Mary movie nights was the 31st Annual Galway Film Fleadh. We thoroughly enjoyed all the films, with A Bread Factory, Parts 1 and 2 as true standouts for me. Imagine a small town with beautifully-developed characters and a mostly aligned value of the arts as a critical component of children's education. Actress Tyne Daly and Director Patrick Wang were at Galway's Palas Theatre both nights for enlightening post-movie Q&As.
“A small-scale wonder. This is a film you don’t so much watch as live in.” — The Hollywood Reporter
From the Film Festival, I learned that Irish women are strong. Also, that:
Irish Shorts are fantastic and equally exhausting to watch. They are, by definition, short; they must make an impact and quickly. These were engrossing, educational and topical - all in a good way.
I didn't do the hedonist bit in Dublin (or anywhere else), even in my 20s. (I refer to the very well done movie Animals.)
The producer and actors in Bump Along the Way are the real Derry girls. (Hats off to them for pride in their city and their delivery of true comedy.) Release date: August 30.
I still love Tyne Daly.