Romanticization of Political Violence in Northern Ireland: The analysis of two feature films
...olence is romanticized in each of the two feature films. In the Name of the Father, directed by Jim Sheridan in 1993, is based on a true story of the falsely accused Guildford four. The story is narrated by Gerard Conlon (played by Daniel Day-Lewis) as he recounts how he went from being a petty scrap metal thief in Belfast, Northern Ireland, to having to serve 3 life sentences in a maximum security prison for the Guildford pub bombings of 1974. His father, Guiseppe (Pete Postlethwaite), was also falsely sentenced to 15 years in prison for conspiring with Gerry and making and storing weapons for the Irish Republican Army (IRA). While serving their sentences together, Gerry and Guiseppe form a strong bond despite a major difference of opinion in regards to handling the injustices done to them. Together the father and son evolve from bitter incomprehension to mutual respect and understanding of one another. By the end of the movie, Gerry accepts that his father was right; the only way to deal with violence was pacifist protest and resistance. After his fathers death in prison, Gerry works with a British lawyer named Gareth Pierce (played by Emma Thompson) to prove his innocence. Gerry and the Guildford four were finally released in 1989 after deliberately left out documents were found containing proof of Gerry’s alibi. In the Name of the Father begins with a scene in which Gerry is being chased after by the British Army who suspects him of being an IRA sniper. Right away romanticism is used to establish that Gerry (a republican sympathizer) is the innocent good guy, and the British Army are to be viewed as the antagonizers. This is strengthened as Sheridan provides shots of British Army tanks bulldozing their way through cars and troops storming through the homes of unassuming Northern Irish civilians only to be stopped by a wall of angry people throwing bricks and sitting in the road in protest. This scene is used to pull at human empathy and create an instant sense of injustice being done to undeserving people. In this way the political violence (i.e. brick throwing) is romanticized and seen as justified violence because of unwarranted British agitation. ‘Driven by Hendrix on the soundtrack and shot with real verve and style, these scenes are myth-making cinema of a high order’ (McLoone, pg. 71). Later in the film, Sheridan uses a scene to de-romanticsize political violence when Gerry is ripped from his home in Belfast, along with three of his friends (Patrick Armstrong, Paul Hill, and Carole Richardson) to be brought in for questioning about the Guildford Pub bombings. Under the new Prevention of Terrorism Act, British law enforcement was allowed to hold suspects for up to seven days without a charge being brought against them (Cain, np.). During the seven days, the four captives endured vicious psychological and physical police brutality until each signed a statement of confession. Although one could say that this is further proof of romanticization because the police are again flexing their muscle over the helpless prisoners, I disagree. The result Sheridan is trying to achieve is not one of romantic qualities. He is not trying to portray political violence in a justified or heroic way. In this scene political violence is used purely as evidence of how the police happened to get a confession out of innocent people. In the same respect, it does cause the audience to build up more hatred toward the British which will be used to justify later acts of violence in the film. As the film progresses, we are introduced to a new, highly static character in IRA headman Joe McAndrew (Don Baker) who confesses to the Guildford bombings along with multiple other acts of terrorism. McAndrew apologizes to Guiseppe and Gerry for there undeserved imprisonment and after a brief encounter with some English inmates quickly assumes command over all prisoners, West Indian, Irish, and English. McAndrew’s character thr...