In The Name Of The Father (1993)

There are few more controversial subjects in Britain than ‘the Troubles‘ in Northern Ireland and the activities of the IRA.

It was therefore extremely bold of Jim Sheridan, the Irish director of My Left Foot (1989), to bring In The Name Of The Father to the screen.

But although this compelling drama attacks the British justice system over wrongfully convicting the Guildford Four – those men imprisoned for many years for pub bombings, and eventually released – it focusses on one particularly poignant father-son relationship.

Daniel Day-Lewis, again revealing his wide acting range, is Gerry Conlon, the troubled Belfast youth whose father (Peter Postlethwaite) is also imprisoned when he comes to his son’s aid.

Emma Thompson plays Gareth Pierce, the lawyer who finally gets them exonerated.

The film isn’t 100% accurate – it considerably overplays the role of Peirce in clearing the innocent prisoners’ names – but its ferocious criticism of a grave injustice make it a great political work and a deserving winner of the Golden Bear at the Berlin Film Festival.

Sheridan, Day-Lewis, Postlethwaite, Thompson and the film itself were all nominated for Oscars.

Gerry Conlon
Daniel Day-Lewis
Giuseppe Conlon
Peter Postlethwaite
Gareth Peirce
Emma Thompson
Paul Hill
John Lynch
Robert Dixon
Corin Redgrave
Carole Richardson
Beatie Edney
Paddy Armstrong
Mark Sheppard
Sarah Conlon
Marie Jones
Annie Maguire
Britta Smith
Joe McAndrew
Don Baker
Benbay
Paterson Joseph
Chief Police Officer Barker
John Benfield
Ronnie Smalls
Frank Harper
Danny
Anthony Brophy
Tommo
Frankie McCafferty
Ann Conlon
Joanna Irvine
Granny Conlon
Anna Meegan
Bridie Conlon
Leah McCullagh
Deptford Jim
Jamie Harris
Marian
Barbara Mulcahy

Director
Jim Sheridan

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