War of the Buttons (1994)

David Puttnam’s tale of an Irish childhood – adapted by Colin Welland from a Louis Pergaud novel filmed by Yves Robert in 1962 – is no romantic vision of rosy-cheeked innocence.

Set in the 1950s, it’s an energetic and entertaining movie about young boys from the two small Irish towns of Ballydowse and Carrickdowse – located on either side of a coastal inlet – who form small armies and battle against each other for supremacy.

Each side throws up a charismatic leader, with the less affluent Ballys rallying to the loner Fergus (Gregg Fitzgerald) and the posher Carricks to Geronimo (John Coffey), and there is as much personal pride as local pride involved, especially with girls watching.

The talk is dirty, and the fighting is worse as the gangs try to eliminate each other to become the fiercest in the neighbourhood. The winners cut off their enemies’ school ties, shoelaces and the buttons on their shirts (hence the title) as a token of victory.

The cast of unknown young Irish actors clearly had a great time making what was, for most of them, their first film. The young teenagers were picked by Puttnam from all over Ireland and appear to have had a ball doing in front of the camera what they’d never dare do in front of their parents.

The film was shot in 1993 in County Cork around Skibbereen, with Castletownsend and Union Hall roughly representing the two towns, while the mock medieval showdown is set in an imposing gothic ruin overlooking Rosscarbery Bay.

Release of War of the Buttons was delayed for a few weeks following a court injunction by the parents of one of the child extras, who objected to him appearing briefly with a naked bottom in a hilarious skirmish in which the Ballys get the better of the Carricks by confronting them without clothes. Three seconds of footage was removed without spoiling the scene.

Fergus
Gregg Fitzgerald
Geronimo
John Coffey
Big Con
Gerard Kearney
Boffin
Darragh Naughton
Tim
Brendan McNamara
Fishy
Kevin O’Malley
Peter
John Cleere
Little Con
Anthony Cunningham
Riley
Thomas Kavanagh
Marie
Eveanna Ryan
Pat
John Crowley
Tich
Stuart Dannell-Foran
Fionnuala
Danielle Tuite
Helen
Helen O’Leary
Maeve
Yvonne McNamara
Gorilla
Paul Batt
Mickey Moon
Karl Byrne
Willie
Barry Walsh
Chick
Niall Collins
Brendan
Derek O’Leary
Bernard
Rory White
The Master
Liam Cunningham
Jonjo
Johnny Murphy
Geronimo’s Dad
Colm Meaney
Geronimo’s Mum
Bairbre Dowling
Mr Riley
Alan Devlin
Mrs Riley
Brid McCarthy
Mr Connor
Pat Laffan
Mrs Connor
Ruth Hegarty
Fergus’ Stepfather
Jim Bartley
Fergus’ Mum
Ger Ryan
Fat Pat’s Dad
John Olohan
Gorilla’s Dad
Frank Kelly
Willie’s Dad
Martin Dunne
Gerard
Andrew Goyvaerts
Master’s Wife
Maureen Bennett
Tich’s Mum
Helene Montague
Carrickdowse Priest
Brendan Cauldwell
Marie (voice)
Dervla Kirwan

Director
John Roberts