The Field (1990)

Director:

Jim Sheridan

Writers:

John B. Keane (play)
Jim Sheridan (writer)

Release Date:

March 1991 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

He's let no outsider take it away.

Plot:

"Bull" McCabe's family has farmed a field for generations, sacrificing endlessly for the sake of the land...

Plot Keywords:

Auction | Murder | Tragedy | Land Rights | Ireland

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 2 nominations

Cast

Richard Harris	...	'Bull' McCabe
Sean Bean	...	Tadgh McCabe
Frances Tomelty	...	Widow
Brenda Fricker	...	Maggie McCabe
John Hurt	...	Bird' O'Donnell
Ruth McCabe	...	Tinker Woman
Jer O'Leary	...	Tinker Girl's Father
Noel O'Donovan	...	Tomás
John Cowley	...	Flanagan
Ronan Wilmot	...	Tinker
Jenny Conroy	...	Tinker Girl
Joan Sheehy	...	2nd Tinker Woman
Sean McGinley	...	Father Doran
Malachy McCourt	...	Sergeant
Frank McDonald	...	Quarryman

Runtime:

107 min

Country:

Ireland | UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Certification:

Australia:PG | Spain:13 | Iceland:12 (video rating) | Iceland:14 | Argentina:13 | Chile:14 | Finland:K-12 | Sweden:15 | USA:PG-13 | UK:12 (original rating) | UK:15 (video rating)

Filming Locations:

Aasleigh Church, Aasleigh, County Galway, Ireland

Company:

Granada Television

Trivia:

In order to secure his role, Richard Harris arranged a meeting with director 'Jim Sheridan' and turned up in full costume and in character. Sheridan, who was initially reluctant to cast Harris because of his difficult reputation, decided to cast him based on this meeting.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: During the opening scene when the donkey is thrown off the cliff, as it hits the water its legs collapse into it. This shows that the donkey was a stuffed animal.

Quotes:

"Bull" McCabe: Go on father, go on. Lock the gates to God's house. Sure they were locked at the time of the Famine too. No priest died the time of the Famine: only poor people like us.

Movie Connections:

Featured in The 63rd Annual Academy Awards (1991) (TV)

A much overlooked classic

The Field is film which carries a universal message about the ongoing struggle between modernity and traditionalism. It is also a uniquely Irish film which may make some of the scenes lack relevance for an international audience. The meaning of such scenes as the "American Wake", which was essentially a death wake which was held for young Irish people up until as recently as the 1960s on the night before they left for America never to be seen again, might be missed by non-Irish people. However the final scene where the Bull McCabe aka Richard Harris attempts to push back the incoming Atlantic tide speaks of the universal futility of man's attempts to control nature or indeed, inevitable progress.An excellent movie.