The Field
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Movie Reviews of The Field
Movie Review: Harris Gives Powerful, Perhaps Too Powerful Performance
Summary: 4 Stars
"The Field," (1990), an Irish movie, was the second to be made by the talented Irish director Jim Sheridan, who also gets the screenwriting credit on it. It was made from the well-known and -loved play of the same name by John B. Keane, who was a small-town publican in Co. Kerry, and evidently paid very close attention to what was going on around him. It's based on a true story about a bitter land dispute between a local man, "The Bull McCabe," played by noted Irish actor Richard Harris,who collected an Oscar nomination for his performance; and "The Yank," played by Tom Beringer. John Hurt also had a starring role, playing "Bird O'Donnell,"the sort of part that the older English actor John Mills had made his own, the wily village idiot.
The movie was filmed not in Co. Kerry, but in Co. Mayo, in the village of Leenane. Its sets still stand: so happens I've just been and seen them. Anyway, never mind the change of county, the movie, with cinematography by Jack Conroy, still gives you a very good idea of the Irish countryside: constantly threatened by an angry sea, generally cool, rainy and overcast, muddy, with deep black cold lakes and rivers. The film's set in the earlier 20th century: clothes, houses and vehicles appear to be accurately rendered, as does the dreary lives most of its characters were forced to live. The excellent musical score is the work of Hollywood favorite Elmer Bernstein. "The Field" functions as a corrective to John Ford's misty-eyed "The Quiet Man," that starred John Wayne. The Ford picture shows us the American, Wayne, coming into a small Irish village, and, after a bit of blather, being welcomed. Sheridan's picture emphatically does not. It casts a cold eye back at the terrible 19th Century Famine, and examines the land hunger of the people who remained.
For whatever reason, there's lots of Soviet socialist realism school silhouetting against the big sky. Harris's high-powered performance dominates the film. Mind you, some would say too high-powered, that Harris, possibly with Shakespeare's King Lear in mind, leaves no blade of grass unchewed on that field. Hurt, too, does strong work, as does the supporting cast. Sean Bean is Tadgh, McCabe's handsome son. Brenda Fricker, possibly with Shakespeare's Lady Macbeth in mind, is the luckless Mrs. McCabe, to whom her husband hasn't spoken for sixteen years. Sean McGinly turns in good work as the village priest. Such standbys as Brendan Gleeson, Ruth McCabe, and Malachy McCourt also take small parts. The movie is realistic, and devoid of sentimentality, not for those who prefer their Irish movies cozy. But it's engrossing, if you don't find Harris's performance too much.
Movie Review: Historical and cultural insight
Summary: 4 Stars
The Field provides an accurate view of what it was like to live in the Republic of Ireland following independence. There was a mistrust of their former colonial rulers and a distain for the people who gave up during difficult times. Cultivating land and raising livestock was very difficult - stone had to be removed and fertile soil (seaweed, etc.) had to be brought to provide topsoil for crops. Bull McCabe, played by Richard Harris, illustrates the farmer's love of the land and his passion to keep it. The acting is excellent, although the plot unfolds somewhat slowly at times.
I recommend it as a film that moves beyond the romantic, fanaticized view of Ireland to the heart of the Irish people.
Movie Review: How importnat the Land is to an Irishman
Summary: 4 Stars
My husband and I just returned from Ireland so we saw first hand how important the land is to the Irish. Richard Harris is Brillant in The Field. It really showed the struggles of a family in an Irish village.
Will make you think twice the next time you complain about how hard your life is.
Movie Review: Fertile Ground Rich With Irish History
Summary: 4 Stars
Based on the play by John B. Keane, Director Jim Sheridan presents a gripping tale that is rich with Irish tradition and history in the film THE FIELD. Legendary actor, Richard Harris (Bull McCabe) plays a stubborn farmer who treasures the land he has cultivated, and forcefully and close to manically guards the land when he finds out that an American or as Bull refers to him, "Yank", played by Tom Berenger, suddenly appears to buy the land from the original landowner, Maggie Butler (Frances Tomelty); all tensions ensue.
THE FIELD brazens the Irish past, which includes its religious, social and class struggles and the unfortunate Irish famine. These issues come crashing down as the film plot thickens especially during the climax. The story revolves around Bull McCabe, a man who has carried the guilt and bitterness of the past, the death of one of his sons, Shamus, and his present burdens that exist with his only son, Tadgh (Sean Bean), who along with his cohort Bird O'Donnell played by John Hurt, exert unkind and child-like deeds toward Butler forcing her to sell her land.
The entire of production of the film is outstanding. Director of photography, Jack Conroy captures the beautiful mountainous and seashore landscape, which complement each dramatic scene. Jim Sheridan and Steve Morrison do a fine job in adapting Keane's play to film, and the story and its characters come alive with their production.
THE FIELD is tremendously moving. It starts out a little slow in the beginning, but it is the last hour that is both disturbing and powerful. Richard Harris received an Oscar nomination for best actor, and deservingly, by watching the film he is worthy of that distinction.
Movie Review: Love this movie and story
Summary: 5 Stars
Everyone is entitled to their own opinion and mine runs deep with this film. A long time fan of Richard Harris I feel his role in the movie was extraordinarily well performed. I found myself siding with McCabe. Seeing his dirty hands that worked the land, toiled over it, bleed into it and made it what it was. It was his from birth and then enters an American taking it away without a thought. To build something foreign on the land as well. McCabe loved the land, the American saw a profit. I was rivited from the beginning until the bitter end.