This one kind of slipped under the radar. It didn't enjoy a long cinematic release but the themes it touches on are fairly original and thought provoking.
Gabriel Byrne plays another of those quirky roles he indulges in from time to time, this time as Commandant of an Irish internment camp, perhaps the most relaxed POW camp ever in the history of modern warfare. However, the two main characters play downed Allied and Luftwaffe airmen who clash over their respective sides ideologies and war aims, as well as vying for the attentions of 'Riverdance' star Jean Butler. Escape from the camp is pointless as both the British and German governments have struck an agreement with Ireland to return escapees so as to prevent 'embarrasing' the Irish and perhaps forcing the country to side with either the Allies/Axis. I'm as yet unsure as to the historical accuracy of this 'deal'. However, as far as I know, Dublin was more sympathetic to the Allied cause and often allowed captured Allied sailors/airmen to return to England whilst generally interning the Germans. During the film, one of the maids hints at this sympathetic line when stating how 'disgraceful' it was that the Brits were being held whilst 1000s of Irishmen were fighting with the 8th Army in North Africa.
In the film, the detainees of both sides are allowed day passes to leave the camp, the Irish knowing full well that if the Allied troops flee to the North, they'll just be sent back anyway. Presumably it was a little harder for the Germans to get back home! This sort of relaxed attitude towards the interned soldiers was apparently the norm in Ireland during the 'Emergency' (as the Irish govt referred to WW2!). My grandfather told a story of a German Me-110 crashing near a golf course in north county Dublin during the 'Blitz' of London (how he ended up as far west as Dublin is a mystery). The locals went out to help the uninjured pilot and brought him back for a hearty Irish breakfast at the club house! A while later the police turned up, broke up the impromptu party and took the young airman into captivity. A similar scene is enacted at the start of the film when we see the survivors of a downed RAF bomber drinking stout in a pub (with the local police no less) before an Irish officer enters the pub and arrests the men.
Apparently shot on the Isle of Man, with stunning locations, original, warm and often amusing script, as well as a good array of acting talent (Angus Macfadyn playing the German officer, Joe McGann as the brutish but-in-a-nice-sort-of-way Camp guard, and Texan William McNamara were particularly outstanding I thought) add up to a very watchable film. A few criticisms would include zee German accents (why don't they hire German actors and speak in German?), and perhaps the clichéd portrayal of the locals (i.e. getting together down de local pub and all yelping and dancing for joy, as only Oirish peasants can do ya know!). A particularly cringe moment was Jean Butler actually doing her 1995 half flamenco/half Irish Riverdance.....if she had done that in 1941, the locals probably would've proclaimed her possessed by the devil! Anyway, apart from that ridiculous mini-scene, Butler gave a very convincing performance. Pity we haven't seen much of that fiery red head since.
Gabriel Byrne plays another of those quirky roles he indulges in from time to time, this time as Commandant of an Irish internment camp, perhaps the most relaxed POW camp ever in the history of modern warfare. However, the two main characters play downed Allied and Luftwaffe airmen who clash over their respective sides ideologies and war aims, as well as vying for the attentions of 'Riverdance' star Jean Butler. Escape from the camp is pointless as both the British and German governments have struck an agreement with Ireland to return escapees so as to prevent 'embarrasing' the Irish and perhaps forcing the country to side with either the Allies/Axis. I'm as yet unsure as to the historical accuracy of this 'deal'. However, as far as I know, Dublin was more sympathetic to the Allied cause and often allowed captured Allied sailors/airmen to return to England whilst generally interning the Germans. During the film, one of the maids hints at this sympathetic line when stating how 'disgraceful' it was that the Brits were being held whilst 1000s of Irishmen were fighting with the 8th Army in North Africa.
In the film, the detainees of both sides are allowed day passes to leave the camp, the Irish knowing full well that if the Allied troops flee to the North, they'll just be sent back anyway. Presumably it was a little harder for the Germans to get back home! This sort of relaxed attitude towards the interned soldiers was apparently the norm in Ireland during the 'Emergency' (as the Irish govt referred to WW2!). My grandfather told a story of a German Me-110 crashing near a golf course in north county Dublin during the 'Blitz' of London (how he ended up as far west as Dublin is a mystery). The locals went out to help the uninjured pilot and brought him back for a hearty Irish breakfast at the club house! A while later the police turned up, broke up the impromptu party and took the young airman into captivity. A similar scene is enacted at the start of the film when we see the survivors of a downed RAF bomber drinking stout in a pub (with the local police no less) before an Irish officer enters the pub and arrests the men.
Apparently shot on the Isle of Man, with stunning locations, original, warm and often amusing script, as well as a good array of acting talent (Angus Macfadyn playing the German officer, Joe McGann as the brutish but-in-a-nice-sort-of-way Camp guard, and Texan William McNamara were particularly outstanding I thought) add up to a very watchable film. A few criticisms would include zee German accents (why don't they hire German actors and speak in German?), and perhaps the clichéd portrayal of the locals (i.e. getting together down de local pub and all yelping and dancing for joy, as only Oirish peasants can do ya know!). A particularly cringe moment was Jean Butler actually doing her 1995 half flamenco/half Irish Riverdance.....if she had done that in 1941, the locals probably would've proclaimed her possessed by the devil! Anyway, apart from that ridiculous mini-scene, Butler gave a very convincing performance. Pity we haven't seen much of that fiery red head since.