A Prayer for the Dying (1987)

User Rating:

6.2/10   

Director:

Mike Hodges

Writers:

Jack Higgins (novel)
Edmund Ward (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

11 September 1987 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Drama

Plot:

Martin Fallon is an IRA bomber who tries to blow up a troop truck but instead kills a bus load of school children...

Plot Keywords:

Irish Republican Army | England | Redemption | Gangster | Violence

Cast

Mickey Rourke	...	Martin Fallon
Bob Hoskins	...	Father Michael Da Costa
Alan Bates	...	Jack Meehan
Sammi Davis	...	Anna
Christopher Fulford	...	Billy Meehan
Liam Neeson	...	Liam Docherty
Leonard Termo	...	Bonati
Camille Coduri	...	Jenny Fox
Maurice O'Connell	...	Superintendant Miller
Alison Doody	...	Siobhan Donovan
Karl Johnson	...	Fitzgerald
Ian Bartholomew	...	Kristou
Peggy Aitchison	...	Mrs. Orton
Cliff Burnett	...	Fred Varley
Anthony Head	...	Rupert

Runtime:

107 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Australia:M | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | USA:R | West Germany:16 | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Canning Town, London, England, UK

Company:

Samuel Goldwyn Company, The

Trivia:

Franc Roddam was going to direct, but left due to creative differences.

Goofs:

Continuity: At the beginning credit Liam Neeson is credited as Docherty. In most of the film everybody calls him Mulachy.

Quotes:

Martin Fallon: There's no reason for killing or dying anymore. What's more, there's no reason for living!
Anna: That's a terrible thing to say!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Boondock Saints (1999)

Another Great one for Mickey

Gotta admit, I'm on a Mickey Rourke run, having just seen Angel Heart, Barfly, and Francesco. A Prayer for the Dying is a wonderful piece of work -teriffic acting by all, including Bates, Hoskins, etc. Mickey Rourke has to be one of the most under-rated actors in the industry. His "bad-boy" image hasn't helped, as it has helped other actors who fall into the same category. He reminds me a lot of Steve McQueen -subtle, intense, controlled acting, but when the action is needed he delivers. I sincerely hope he has a comeback sometime soon. In the meantime, run to your nearest video store and rent this great film. There are some incredible moments that I won't forget anytime soon. This story has been told before: bad guy trying to get away from the badness. . . but Rourke makes is all new, by adding his own unique charism. See it.