In the Name of the Father (1993)

Director:

Jim Sheridan

Writers (WGA):

Gerry Conlon (autobiographical book "Proved Innocent")
Terry George (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

25 February 1994 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Drama

Tagline:

Falsely accused. Wrongly imprisoned. He fought for justice to clear his father's name.

Plot:

Man's coerced confession to an IRA bombing he didn't do imprisons his father as well; a British lawyer helps fight for their freedom.

Plot Keywords:

Prison | Bomb | False Accusation | Irish Republican Army | Courtroom

Awards:

Nominated for 7 Oscars. Another 6 wins & 12 nominations

Cast

Alison Crosbie	...	Girl in Pub
Philip King	...	Guildford Soldier
Emma Thompson	...	Gareth Peirce
Nye Heron	...	IRA Man 1
Daniel Day-Lewis	...	Gerry Conlon
Anthony Brophy	...	Danny
Frankie McCafferty	...	Tommo
Paul Warriner	...	Soldier
Julian Walsh	...	Soldier
Stuart Wolfenden	...	Soldier (as Stuart Wolvenden)
Jo Connor	...	Bin Lady
Karen Carlisle	...	Female Rioter
Seamus Moran	...	IRA Man 2
Billy Byrne	...	IRA Man 3
Maureen McBride	...	Mother
Jane Nolan	...	Girl with Baby
Laurence Griffin	...	Boy in Riot
Jason Murtagh	...	Boy in Riot
Kelly McKeavney	...	Young Girl
Joanna Irvine	...	Ann Conlon
Fiona Daly	...	IRA Woman
Catherine Dunne	...	Woman on Balcony
Pete Postlethwaite	...	Guiseppe Conlon
Anna Meegan	...	Granny Conlon
Marie Jones	...	Sarah Conlon
Leah McCullagh	...	Bridie Conlon
John Lynch	...	Paul Hill
Beatie Edney	...	Carole Richardson
Saffron Burrows	...	Girl in Commune
Mark Sheppard	...	Paddy Armstrong
Jamie Harris	...	Deptford Jim
Britta Smith	...	Annie Maguire
Don Baker	...	Joe McAndrew
Barbara Mulcahy	...	Marian
Mick Tohill	...	Man in Bookies
Peter Sheridan Sr.	...	Manager of Bookies (as Peter Sheridan Snr.)
Joe McPartland	...	Charlie Burke
Stanley Townsend	...	Hooker's Driver
Corin Redgrave	...	Robert Dixon
Gerard McSorley	...	Detective Pavis
Tim Perrin	...	Detective
Tony Denham	...	Detective
Rob Spendlove	...	Detective
Philip Davis	...	Detective
Martin Murphy	...	Detective
Richard Graham	...	Detective
Oliver Maguire	...	Detective
Maurice Kehoe	...	Detective
Rachael Dowling	...	Policewoman
Tina Kellegher	...	Policewoman
Ronan Wilmot	...	Paddy Maguire
Maclean Burke	...	Young Vincent Maguire
Joe Jeffers	...	Young Patrick Maguire
Alistair Findlay	...	Forensic Scientist
Peter Howitt	...	Remand Prison Officer
Sean Lawlor	...	Remand Prison Officer
Brian de Salvo	...	Remand Prison Officer
Luke Hayden	...	Remand Prison Officer
Aiden Grennell	...	Trial Judge
Daniel Massey	...	Prosecutor
Bosco Hogan	...	Defense Counsel
Kenneth Edge	...	Jury Foreman
Aine O'Connor	...	Dixon's Wife
Guy Carleton	...	Prison Admissions Officer
John Benfield	...	Chief PO Barker
Dave Duffy	...	Prison Officer
Martin Dunne	...	Prison Officer
Larry Murphy	...	Old Prison Officer
Richard Michaelis	...	Cockney Prisoner
Mal Whyte	...	Cockney Prisoner
John Gallagher	...	Cockney Prisoner
Marcus Lynch	...	Cockney Prisoner
Frank Harper	...	Ronnie Smalls
Jer O'Leary	...	Prisoner John O'Brien
Joe Cashman	...	Prisoner (as Joey Cashman)
Alan Amsby	...	Prisoner
Paul O'Grady	...	Prisoner (as Paul Savage)
Owen Conroy	...	Prisoner
Dee Man Kole	...	Prisoner
Bernard Pellegrinetti	...	Prisoner
Emeka Okeki	...	Prisoner
Alan O'Connor	...	Prisoner
Mario McGovern	...	Prisoner
John Joe Fontana	...	Prisoner
Terry O'Neill	...	Prisoner
Joey Legaspi	...	Prisoner
Jimmie Bergin	...	Prisoner
John Higgins	...	Prisoner
Paterson Joseph	...	Benbay
Malcolm Tierney	...	Home Office Official
Iain Montague	...	Leader of Delegation
Paul Raynor	...	New Chief Prison Officer
Clodagh Conroy	...	Dixon's Secretary
Peter Sheridan	...	Priest
Darren McHugh	...	Dixon's Son
Peter Campbell	...	Government Official
Alan Barry	...	Archivist Jenkins
Jonathan Ryan	...	Scottish Governor
John Pickles	...	Procedural Court Judge
Liam O'Callaghan	...	Archivist 2
Denys Hawthorne	...	Appeal Judge
Tom Wilkinson	...	Appeal Prosecutor
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Trevor Stynes	...	Police Officer (uncredited)

Directed by
Jim Sheridan

Writing credits (WGA)
Gerry Conlon		(autobiographical book "Proved Innocent")
Terry George		(screenplay) &
Jim Sheridan		(screenplay)

Produced by
Gabriel Byrne	....	executive producer
Terry George	....	co-executive producer
Nye Heron	....	associate producer
Arthur Lappin	....	co-producer
Jim Sheridan	....	producer

Original Music by
Trevor Jones

Cinematography by
Peter Biziou		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Gerry Hambling

Casting by
Nuala Moiselle
Patsy Pollock

Production Design by
Caroline Amies

Art Direction by
Rick Butler

Costume Design by
Joan Bergin

Makeup Department
Eileen Buggy	....	trainee hair stylist
Orla Carrol	....	trainee hair stylist
Dee Corcoran	....	makeup hair assistant: UK
Liz Dean	....	makeup trainee
Toni Delaney	....	makeup artist
Anne Dunne	....	hair stylist
Carole Dunne	....	assistant hair stylist
Jennifer Hegarty	....	makeup hair assistant: UK
Patricia Kirkman	....	makeup hair assistant: UK
Ailbhe Lemass	....	assistant makeup artist
Antonia Mallyan	....	assistant hair stylist: UK
Antonia Mallyan	....	assistant makeup artist: UK
Linda Parkin	....	makeup hair assistant: UK
Anita Pickles	....	makeup hair assistant: UK
Celia Walsh	....	makeup trainee
Margot Wilson	....	makeup trainee

Production Management
Mary Alleguen	....	production manager
Kathy Sykes	....	production manager: UK

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Marian Barlow	....	assistant director trainee: UK
Catherine Dunne	....	trainee assistant director
Terry George	....	second unit director
Mary Gough	....	trainee assistant director
Des Hughes	....	third assistant director: UK
Luke Johnston	....	third assistant director
Rachel Longhurst	....	trainee assistant director: UK
Peter McAleese	....	first assistant director: UK
Nick McCarthy	....	assistant director: second unit
Simon Moseley	....	assistant director: second unit
Suzanne Nicell	....	trainee assistant director
Robert Quinn	....	second second assistant director
Lee Rooney	....	trainee assistant director
David Seaton	....	trainee assistant director: UK
Gerry Toomey	....	first assistant director
Mickey Walsh	....	second assistant director (as Mick Walsh)

Art Department
Russ Bailey	....	construction manager
Terry Baker	....	stagehand
Alex Bassett	....	carpenter
Tom Brown	....	art director: UK
Denis Butler	....	chargehand carpenter
Dermot Butler	....	carpenter
James Butler	....	carpenter
John Byrne	....	carpenter
Triona Coen	....	assistant property buyer
Larry Comerford	....	chargehand plasterer
Clodagh Conroy	....	art department trainee
Brian Craine	....	metal worker
Barry Cunningham	....	carpenter
Eddie Cunningham	....	chargehand carpenter
Fiona Daly	....	assistant art director
Manus Daly	....	painter
Conor Devlin	....	draughtsman
Brian Doyle	....	plasterer
Norman Duff	....	painter
Jim Dunleavy	....	painter
John Dunne	....	stagehand
Andy Evans	....	construction manager: UK
Paul Fleming	....	painter
Peter Gallagher	....	dressing props
Barry Gibbs	....	property master: UK
John Graham	....	props: UK
Fred Gray	....	scenic artist
Kevin Hudson	....	dressing props
Edward Humphries	....	carpenter
Jimmy Irwin	....	plasterer
George Joyce	....	carpenter
Jimmy Kavanagh	....	drapes
Mick Kearns	....	painter
John Lamon	....	carpenter
Daragh Lewis	....	dressing props
Dominic Masters	....	assistant art director
Frank Matthews	....	plasterer
Raymond McCann	....	plasterer
Marion McKeone	....	construction advisor: UK
Nuala McKernan	....	stand-by props
Ned McLoughlin	....	painter
Owen Monaghan	....	dressing props
Sunny Mulligan	....	prop buyer
Owen Murnane	....	master painter
Tony Nicholson	....	chargehand props
Vivion O'Brien	....	carpenter
Eamonn O'Higgins	....	property master
Jimmy O'Meara	....	stagehand
Christy O'Shaughnessy	....	painter
Kevin O'Toole	....	carpenter
Larry O'Toole	....	carpenter
Dave Peters	....	dressing props (as David Peters)
Bernard Phelan	....	construction advisor: UK
John Purdy	....	stagehand (as John Purdie)
Gerry Quigley	....	stagehand
Bobby Richardson	....	painter
Robbie Richardson	....	painter (as Robby Richardson)
Mark Rimmell	....	property buyer: UK
Alan Scott	....	painter
Sean Scott	....	painter
Bob Sherwood	....	dressing props: UK
Paddy Shortt	....	stagehand
Bob Starrett	....	painter
Derek Wallace	....	stand-by props
Noel Walsh	....	props trainee
Jake Wells	....	props: UK
Terry Wells	....	property master: UK
Teresa Weston	....	art department assistant
David Whelan	....	carpenter

Sound Department
Anna Behlmer	....	sound re-recording mixer
Pat Brennan	....	dialogue editor
Brendan Campbell	....	sound: second unit
Jim Corcoran	....	boom operator: UK
Ron Davis	....	sound editor
Paul Delany	....	boom operator
Louis L. Edemann	....	additional sound editor
Stephen Farrell	....	sound trainee
Matthew Glen	....	assistant sound editor
Kieran Horgan	....	sound mixer
Samuel F. Kaufman	....	sound recordist
Peter Lacey	....	adr mixer
Andrea Lakin	....	sound recordist
Jenny Lee Wright	....	foley artist
Teddy Mason	....	adr editor
Chuck Neely	....	additional sound editor
Andy Nelson	....	sound re-recording mixer
Rocky Phelan	....	foley editor
Jean Sheffield	....	foley artist
Peter Sutton	....	sound: second unit
Kevin Tayler	....	foley mixer
Sandy Buchanan	....	post-production sound assistant (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Clive Beard	....	senior special effects technician
Michael Dawson	....	senior special effects technician
Gerry Johnston	....	senior special effects technician
Kevin Kearns	....	assistant special effects technician
Dave Knowles	....	senior special effects technician
Joss Williams	....	special effects supervisor
Manex Efrem	....	special effects assistant (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Kent Houston	....	visual effects
Martin Body	....	optical cameraman (uncredited)
John Swinnerton	....	compositor: Peerless Camera Company (uncredited)

Stunts
Patrick Condren	....	stunts
Tim Condren	....	stunts
David Cronnelly	....	stunts
Gabe Cronnelly	....	stunts
Clive Curtis	....	stunts
Jim Dowdall	....	stunts
Steve Griffin	....	stunts
Paul Heasman	....	stunts (as Paul Heaseman)
Dominick Hewitt	....	stunt performer
Sy Hollands	....	stunts
Paul Kelly	....	stunts
Mark Lisbon	....	stunts
Donal O'Farrell	....	stunts
Gary Powell	....	stunts
Greg Powell	....	stunts
Lee Sheward	....	stunts
Alan Walsh	....	stunts
Bill Weston	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Rocky Babcock	....	second camera operator: UK
Roddy Barron	....	second camera operator: UK (as Roddie Barron)
Ciarán Barry	....	camera loader: second unit (as Ciaran Barry)
Craig Bloor	....	second camera loader: UK
Peter Bloor	....	chief lighting technician
Jim Bradshaw	....	electrician: UK
Tommy Broadhurst	....	genny operator: UK
David Bryant	....	focus puller: second unit (as Dave Bryant)
Alan Butler	....	focus puller
Ken Byrne	....	focus puller: UK (as Kenny Byrne)
Ken Byrne	....	focus puller: second unit (as Kenny Byrne)
John Carr	....	genny operator
Albert Cassells	....	electrician
Dermot Coleman	....	electrician
John Conroy	....	clapper loader
Louis Conroy	....	gaffer
Sean Corcoran	....	camera operator: second unit
Richard Craske	....	second camera focus: UK (as Richard Crask)
Neil Crawford	....	rigger
Noel Cullen	....	electrician
Con Dempsey	....	electrician
Graham Driscoll	....	electrician: UK
Jim Farrell	....	electrician
Philip Fitzsimons	....	electrician
Paul Gaster	....	assistant still photographer
Jo Gibney	....	clapper loader: UK
John Gleeson	....	playback operator
Jonathan Hession	....	still photographer
Martin Holland	....	electrician
Pascal Jones	....	rigger
Eddie Knight	....	rigging gaffer
Richard Lang	....	rigger
Wayne Leach	....	electrician: UK
Bill Levins	....	electrician
Clive Mackey	....	camera loader: second unit
Noel McKenna	....	rigger
Ray Meehan	....	electrician: UK
Jimmy Merrigan	....	rigger
Stewart Monteith	....	electrician: UK
Liam Moran	....	electrician
John Murphy	....	key grip
Paddy Murphy	....	practical electrician
William O'Brien	....	rigger
Jerry O'Sullivan	....	genny operator: UK (as Jerry Sullivan)
Mickey O'Toole	....	rigger
Peter O'Toole	....	electrician
Ronnie Phillips	....	electrician: UK
Mike Proudfoot	....	second camera operator (as Mike Proudfoote)
Luke Quigley	....	grip
Robbie Reilly	....	chargehand rigger (as Robert Reilly)
Dave Ridout	....	electrician: UK (as David Ridout)
Dave Ridout	....	gaffer: second unit (as David Ridout)
Kevin Scott	....	genny operator
Brian Sheridan	....	genny operator: second unit
Alan Walker	....	electrician: UK
Des Whelan	....	camera operator
Stewart Whelan	....	camera trainee
Paul Woods	....	electrician: UK
Jason Wrenn	....	focus puller: second unit
Noel Donnellon	....	video assistant (uncredited)

Casting Department
Beverley Keogh	....	crowd casting: UK
Frank Moiselle	....	casting assistant
Hayley Murt	....	casting assistant

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Sinead Burt-O'Dea	....	wardrobe intern
Alison Byrne	....	wardrobe trainee
Gabriel O'Brien	....	wardrobe trainee
Barbara O'Callaghan	....	wardrobe trainee
Janet O'Leary	....	wardrobe supervisor
Ger Scully	....	wardrobe assistant
Ann Stokes	....	wardrobe assistant
Sue Wain	....	wardrobe supervisor

Editorial Department
Clive Barrett	....	additional editor
Mary Casey	....	third assistant editor
Carolyne Chauncey	....	assistant editor
Dermot Diskin	....	second assistant editor
Patrick Doherty	....	third assistant editor
Niamh Fagan	....	editor trainee
Peter Hunt	....	color timer
Mark Siung	....	editor trainee

Music Department
Bill Abbott	....	music editor: Modern Music
Jeff Atmajian	....	orchestrator
Rupert Coulson	....	assistant engineer: Air Studios
Guy Dagul	....	musician: synthesizer
Guy Dugal	....	associate music producer: Contemporary Media Music Productions
Gavin Friday	....	music consultant
Trevor Jones	....	musician: synthesisers
Trevor Jones	....	orchestrator
Roger King	....	music mixer
Roger King	....	music recordist
Roger King	....	musician: synthesisers
Roger King	....	programmer: synthesisers
Rob Kirwan	....	assistant engineer: Windmill Lane
London Philharmonic Orchestra	....	music performer (as The London Philharmonic)
Victoria Seale	....	music coordinator: Contemporary Media Music Productions
David Snell	....	conductor
Tony Stanton	....	music copyist
Michael Storey	....	composer: temp music
Phil Todd	....	musician: solo ewi
Bob Bowman	....	assistant music editor (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Danny Blain	....	driver
Victor Blain	....	driver
Peter Brook	....	driver: UK
Dave Bruyea	....	driver: UK
Alan Crozier	....	driver
Richard Douglas	....	driver
Arthur Dunne	....	transportation captain
Pat Egan	....	driver
Gerry Gore	....	transportation manager: UK
Robert Gyle	....	driver
Harry Hill	....	driver
Peter Hill	....	driver
Paddy Hiney	....	driver
Peter Hodge	....	driver: second unit
Tony Hopkins	....	driver
Cledwyn Jones	....	driver
Billy Kavanagh	....	driver
John Kavanagh	....	driver
Austin Kelly	....	driver
Tommy Kingston	....	driver
Shamie McCabe	....	driver
Val Meehan	....	driver
Sean O'Connor	....	driver: UK
John O'Neill	....	driver
Dennis Swan	....	driver: UK
John J. Thompson	....	driver
John Wall	....	driver

Other crew
Peter Agnew	....	location assistant
John Albert	....	insurance
Cate Arbeid	....	coordinator: UK
Christian Banfield	....	assistant location manager: UK
Jean Bourne	....	script supervisor
Frances Byrne	....	assistant location manager
Noel Byrne	....	location assistant
Brendan Campbell	....	video crew
Stephen Cheers	....	assistant location manager: UK
Carl Cockran	....	stand-in: UK
Sean Corcoran	....	operator: second unit
Dougal Cousins	....	extras production assistant
Alison Crosbie	....	director production assistant
Bob Crowdey	....	laboratory consultant
Patsy de Lord	....	coordinator: UK
Paul Fennelly	....	location accountant: UK
Donal Fortune	....	stand-in
Frank Gardner	....	catering manager: UK
Sean Garland	....	set assistant
Teresa Gautly	....	unit nurse
Donal Geraghty	....	assistant accountant
Howard Gibbins	....	location manager: UK
Brendan Gunn	....	dialogue coach
Alan Hall	....	title designer
Lise Hand	....	research and special extras
Keith Hatcher	....	location manager: UK
James Hickey	....	legal advisor
Sara Jones	....	stand-in: UK
Gerry Lundberg	....	unit publicist
John McDonnell	....	location manager
John McKenna	....	armorer
Christian McWilliams	....	location manager: second unit
Julia Molteberg	....	office runner: UK
Catherine Morris	....	continuity: second unit
Catherine Morris	....	script supervisor: UK
Barbara Mulcahy	....	stand-in
Paul Myler	....	production accountant
Barbara Napier	....	direction secretary
Niamh Nolan	....	production coordinator
Joe O'Byrne	....	video crew
Louis O'Connor	....	assistant: Mr. Day-Lewis
Catherine O'Flaherty	....	production office runner
Niall O'Meachair	....	assistant location manager
Grania O'Shannon	....	location scout
Albert G. Ruben	....	insurance
William A. Sawyer	....	machinist
Ira Schreck	....	legal advisor
David Shaw	....	assistant: UK
Yvonne Shaw	....	accounting assistant
Tom Sherry	....	assistant: UK
Willie Smith	....	stand-in
Mick Tohill	....	chief of morale
Mick Tohill	....	director production assistant
Fiona Traynor	....	assistant co-producer
Dawn Morrissey	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Mark Sheffield	....	cutting room engineer (uncredited)

Thanks
Jane Abernethy	....	thanks
Chris Blackwell	....	thanks
Marlon Brando	....	special thanks
Frank Brennan	....	thanks
Gerry Browne	....	thanks
Gail Clark Burch	....	thanks (as Gail Clark)
Sarah Clarke	....	special thanks (as Sister Sarah Clarke)
Francis Ford Coppola	....	special thanks
Joe Dapello	....	thanks
Eric Darnas	....	thanks
Patrick Devlin	....	special thanks (as Lord Devlin)
Graham Easton	....	thanks
Jerry Edemann	....	thanks (as Gerry Edemann)
Keith Edemann	....	thanks
Gerry Fay	....	thanks
Mike Fisher	....	special thanks
George A. Fleming	....	thanks
Alfie L. Florence	....	thanks
Ros Francy	....	special thanks
Barbara Galawan	....	thanks
Albert Gasser	....	thanks
Marie George	....	thanks
Leonard T. Geschke	....	thanks
Hannah Greenfield	....	thanks
George Hay	....	thanks
Billy Hinshelwood	....	thanks
Cardinal Basil Hume	....	special thanks
Neall Irwin	....	thanks
Susan Jacobs	....	thanks
Nils C. Jensen	....	thanks (as Nils Charles Jensen)
Willie Kane	....	thanks
Pat Keenan	....	thanks
Robert Kee	....	special thanks
Anne-Louise Kelly	....	thanks
Gary Krivacek	....	thanks
George Lamon	....	thanks
Alastair Logan	....	special thanks
Governor John Lonergan	....	thanks
Donald J. Malouf	....	thanks
Tiernan McBride	....	thanks
Larry McEvoy	....	thanks
Declan McGonagle	....	thanks
Grant McKee	....	special thanks
Paddy Mufryan	....	thanks
Pat Murphy	....	thanks
Charlie O'Neill	....	thanks
Paddy O'Toole	....	thanks
Al Pacino	....	special thanks
Gareth Peirce	....	thanks
Errol Reilly	....	special thanks
Theresa Reilly	....	special thanks
George Roe	....	thanks
Rod Rogers	....	thanks
Lord Scarman	....	special thanks
Phil K. Slattery	....	thanks
Bud S. Smith	....	thanks
Paddy Teahon	....	thanks
Karl Unger	....	thanks
Tom Whiting	....	thanks
Kerry Williams	....	thanks

Production Companies

• Hell's Kitchen Films
• Universal Pictures

Distributors

• United International Pictures (UIP) (1994) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Svenska Filminstitutet (SFI) (1994) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Universal Pictures (1993) (USA) (theatrical)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1998) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Argentina Video Home (Argentina) (video)
• CIC Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (Argentina)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (Spain)
• Universal Home Video (Brazil) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Lee Lighting  grip and lighting equipment
• Movietech  camera equipment provided by

MPAA:

Rated R for language and politically-generated violence.

Runtime:

133 min

Country:

Ireland | UK

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby | DTS

Certification:

Iceland:12 (video rating) | Iceland:14 | South Korea:15 | Canada:18+ (Ontario) | Philippines:R-18 | Netherlands:12 (DVD rating) | Ireland:18 (DVD rating) | Argentina:16 | Australia:M | Chile:14 | Finland:K-14 | Germany:12 | Norway:15 | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:R | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Ardmore Studios - Herbert Road, Bray, County Wicklow, Ireland

Company:

Hell's Kitchen Films

Trivia:

Daniel Day-Lewis kept his Northern Irish accent on and off the set for the entire shooting schedule.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: When Gerry is arriving in London in 1974 we see an early-'80s Ford Transit van and a similarly dated Ford Fiesta.

Quotes:

[after hearing of his father's death]
Gareth Peirce: [With tears in her eyes] Well, I think they ought to take the word 'compassion' out of the English dictionary.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Duckman: Private Dick/Family Man: In the Nam of the Father (#2.7)" (1995)

Soundtrack:

Is This Love

Innocence Is Not An Absolute

Like MIDNIGHT EXPRESS , IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER is a an extremely well made film , but like MIDNIGHT EXPRESS much of it is total invention . Reviewers on this page have already pointed out the numerous errors such as Guiseppe and Gerry Conlon never being imprisoned in the same jail or the " Guilford four " and " Mcguire seven " trials taking place in completely seperate court cases but no one seems to have pointed out the erroneous backgrounds this film paints of Gerry Conlon and Paul Hill. In their book THE PROVISIONAL IRA authors Patrick Bishop and Eamon Mallie state the facts quite clearly that Paul Hill was a member of the Belfast brigade of the provisonal IRA ( And Hill later did confess to being a member ) while Conlon had been a member of Na Fianna Eireann which is the youth section of the provisionals though Conlon was quickly kicked out ( Literally ) due to his heavy drinking and drug taking . They didn`t meet on the ferry as shown in the film but Conlon bumped into Hill in Southampton where Hill was staying . What was Hill doing in Southampton ? He was on the run from the IRA who wanted to question him about guns going missing and about the possibility of Hill being an informer , something that is always punishable in IRA ranks with death and prior torture . When Conlon returned to Belfast in December 1974 he did drunkenly mention to IRA acquaintances in pubs that he`d met Hill in England and in order to punish Hill for his suspected crimes against the organisation and to take the heat off their own cells active in Britain at the time it was the IRA themselves who deliberately leaked the false information to the intelligence services about Conlon and Hill being involved in the Guilford bombings , not as the film shows a jealous boyfriend . Hill was also later found guilty of the murder of a former soldier though is never shown in the film and it`s this playing hard and loose with the facts that almost threatens to destroy the film . It could have been worse though , there might have been the suggestion that the bombing could have been a mass suicide

Well that`s the bad points out of the way . What`s IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER`s good points ? Well Jim Sheridan directs with a real kinetic force especially the early scene where Conlon is pursued by the Brits against a voodoo chile soundscape . Sheridan also gets the very best out of his cast . Emma Thompson is good as the crusading lawyer , Pete Postlethwaite is very good as Guiseppe Conlon , but the outstanding performance is by Daniel Day Lewis as Gerry Conlon . Has anyone noticed the bitter Irony of a film about injustice features one of the greatest injustices commited by the Oscar board voters where they gave that year`s best actor Oscar to a very average performance by Tom Hanks ? No wonder more and more people view the Oscars as a popularity contest . And despite my above criticisms about the facts - or lack of them - IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER can in no way be described as a pro IRA film in the way that THE DEVIL`S OWN or SOME MOTHER`S SON are