These three films represent the pinnacle in terms of success with Sheridan’s career. He would make other films (including one more with Day Lewis, the less successful The Boxer) with varying degrees of success but which still included another Oscar nomination for the screenplay of In America. That made it six Oscar nominations in total which is pretty damned good by any measure. It is important to mention how just how significant these films are in opening the door for other Irish filmmakers to follow. Hollywood took notice of Ireland’s filmmakers and continues to do so.
At the heart of these three films are stories about fathers and sons. The quiet contempt of Paddy for Christy in My Left Foot, the anger, grief and disappointment of Bull McCabe when he looks at Tadhg and thinks of Seamus in The Field and the look of anguish on Giuseppe’s face when he tries to communicate with a stubborn Gerry in In the Name of the Father. Fathers and sons, disappointment abounds but what of the women? Fricker, a fine actress does a huge amount with being an Irish mammy in My Left Foot and tries hard with even less in The Field. The women in the latter film exist only as distrustful and wild or bitter old maids. In the Name of the Father has Carole Richardson and Anne Maguire in the background but never really as part of the overall story. It does better with Emma Thompson as Gareth Peirce thankfully. They can be said to films of their time and it is a little unfair to call out modern issues in old films. But people have been looking for better roles for women for a long time. Thankfully Sheridan does a lot better in this regard in The Boxer, In America and The Secret Scripture.
Sheridan is these days more than a filmmaker. An activist involved with the Home Sweet Home movement to help prevent homelessness (a documentary is rumoured). He is also a permanent fixture to a lot of filmgoers at Q&A’s for various films around Dublin. But he is also a vitally important filmmaker in our film history. He helped pave the way for others to follow. Honest and direct, we have certainly not heard the last of him.
Rooney Mara and Jack Reynor in Jim Sheridan's latest film, The Secret Scripture
54 CinÉireann / December 2017