A Terrible Beauty

During WWII in a small Irish town, Dermot O'Neill (Robert Mitchum) is recruited into the IRA along with other locals including Sean Reilly (Richard Harris). He starts by stealing guns from a British armoury, but the next mission however to destroy a power station results in several deaths and Reilly is injured and the two have to go on the run. O'Neill remains patriotic but questions the value of what they are doing and particularly the principles that drive them when Reilly is captured and high and mighty and cowardly leader Don McGinnis (Dan O'Herlihy - v. Good) won't risk the group to rescue Reilly. In addition, when McGinnis threatens to attack the 'traitorous' Irish police, O'Neill says he'll report them and of course they turn against him.

The film partly considers the rights and wrongs of the campaign and its collaboration with the Nazis, but mostly it considers the difficulties faced balancing loyalties to Ireland vs loyalty to family and friends. Mitchum is terrific here and works particularly well with Harris - one can only speculate as to how much Irish Whiskey got drunk on this set. There is also tremendous support from stalwarts like Cyril Cusack and Niall MacGinnis. It all adds up to an enjoyable, witty and occasionally moving tale, just very occasionally straying into 'top of the morning to you' cliche.

I had hoped from the opening sequence that it would feature the IRA in collaboration with the Nazis.However it developed in a different direction.Iit is just rather dull with little pace.

You know what that means, two characters such as those one on a shooting, as Robert Mitchum with Stanley Baker during Bob Aldrich's THE ANGRY HILLS; I mean booze is never far from the "companionship" that may rise between the likes of Mitchum, Harris and Baker, so notorious heavy drinkers. And they were not the only ones.....So this Tay Garnet's film, as several from this same director, offer some John Ford's accents, elements: Irish, men's atmosphere, saloon fist fights. And there were not so many movies speaking if iRA in those days, the sixties decade. Good film but not my favourite from POSTMAN ALWAYS RINGS TWICE director.

Robert Mitchum is an irish-man who joins the IRA during the WW2 era. They plan to fight the British while they're occupied with the Germans. Could have been a much better movie if the people didn't act so one- dimensional. I almost yawned a few times.

Where I saw it: Showtime Extreme (ironic, i know)

My grade: C-

Richard Harris and Robert Mitchum star as Irishmen and the tale is set in the early years of WWII. It seems that the Germans want to encourage the IRA to renew hostilities against the British in Northern Ireland's six counties. Why? Well, then the Brits will be so busy trying to put down this rebellion that the Germans will have an easier time beating them in the war. Some quickly fall for the German agent's appeals...some are wondering if the cost just isn't worth it in this proverbial deal with the Devil!

The acting, as you expect, is quite good. The story, although interesting to me since I used to teach history, might not appeal to so many viewers...particularly if they are not Irish or British. It's definitely one of Mitchum and Harris' more obscure films but that doesn't mean it's bad at all. Well worth your time.