Una preghiera per morire

Completely (and rather unjustly) forgotten today, this is an offbeat, interesting dramatic thriller based on a book that seems to lift its basic idea from Alfred Hitchcock's "I Confess" (actually, I haven't seen "I Confess" yet, but everybody knows its premise). The movie has a great cast and makes an earnest attempt to combine psychodrama with more traditional thriller elements. The main problem is that, once the basic situation has been (elaborately) set up, the story seems to get stalled and has nowhere to go. There is also a subplot, involving Liam Neeson in an early role as Mickey Rourke's old comrade in the IRA, that's ultimately just a waste of time. (**)

In my opinion Mickey Rourke's third best movie, the first being "Angel Heart" and the second being "Year of the Dragon".

Rourke teamed up with Mike Hodges the director of such classics as "Get Carter" and the more recent "Croupier" in April of 1986 in London.

The whole movie was filmed on location in London, the Irish scenes at the beginning were filmed probably in Herts. The actual church is in Canning in London, near the ill fated Millennium Dome and still stands today. It wasn't being used as a church at the time, and the roof damage was real due to a bombing in the second world war. The church still stands and is currently used as a community centre.

Rourke plays Martin Fallon an IRA terrorist with a heart who recently bombed a school bus by accident and fled to London to evade the IRA and start again. He is taken on by local kingpin Jack Meehan played by a very camp Alan Bates whom has a day job of a funeral director and by night a nasty villain who wants Fallon to do one last job and he will pay him well and give him a passport and ticket to the US.

The mark Fallon is to kill is another local kingpin whom Meehan wants dead so he can take over his drug business. The mark he has to kill always visits his mother in a local church where Fallon shoots him, but is seen by Father Da Costa played very well by Bob Hoskins. Da Costa won't co-operate with the police after hearing Fallon's confession and the whole movie then is based around Jack Meehan trying to kill Fallon and the Da Costa.

Rourke's accent is spot on, maybe not to a true Irishman, but certainly to most it is very good, and his acting is on top form.

Hoskins is believable and carries of being a vicar fairly well, and the script also tells he is an ex army officer which gives him a bit of reason to be little rough on some of the villains.

Look out for a young Anthony Head (from Buffy) and a blind Sammi Davis whom was very popular in a lot of Ken Russell movies from the early 90's.

IRA hitman Martin Fallon botches a hit, and accidentally kills a bus full of children, desperate to escape the life, Martin agrees one final hit, but is seen by a Priest, who tries to convince him to see the error of his ways.

I would class this as something of a hidden gem, and judging by the limited number of reviews, it sadly seems to have been largely forgotten.

One of my dad's favourite films, I'd watch it on a semi regular basis, and as of today, I'd say it hasn't lost any of its shock value, and certainly none of its grit.

It's a fairly bleak and dark story, the harrowing opening sequences set the tone, and remind us all just how bad 'the troubles' were, truly a violent and tragic piece of history.

Arguably it's a little corny in parts, and that ending is wild beyond belief, but the core of the story is excellent, and the cast all deliver terrific performances.

A pretty terrific cast, and Rourke, if ever you need reminding of just how good an actor he is, stick this on.

8/10.

Harsh crime drama deals with a lonely IRA hit-man named Fallon (Mickey Rourke )sickened by the murder along with his partner (Liam Neeson) of innocent people in Northern Ireland . He is on the run but has to complete one last assignment , when happens to be witnessed by a priest (Bob Hopkins ) who becomes an unwitting associate when the killer hides out at the church . The execution is duly carried out , triggering off the rest of argument. Fallon long to quit , is a man with nowhere to run . He has come to London where is pursued by the Ira (Alison Doody) ,the police and a mobster (Alan Bates )and his brother (Christopher Fulfold) . Meanwhile the hit-man falls in love with the priest's blind niece (Sammi Davis).

This is a dramatic film , well paced , often interesting and never boring ; it's plenty of action , thrills, suspense , a love story and quite entertaining . This picture further afield both in terms of location and theme have not led to the full realization of his potential . Actors make a great job , Rourke sporting a decent Irish character , over-the-top Hopkins in a worthy role and fine performances from Alan Bates and Christopher Fulford as underworld kingpins. Very secondary acting of Anthony Head , subsequently famous as the teacher in Buffy Vampire slayer and Sammi Davis screen debut . The atmosphere is splendidly captured in steely color photography. Very good musical score by Bill Conti who composes a sensible and evocative soundtrack , much better than his Rocky saga . The drama that surrounded this film is all of interest and rarely tiring but small beer at box-office , then Hodges came to a grinding halt for some years . Furthermore , Mike Hodges and Mickey Rourke were not satisfied with terminated movie .

The motion picture is professionally realized by British director Mike Hodges of extraordinarily varied experience . After successful direction for TV thrillers , he encouraged to try for the big screen. He looked set for a solid career in urban drama after the success of his first movie ¨Get Carter¨ . He subsequently realized flops as the comedy ¨Pulp¨ and Sci-Fi as ¨The terminal man¨ and a lunatic farce as ¨Morons from outer space ¨. ¨Flash Gordon¨was his contribution to the big budget super-film until ¨The prayer for the dying¨ with action scenes are sharply , toughly staged , but achieved a limited success ; however being nowadays better deemed. Rating : Good 6,5 . The film will appeal to Mickey Rourke fans and thriller buffs .

Already a quarter century has passed since A Prayer for the Dying was first released, and I don't think age has been kind to either Mickey's character portrayal of an IRA bomber named Martin Fallon, nor to the films story line. I believe Mickey Rourke to be a fine actor whose body of work has been solid decade by decade. He is an actor that I look forward to seeing what he plans to do next. I just don't think this particular screen play was very realistic, so first rate actors such as Mickey Rourke, Bob Hoskins, Liam Neeson and Alison Doody who had thought they had ordered top grade steak were served ground beef instead for the screenplay.

The movie is about Martin Fallon a cold hearted IRA bomber who hangs up his TNT after accidentally blowing up a school bus of children which was intended for another IRA target. Of course Martin Fallon is forced to come out of retirement for just one last hit which he completes for another mobster appropriately at a cemetery. Unfortunately Martin fails to see the priest Father Michael Da Costa who witnesses his assassination. The priest is played by the very versatile actor Bob Hoskins.

Yes, there was a steady stream of IRA villains planning other hits, the London Bobby's were continually chasing after the elusive IRA bomber Martin Fallon, the Irish mob wanting their own way, and the film even had a blind damsel in distress named Anna played by Sammi Davis who Martin Fallon falls in love with.

Even with all this potential, and actors of the highest caliber, the film lacked any depth of true characters or continuous suspense. Instead, I felt the movie just plodded on through out and left me half way through the film expecting little more to come of it other than a disappointing ending which was the case.

I give the film a rare 5 out of 10 only on the strength of Mickey Rourke and Bob Hoskins, otherwise my rating would have been even lower.