St. Patrick: The Irish Legend

I want to put in a good word for this movie. I watched it with my family, including husband, sons 19 and 17, and daughter 13. We all enjoyed it. The plot moves along, characters are well developed, and the important events of St. Patrick's life are covered with reasonable accuracy. The movie avoids getting bogged down in confusing historical details.

Several miracles/legends are depicted by special effects that may seem out of place to some viewers, but they are all famous legends told about St. Patrick. (eg. his banishing of snakes from Ireland)

I bought some DVDs not locally available for rent this Christmas, and thought I'd list my three favorites for others who are looking for something other than the usual Hollywood fare. 1.St. Patrick the Irish Legend (I really liked it that much!) 2. Ushpizin (Award winning Israeli film with English subtitles) 3. The Way Home (Award winning Korean film with English subtitles)

I bought this movie for a dollar at the local library years ago and watched it for the first time today on St. Patrick's Day. The cast is great, the running time is short since it originally aired as a made for TV movie on what is now Freeform, and the plot is simple. The CGI is cheesy though. Definitely worth a rental.

With the English church looking to remove his hold over the Christians in Ireland, Patrick sits down to write his life story, starting with his kidnapping into slavery in his teens, his discovery of God and his return to Ireland as a missionary for the Church.

Here's one film that you can pretty much guarantee that you'll be able to catch at least once a year somewhere on cable, not because it's good but mainly because it's one of very few films I can think of about St Patrick. I knew things were going to be rocky from the first five minutes where Patrick confronts a group of heathens and stops their worship by using `his' powers to melt their gold statute and then shatter their rock alter. It played like he was a wizard rather than a priest and, I know the legends maybe do that, but the way the film portrayed him really brought out that side of things.

This telling sucks a lot of life out of the legend and I do think that the story of St Patrick is better told by word of mouth than by this film. The second weakness is that everything is so damn worthy and reverent. I didn't expect jokes but everyone is reading delivering their lines like they are reading the word of God – the young Patrick is especially guilty of this crime. It isn't terrible but it has all the usual flaws of a TVM.

The cast are OK on paper but are only average at best. Bergin is too reverent and really comes across like a lead weight than a character. The support are also too much of cardboard cut-outs and really could have been replaced by anyone doing Oirsh clichés. Malcolm McDowell is actually quite good because it is apparent from the off that he is overplaying and having a bit of fun – at least he brings a bit of sorely needed energy to the film.

Overall if it wasn't for the fact that it is tied to a particular day then I doubt this film would get much of an airing. If you can put up with all the TVM weaknesses then it is still an interesting legend but you really have to dig to find the gold here.

This film essentially begins with the story of "St. Patrick" (Patrick Bergen) when he was a teenager living with his parents in Britain. One night he decides to witness a Druid ceremony and while participating in it a band of slave traders appear and take him to Ireland to sell on the slave market. He is then bought for 3 gold pieces and put to work tending his master's flock of sheep all by himself. It's at this time that he humbles himself before the Lord and begins to have visions which tell him of events that must transpire. After 6 years in slavery he is then guided onto a passing ship and taken back to Britain where his parents give a feast in his honor. However, their joy is broken when he tells them that he is being called upon to become a priest and join a monastery. But that's only part of his destiny. Now rather than reveal any more of this movie and risk spoiling it for those who haven't seen it I will just say that, although somewhat entertaining, the truth is that I found it rather disappointing. I say this because I had been hoping to see something more historically accurate than the myth and magic presented. As a matter of fact, some of the scenes were simply too preposterous and unrealistic to be believed. And it was all so unnecessary. That said I have rated this movie accordingly. Slightly below average.

A young boy is kidnapped and forced into slavery, guarding sheep in Ireland. With his faith in God, he returns home only to decide to study to become a priest and introduce Christianity to the poor and enslaved people of Ireland. His deeds led him to becoming the second Bishop of Ireland. Very informative look at this fifth century personage. His reported use of the shamrock as an illustration of the Holy Trinity led to its being regarded as the Irish national symbol.

A very talented cast featuring Patrick Bergin as the adult Patrick and Luke Griffin as the young Patrick. Malcolm McDowell, Alan Bates and Susannah York seemed flawless.