In the Name of the Father
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Jim Sheridan
Produced by	Jim Sheridan Gabriel Byrne Terry George Arthur Lappin
Screenplay by	Jim Sheridan Terry George
Story by	Gerry Conlon
Based on	Proved Innocent
Starring	Daniel Day-Lewis Emma Thompson Pete Postlethwaite
Music by	Trevor Jones
Cinematography	Peter Biziou
Editing by	Gerry Hambling
Studio	Hell's Kitchen Films
Distributed by	Universal Pictures
Release date(s)	December 12, 1993 (Ireland) February 25, 1994 (USA)
Running time	133 minutes
Country	Ireland United Kingdom United States
Language	English
Budget	$13 million
Box office	$65,796,862[1]

In the Name of the Father is a 1993 biographical film directed by Jim Sheridan. It is based on the true life story of the Guildford Four, four people falsely convicted^[2] of the IRA's Guildford pub bombings which killed four off-duty British soldiers and a civilian. The screenplay was adapted by Terry George and Jim Sheridan from the autobiography Proved Innocent: The Story of Gerry Conlon of the Guildford Four by Gerry Conlon.^[3]

The film was positively received by critics, and received seven Academy Award nominations, including Best Actor in a Leading Role (Daniel Day-Lewis), Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Pete Postlethwaite), Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Emma Thompson), Best Director, and Best Picture.

Synopsis [edit]

Gerry Conlon (Daniel Day-Lewis) is shown in Belfast stripping lead from roofs of houses when the security forces home in on the district with armoured cars, and the dustbin lids beat out a riot. Although worried that the IRA will punish him for causing a riot, they reveal to his father that they are merely scaring him so he does not repeat the crime. He is then sent off to London by his parents to keep him out of trouble. There he finds a squat, to explore, as he puts it, "free love and dope." The evening when he walks around London an explosion at a pub in Guildford kills five people (four soldiers and a civilian) and hurts 74.

Conlon returns to Belfast to share his fortune. His family home is raided by the British Army and Royal Ulster Constabulary who arrest him, and immediately place him on a military flight to the mainland UK. Gerry and his friend are interrogated by police who torture and menace them until both finally agree to sign a confession after being held for up to seven days under the Prevention of Terrorism Act. When his father Giuseppe traveled from Belfast to help his son, he was arrested at the family's relatives' home in England. In the subsequent trial, his aunt's family (known as the Maguire Seven, including his father) are convicted of supporting the bombing on the basis of unsubstantiated nitroglycerin traces, and the four, including Gerry, are sentenced to long terms of imprisonment.

His time in prison shows a progression from a bitter son who rails at his father to an awakening when he discovers the real perpetrator of the bombing in the same facility. When this man leads a prison protest and then sets a hated prison guard on fire, Gerry is the one who saves the man with a blanket. Gerry takes over the fight for justice himself when his father dies in custody.

Gareth Peirce, a campaigning lawyer (Emma Thompson) who has been investigating the case on behalf of Giuseppe in the wake of public campaigns demanding the release of the accused, has a break when she tries to access his father's file and is able to look instead at Gerry's. She finds vital police documents in the file are marked "Not to be shown to the Defence". During the course of their appeal, the production of these documents leads to a triumphant scene in court when Peirce produces the evidence that the police officers have been lying all the way through, which leads to the exoneration and release of all the Four. The film ends with a winning Gerry that says his story to the media and remembers his late father's name. Title cards reveal the current activities of the Four, the exoneration of the Maguire Seven, that the police were acquitted of any wrongdoing and that the real perpetrators of the Guildford Bombing have not been charged with the crime.

Cast [edit]

• Daniel Day-Lewis as Gerry Conlon
• Pete Postlethwaite as Giuseppe Conlon
• John Lynch as Paul Hill
• Mark Sheppard as Paddy Armstrong
• Beatie Edney as Carole Richardson
• Emma Thompson as Gareth Peirce
• Don Baker as Joe McAndrew
• Corin Redgrave as Inspector Robert Dixon
• Gerard McSorley as Detective Pavis
• Frank Harper as Ronnie Smalls
• Jamie Harris as Deptford Jim
• Tom Wilkinson as Grant Richardson

Awards [edit]

In the Name of the Father won the Golden Bear at the 44th Berlin International Film Festival.^[4]

The film was also nominated for seven Academy Awards, including Best Actor in a Leading Role (Daniel Day-Lewis), Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Pete Postlethwaite), Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Emma Thompson), Best Director, Best Film Editing, Best Picture and Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium.

Reception [edit]

The film received very positive reviews from most critics. The review aggregator websites Rotten Tomatoes and Metacritic both scored the film very highly, with Rotten Tomatoes giving it 95% and a 'certified fresh' rating, while Metacritic has given it 84% and a 'universal acclaim' rating.^[5][6]

Soundtrack [edit]

The soundtrack of the film includes the song "You Made Me the Thief of Your Heart" performed by Sinéad O'Connor and written by Bono, Gavin Friday, and Maurice Seezer. It also includes "Voodoo Child (Slight Return)" performed by The Jimi Hendrix Experience.

The soundtrack on sale featured these songs:

1. Bono & Gavin Friday - "In The Name Of The Father" (5:42)
2. The Jimi Hendrix Experience - "Voodoo Child (Slight Return)" (5:09)
3. Bono & Gavin Friday - "Billy Boola" (3:45)
4. The Kinks - "Dedicated Follower Of Fashion" (3:00)
5. Trevor Jones - "Interrogation" (7:11)
6. Bob Marley & The Wailers - "Is This Love" (3:51)
7. Trevor Jones - "Walking The Circle" (4:42)
8. Thin Lizzy - "Whiskey In The Jar" (5:44)
9. Trevor Jones - "Passage Of Time" (5:52)
10. Sinéad O'Connor - "You Made Me The Thief Of Your Heart" (6:21)

Filming locations [edit]

• Dublin Docklands, Dublin, Ireland (used for opening Belfast scenes)
• Sheriff Street, Dublin, Ireland (Sheriff Street flats complex (now demolished) used for riot scene)
• Kilmainham Gaol, Dublin, Ireland (as Park Royal Prison)
• Liverpool, England (used for many London scenes)
• Manchester, England (used for external court scenes)

See also [edit]

• Birmingham Six

References [edit]

External links [edit]

• In the Name of the Father at the Internet Movie Database
• In the Name of the Father at Rotten Tomatoes
• In the Name of the Father at AllRovi
• In the Name of the Father at Box Office Mojo
• In the Name of the Father at the TCM Movie Database
• In the Name of the Father at Metacritic