A Prayer for the Dying (1987)

User Rating:

6.2/10   

Director:

Mike Hodges

Writers:

Jack Higgins (novel)
Edmund Ward (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

11 September 1987 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Drama

Plot:

Martin Fallon is an IRA bomber who tries to blow up a troop truck but instead kills a bus load of school children...

Plot Keywords:

Irish Republican Army | England | Redemption | Gangster | Violence

Cast

Mickey Rourke	...	Martin Fallon
Bob Hoskins	...	Father Michael Da Costa
Alan Bates	...	Jack Meehan
Sammi Davis	...	Anna
Christopher Fulford	...	Billy Meehan
Liam Neeson	...	Liam Docherty
Leonard Termo	...	Bonati
Camille Coduri	...	Jenny Fox
Maurice O'Connell	...	Superintendant Miller
Alison Doody	...	Siobhan Donovan
Karl Johnson	...	Fitzgerald
Ian Bartholomew	...	Kristou
Peggy Aitchison	...	Mrs. Orton
Cliff Burnett	...	Fred Varley
Anthony Head	...	Rupert
Mark Lambert	...	Ainsley
David Lumsden	...	Lance
Stanley Beard	...	Krasko
James Saxon	...	Ellerman
Ken Sharrock	...	Gaskin, Special Branch
George Shane	...	O'Connor
Alan Talbot	...	Barman
Ian McElhinney	...	Lodger
Mark Monero	...	Boy
Dave Duffy	...	Publican
Robert Hamilton	...	Husband
Margaret Wade	...	Wife
Peter Needham	...	Cemetery Superindentent
Norman Warwick	...	Priest
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Gunn Sara-Catherine	...	Jenny's Daughter (uncredited)

Directed by
Mike Hodges

Writing credits
Jack Higgins		(novel)
Edmund Ward		(screenplay) and
Martin Lynch		(screenplay)

Produced by
Christabel Albery	....	associate producer
Samuel Goldwyn Jr.	....	producer
Peter Snell	....	producer

Original Music by
Bill Conti

Cinematography by
Michael Garfath		(as Mike Garfath)

Film Editing by
Peter Boyle

Casting by
Debbie McWilliams
Mary Selway

Production Design by
Evan Hercules

Art Direction by
Martyn Hebert

Costume Design by
Evangeline Harrison

Makeup Department
Christine Beveridge	....	chief makeup artist
Stevie Hall	....	chief hair stylist

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Carol Brock	....	third assistant director
John Lawlor	....	second assistant director
Terry Needham	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Mick Atkins	....	construction stand-by
Ron Bates	....	carpenter
Gordon Billings	....	dressing props
Ron Burkett	....	chargehand painter
Bob Cann	....	carpenter
Derek Dadswell-Walker	....	painter
Paul Daley	....	construction runaround
Gary Dawson	....	stand-by props
Andy Evans	....	construction manager
Robin Heinson	....	stand-by painter
Steve Macdonald	....	dressing props (as Steve McDonald)
Phil Matthews	....	prop stand-by
Maxie McDonald	....	property master
David Naylor	....	painter
Dave Pearce	....	chargehand carpenter
Alfred Pulis	....	carpenter (as Fred Pulis)
Doug Purdy	....	stand-by props
Tony Robson	....	carpenter
Andrew Rothschild	....	assistant art director
Peter Rutherford	....	property buyer
Colin Smith	....	stagehand
Stuart Williams	....	stand-by carpenter

Sound Department
Ara Ashjian	....	sound recordist
Peter Best	....	dubbing editor
Gregory Cheever	....	sound recordist
Richard Daniel	....	sound maintenance
Paul J. Diller	....	sound effects editor
Jeffrey J. Haboush	....	sound re-recording mixer
Eileen Horta	....	sound recordist
Dean Humphreys	....	assistant sound re-recording mixer
Gerry Humphreys	....	sound re-recording mixer
Sandy MacRae	....	sound
Mark L. Mangino	....	sound effects editor
Bob Mullen	....	footsteps editor (as Robert Mullen)
Chris Munro	....	sound mixer
Ian Munro	....	boom operator
William Parnell	....	assistant sound editor (as Bill Parnell)
Greg P. Russell	....	sound re-recording mixer
Andrew Sissons	....	sound maintenance
Gary Weir	....	boom operator

Special Effects by
John Markwell	....	special effects technician
Ian Scoones	....	special effects designer

Stunts
Andy Bradford	....	stunt double: Mickey Rourke
Tom Delmar	....	stunts
Martin Grace	....	stunts
Nick Hobbs	....	stunts
Colin Skeaping	....	stunt arranger

Camera and Electrical Department
John Attwell	....	clapper loader
Graham Attwood	....	still photographer
Phil Aylward	....	camera grip
Steve Davis	....	stand-by rigger
Alan Grosch	....	generator operator
Ray Hall	....	camera grip
Steve Harvey	....	electrician
Gordon Hayman	....	camera operator
Colin McDonagh	....	rigger
Billy Merrell	....	electrician (as Bill Merrell)
Ossa Mills	....	best boy
Stewart Monteith	....	electrician (as Stuart Monteith)
Ray Potter	....	gaffer
Les Robson	....	rigger

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Peter Edmunds	....	wardrobe assistant
Janet Tebrooke	....	wardrobe supervisor

Editorial Department
Rita Ackland-Snow	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Bill Conti	....	conductor
Stephen A. Hope	....	music editor
Dan Wallin	....	scoring mixer: Bill Conti score

Transportation Department
Joe Drinkeld	....	transportation manager

Other crew
Diana Dill	....	script supervisor
Brendan Gunn	....	dialogue coach
Bob Jordan	....	assistant location manager
Lesley Keane	....	assistant to producer
Doreen Landry	....	publicist
Faye Perkins	....	production coordinator
Charles Salmon	....	location manager
Matthew Sharp	....	production runner
Bernard Spence	....	production accountant
Yvonne Spence	....	assistant accountant
Alan Sutton	....	fire safety

Production Companies

• Samuel Goldwyn Company, The

Distributors

• Samuel Goldwyn Company, The (1987) (USA) (theatrical)
• Guild Film Distribution (198?) (UK) (theatrical)
• Plånborg Film (1987) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Astro Distribution (1998) (Germany) (VHS)
• MGM Home Entertainment (Europe) (2005) (UK) (DVD)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2005) (Germany) (DVD)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• Miramar Home Vídeo (19??) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Starlight (1987) (West Germany) (VHS)
• Starlight (1990) (Germany) (video) (laserdisc)
• Vestron Video International (19??) (Australia) (VHS)
• Vestron Video (1988) (UK) (VHS)
• Video Film Express (2002) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Virgin Vision (1989) (USA) (VHS)

Other Companies

• B & B Sound Studios  re-recording at
• Horta Editorial & Sound  sound effects
• Lee Electrics  electric equipment
• Lee Lighting  grip and lighting equipment
• Lorimar Studios  music recorded at
• Pacific Title  titles and opticals
• Twickenham Film Studios  sound re-recorded at

Runtime:

107 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Australia:M | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | USA:R | West Germany:16 | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Canning Town, London, England, UK

Company:

Samuel Goldwyn Company, The

Trivia:

Mike Hodges tried to get his name off the picture after creative interference from the Producers. He wasn't happy with the theatrical release of the film.

Goofs:

Continuity: At the beginning credit Liam Neeson is credited as Docherty. In most of the film everybody calls him Mulachy.

Quotes:

Martin Fallon: There's no reason for killing or dying anymore. What's more, there's no reason for living!
Anna: That's a terrible thing to say!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Boondock Saints (1999)

Another Great one for Mickey

Gotta admit, I'm on a Mickey Rourke run, having just seen Angel Heart, Barfly, and Francesco. A Prayer for the Dying is a wonderful piece of work -teriffic acting by all, including Bates, Hoskins, etc. Mickey Rourke has to be one of the most under-rated actors in the industry. His "bad-boy" image hasn't helped, as it has helped other actors who fall into the same category. He reminds me a lot of Steve McQueen -subtle, intense, controlled acting, but when the action is needed he delivers. I sincerely hope he has a comeback sometime soon. In the meantime, run to your nearest video store and rent this great film. There are some incredible moments that I won't forget anytime soon. This story has been told before: bad guy trying to get away from the badness. . . but Rourke makes is all new, by adding his own unique charism. See it.