Dancing at Lughnasa (1998)

User Rating:

6.1/10   

Director:

Pat O'Connor

Writers:

Brian Friel (play)
Frank McGuinness (screenplay)

Release Date:

13 November 1998 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

Five sisters embrace the spirit of a people.

Plot:

Five unmarried sisters make the most of their simple existence in rural Ireland in the 1930s.

Plot Keywords:

Sister | 1930s | Ireland | Priest | Aunt

Awards:

1 win & 7 nominations

Cast

Gerard McSorley	...	Narrator (voice)
Meryl Streep	...	Kate 'Kit' Mundy
Michael Gambon	...	Father Jack Mundy
Catherine McCormack	...	Christina 'Chrissy' Mundy
Kathy Burke	...	Margaret 'Maggie' Mundy
Sophie Thompson	...	Rose 'Rosie' Mundy
Brid Brennan	...	Agnes 'Aggie' Mundy
Rhys Ifans	...	Gerry Evans
Darrell Johnston	...	Michael 'Mike' Mundy
Lorcan Cranitch	...	Danny Bradley
John Kavanagh	...	Father Carlin
Marie Mullen	...	Vera McLoughlin
Dawn Bradfield	...	Sophie McLoughlin
Peter Gowen	...	Austin Morgan
Kate O'Toole	...	Chemist

MPAA:

Rated PG for mild language and thematic elements.

Runtime:

95 min

Country:

Ireland | UK | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

USA:PG (certificate #35877) | Iceland:L | Canada:PG (Ontario) | Argentina:13 | Australia:PG | Chile:14 | Germany:6 (w) | Norway:A | Peru:14 | Portugal:M/12 | Spain:T

Filming Locations:

Ardmore Studios - Herbert Road, Bray, County Wicklow, Ireland

Company:

Bórd Scannán na hÉireann

Trivia:

The play originally opened in Dublin, Ireland in 1990. It opened on Broadway in New York City, New York, USA on 11 October 1991 and closed on 25 October 1992 after 436 performances. In the cast were Brid Brennan, who originated her role as Agnes and won 1992 Tony award as Best Featured Actress, and Gerard McSorley as the adult Michael, the narrator in the movie. The play also won a 1992 Tony award as best play.

Quotes:

Kate 'Kit' Mundy: Does Mr. Evans ever wonder how Christina cloths and feeds Michael? Does he ask her? Does Mr. Evans care? Beasts in fields have more concern for their young than that creature has.
Agnes 'Aggie' Mundy: Do you ever listen to yourself, Kate? You are such a damned righteous bitch! And his name is Gerry. Gerry. Gerry!
[Storms out of room]
Kate 'Kit' Mundy: [to Maggie] Don't I know his name is Gerry. What have I been calling him? Saint Patrick?

Soundtrack:

Will You Come to Abyssinia

Touching but suppressed

A misfiring film. It has a truly exceptional cast and it is a great disappointment that it can't pack the punch that it promises.

My biggest gripe is that we're implicitly promised a big dance set-piece which never materialises. Obviously there is a mitigating dance sequence (which, like all sequences, is well played). The problem is that the family unit needs a sequence where they come, corporately, up against the outside. Whilst the familial tensions, aspirations and fears are played out in a string of scenes revolving around the cottage, the film needs a formal tipping point more critical than the drip-effect of their failing employment.

Meryl Streep has been, arguably, the finest female actor in the world for the past decade and it is a great credit to both her and her co-stars that she doesn't overbalance the ensemble. Despite their absorbing performances it doesn't work though - I'd say a fault of writers Brian Friel and Frank McGuiness. 4/10