B140: The Field

The Field is a 1990 Irish drama film written and directed by Jim Sheridan and starring Richard Harris, John Hurt, Sean Bean, Brenda Fricker and Tom Berenger. It is one of my favourite films as I believe the acting of Richard Harris and the others was brilliant and absorbing. It was adapted from John B. Keane's 1965 play of the same name. The film is set in the early 1930s and was shot almost entirely in the Connemara village of Leenaun, a beautiful part of Ireland.

Of course, everything is exaggerated for dramatic effect, but there’s no denying that the hunger for land is and was very real in the Irish psyche.  Several years later, when I first started going out with Charlie, a city guy, I remember he joking to people in Carrick on his first visit that he was not after their land.  Which was a good thing, as the only land my father had was the back garden where he grew a few spuds! ❤️
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Anyway, all these years later The Field is still up there with the best and that is what I’ve done this week’s blog on.  Enjoy ❤️

"The Bird", Bull & Tadhg

​Plot
Bull McCabe, an Irish farmer, dumps a dead donkey in a lake. It transpires that McCabe's son, Tadhg, killed the donkey after discovering it had broken into the field the family has rented for generations. The donkey's owner blames Bull McCabe for the death and demands "blood money".
McCabe has a deep attachment to the rented field, which his family has cultivated and improved, from barren to now very productive, over a number of generations. The field's owner is a widow who, around the time of the 10th anniversary of the death of her husband, decides to sell the field. She decides to sell the field by public auction rather than to McCabe directly. Unbeknownst to McCabe, Tadhg has been harassing the widow for years, causing her to believe that McCabe is behind the harassment in order to force her into a sale. On hearing there will be an auction McCabe goes to the village pub and announces that nobody would dare bid against him for "his" field.

Bull in the pub!

​McCabe has constant doubts about Tadhg's ability to safeguard the field. His older son, Seamie, committed suicide when he was 13. McCabe blames himself for the death, as he told Seamie the field could only support one family, and that Tadhg would have to emigrate when he grew up. McCabe and his wife have not spoken in the 18 years since the death.

Bull's Wife

​Peter, an American whose ancestors are from the area, arrives in the village. He has plans to build a hydro-electric plant in the area and quarry stone for new roads. Central to his plans is McCabe's field. At the auction Peter repeatedly out-bids McCabe, forcing the price up to 80 pounds, 30 pounds more than what McCabe can afford. Seeing the bidding war the widow stops the auction and insists there would be a new auction, with a reserve price of 100 pounds. Knowing he cannot outbid Peter and seeing his cattle thrown off the field, McCabe goes to the rectory to confront Peter, and the parish priest who has been supporting him. McCabe now discovers Tadhg's actions, expelling him from the meeting, and goes on to explain his deep attachment to the field. This includes the death of his mother while saving hay.

Peter - The Yank

​Peter refuses to back down from his plans. In a desperate last attempt McCabe and Tadhg confront Peter at a waterfall he has just purchased, the night before the second auction. When Tadhg fails to defeat Peter in a fight, McCabe himself intervenes and beats both men in a rage. Peter is killed, and upon realising this, McCabe has a mental break. He confuses Peter with his dead son Seamie. Tadhg flees to the Traveller girl he has fallen for. He tells her he has killed Peter, and they make plans to run off together. Bird O'Donnell bids on behalf of McCabe and secures the field for 101 pounds at the second auction, unopposed.

Tadhg & the Traveller

​A Traveller boy spots the dead donkey floating in the lake and a crane is brought in to recover it. It inadvertently recovers the corpse of Peter. At the same time Tadhg comes home to tell his father he is leaving with the Traveller and says he never wanted the field. The Parish priest arrives to confront McCabe about the discovery of Peter. Having lost his son and with the corpse discovered, McCabe goes insane and herds his cattle to the cliffs. Bird informs Tadhg that his father has gone mad. Tadhg rushes to stop his father but gets driven over the cliff by the herd of cattle and killed. Further maddened with grief, McCabe attempts to drive the waves back from his dead son, while Tadhg's mother and the Traveller sob on the clifftop.

The Widow

Cast
 
·       Richard Harris as 'Bull' McCabe
·       Sean Bean as Tadhg McCabe
·       Tom Berenger as Peter - The 'Yank' American
·       Frances Tomelty as Widow
·       Brenda Fricker as Maggie McCabe
·       John Hurt as 'The Bird' O'Donnell
·       Ruth McCabe as Tinker Woman
·       Jer O'Leary as Tinker Girl's Father
·       Jenny Conroy as Katie - The Tinker Girl
·       Joan Sheehy as 2nd Tinker Woman
·       Sean McGinley as Father Chris Doran
·       Malachy McCourt as Sergeant
·       Frank McDonald as Quarryman
·       Brendan Gleeson as Quarryman
·       Tommy Walsh as standby extra

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Bucket List Items Ticked Off in the above Blog post 140
​Number 74(a) - Experiences - Pick 8 Favourite Films

• The Field

​Other Blog Posts
Blog 11 - Sydney, Australia
Blog 12 - Hong Kong, China
Blog 17 - Beijing, Xi'an & Shanghai, China
Blog 19 - California, USA
Blog 27 - Scotland
Blog 28 - Barbados
Blog 29 - Canada


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