John Cowley Movies
Richard Harris was nominated for several awards (including the Oscar and Golden Globe) for his performance in The Field. The time is the mid-1930s; the place, western Ireland. For many years rugged individualist Bull McCabe (Harris) has been cultivating a small plot of rented land, nurturing it from barren rock into a fertile field. Now, however, the widow who owns the land plans to sell it at auction. The infuriated Bull shows up at the bidding, secure in his belief that none of his neighbors will dare bid against him. But Bull has not taken into consideration a wealthy Irish-American (Tom Berenger), who intends to pave over the land and bring new industry to the area. "This is deep, very deep, deeper than you think" warns Bull, as he sends his grown son (Sean Bean) to "persuade" the American to withdraw his bid. Armed with the foreknowledge that Bull's tenacity has caused heartbreak and tragedy in the past, the audience steels itself for the awful consequences still to come. Punctuating the storyline are the periodic appearances of the toothless village idiot, played by John Hurt. Originally produced for British television, The Field was based on the landmark play by John B. Keane, and directed by My Left Foot's Jim Sheridan. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Richard Harris, John Hurt, (more)
- 1965
Young Cassidy is based upon the autobiographical writings of firebrand Irish author Sean O'Casey. Rod Taylor is Cassidy, a boisterous boy who digs ditches to support his mother (Flora Robson) and sister (Sian Phillips). In his spare time, Cassidy is active with the Irish revolutionary movement against the occupying British. He still finds time enough for romance, notably with trashy chorine Julie Christie (in her first major role) and timid librarian Maggie Smith. Cassidy's latent writing talents are encouraged by such Irish literary giants as W.B. Yeats (Michael Redgrave) and Lady Gregory (Edith Evans), and in typically expeditious Hollywood fashion Our Hero almost instantly becomes a Man of Letters. John Ford began the direction of Young Cassidy, but fell ill and had to relinquish his responsibilities to Jack Cardiff; even the most diehard auteurist will have trouble discerning the personal "signature" of either director. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Rod Taylor, Julie Christie, (more)
- 1965
The Informers of the title are a loose grouping of underworld types, upon whom Scotland Yard inspector Nigel Patrick depends for crucial information. Patrick gets in trouble with his superiors when he refuses to reveal the identity of his informants. He gets into even more trouble, when, while investigating the murder of one of his snitches, Patrick is framed on a corruption rap by trollop Margaret Whiting. The Informers was based on Death of a Snout, a novel by Douglas Warner. It was also released under the titles Underworld Informers and The Snout. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Nigel Patrick, Frank Finlay, (more)
- 1964
When a country clergyman is found dead with a gun and a roll of microfilm in his possession, Steed poses as the man's replacement. This enables him to gain access to the venerable crime organization Bibliotek, at present locked in a power struggle. This episode marks the second time that The Avengers utilized a machine gun-wielding nun as a plot device. Written by Eric Paice, "The Little Wonders" first aired in England on January 11, 1964; American viewers finally caught up with the episode when it was shown on the A&E cable network on March 25, 1991. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Brendan Behan, the quixotic, eternally sloshed Irish poet/playwright, peppered his play The Quare Fellow with plenty of "gallows humor." The film version dispenses with most the play's morbid jests, leaving us with a grim, straightforward account of a Dublin death-row prison guard (Patrick McGoohan) and his growing empathy with two condemned prisoners. One could understand the removal of the play's comic elements had the film been made in timorous Hollywood. But since Quare Fellow was financed and produced in Ireland, it seems a inappropriately glum tribute to one of the country's boldest and most brilliant talents. Quare Fellow was directed by American "B" specialist Arthur Dreifuss, who also adapted Behan's play for the screen. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Patrick McGoohan, Sylvia Syms, (more)
- 1962
The Devil's Agent is Peter Van Eyck in this economical espionager. A Viennese wine merchant, Van Eyck becomes the unwilling dupe for the Russians. In retaliation, he offers to become a double agent for the United States. The better-than-average cast includes Macdonald Carey, Christopher Lee, Billie Whitelaw, Marius Goring and Helen Cherry. Somewhat lost amidst the flashier James Bond clones of the late 1960s, The Devil's Agent holds up pretty well when seen today. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1960
In this touching drama, a precursor for Ted Allan's later story about Jewish life in Montreal, a young Dublin lad idolizes his grandfather, a humble seller of rags and bones. His parents are not pleased by the adoration and attempt to keep the pair apart. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1959
The otherwise routine story and themes of this comedy are greatly balanced by talents of Anthony Newley as Jeep Jackson, a singing idol called up to serve in the British army and Lionel Jeffries as Bertie, a fussbudget adjutant. One of Jackson's superior officers is the brash Sgt. Lush (William Bendix) whose bark is much worse than his bite. Aside from the usual army types, Caroline (Anne Aubrey), the commander's daughter, adds a romantic nuance to the story when she falls for Jackson. And as in any story about a pop singer anywhere, Jackson manages to belt out a few songs. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- William Bendix, Anthony Newley, (more)
- 1958
One of the few Irish-made films of the 1950s to get an American release, The Poacher's Daughter stars Broadway actress Julie Harris, supported by members of the Abbey Players. Harris portrays an Irish colleen who sets her cap for Tim Seely, a young roisterer who's inherited a farm. Seely is a stranger to responsibility, and proves it by selling off his valuable sheep to buy a motorcycle. Thanks to the intervention of Harris's poacher father (Harry Brogan), Seely is dragged back to town and coerced into marriage at gunpoint. This is a comedy, mind you. Originally titled Sally's Irish Rogue, The Poacher's Daughter was based on George Shiels' stage play The New Gossoon. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Julie Harris, Tim Seely, (more)
- 1957
To make the Rising of the Moon, American filmmaker John Ford returned to his Irish roots. An obscure and highly personal film for Ford, it is comprised of three episodes--each offering insight into Irish culture and values. All are introduced by Tyrone Power. In "The Majesty of the Law," a police officer is assigned to arrest an Irish curmudgeon who hit the neighbor who sold him a lousy batch of homemade whiskey. But this is no ordinary arrest as the old man is a traditionalist who loathes the new directions his beloved Eire is going. Out of respect, the cop eschews his car and walks to his cottage. The two have a conversation and the old man mourns the loss of the old ways and expresses his frustration over the encroachment of modern amenities that are destroying the Irish heritage. The sympathetic cop offers to free him if the old man will pay a small fine, but though the codger has more than enough to pay it, he refuses on principal. Even when the man who filed the charges offers to pay the fine, the coot refuses to give in and stoically heads off to serve his time. As he walks with the officer to the jail, the whole town comes out to honor the old man. Set at a train station "A Minute's Wait" offers a humorous look at Irish conceptions of time as train's brief scheduled stop to pick up some lobsters for an important dinner stretches out into a long, leisurely pause. The final vignette, "1921" features members of Dublin's Abbey Theatre and tells the story of how they engineer an elaborate rescue of an Irish patriot from prison. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Noel Purcell, Cyril Cusack, (more)
