In the Name of the Father

In the Name of the Father
Promotional film poster
Directed by	Jim Sheridan
Produced by	Jim Sheridan Gabriel Byrne (executive producer)
Written by	Jim Sheridan Terry George
Starring	Daniel Day-Lewis Pete Postlethwaite Emma Thompson
Music by	Bono, Ray Davies, Bob Dylan, Gavin Friday, Jimi Hendrix, Mildred J. Hill, Patty S. Hill, Trevor Jones, Phil Lynott, Bob Marley, Sinéad O'Connor, Nino Rota, Maurice Seezer
Cinematography	Peter Biziou
Editing by	Gerry Hambling
Distributed by	Universal Pictures
Release date(s)	December 12, 1993 (premiere) 13 December 1993 (Belfast only) 29 December 1993 (limited) 21 January 1994 11 February 1994 3 March 1994
Running time	133 min.
Country	Ireland United Kingdom
Language	English
Gross revenue	$65,796,862 (worldwide)

In the Name of the Father is a 1993 film directed by Jim Sheridan based on the true life story of the Guildford Four, four people falsely convicted of the IRA's Guildford pub bombing 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 by Gerry Conlon.

Plot

Gerry Conlon (Daniel Day-Lewis) and his friend Paul Hill (John Lynch), fed up with life in IRA-era Belfast, move to London and join the hippie scene. They hook up with a bunch of spaced-out hippies squatting in a derelict house. There they meet Carole Richardson and Paddy Armstrong. Hanging out in a London park after a fight with their flatmates, Hill and Conlon meet a homeless man named Charlie Burke in a park, who claims the bench they are sitting on belongs to him. While the two talk to Burke on the park bench, an explosion is heard. Later that night Conlon steals money from the apartment of a prostitute who drops her keys on the pavement outside her house. A fellow squatter, jealous of Conlon's advances to a female in the group, drops a hint to the police that Gerry and Paul, being Irish, may be involved in the bombing, and they are arrested.

Britain's newly-passed anti-terror laws enable the police to hold suspects for seven days without charge. During this time, Gerry and Paul are subjected to torture until they confess. The four principal defendants (Hill, Conlon, Armstrong and Richardson) are sentenced to 14-30 years in jail. From their prison cell, Gerry and his father Giuseppe (Pete Postlethwaite), who is sentenced along with him as part of the Maguire Seven, try to appeal. Giuseppe's health continues to deteriorate while in prison. In the meantime, the police arrest IRA member Joe McAndrew (Don Baker) who admits to the Guildford bombing. The police ignore his confession and the Guildford Four remain in prison.

Meanwhile, barrister Gareth Peirce (Emma Thompson) begins to investigate the case in the police archives, after receiving Giuseppe's letters of appeal for assistance, believing that Gerry, his father, and Gerry's friends are not guilty. Fortuitously, on a day the original archives clerk is sick, she asks for the file of Conlon. The replacement clerk asks "Which Conlon? Giuseppe or Gerard?" Realising the situation, after only having had access to Giuseppe's file, she requests Gerry Conlon's file. The Gerry Conlon file contains statements and photographs clipped together with a note that says "not to be shown to the defence". This material provides the accused with a solid alibi and in 1989 the court is forced to release all four (Giuseppe had died in prison nine years prior). On leaving the courthouse, Gerry states that he will continue to fight injustice "in the name of my father."

Cast

• 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

Awards

In the Name of the Father was 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.

Historical Inaccuracies

• Gerry and Guisseppe Conlon did not share a cell, and were not even in the same prison.
• The Guildford Four and Maguire Seven were not put on trial together. Their trials were undertaken separately in jury-less proceedings.
• Although Gareth Pierce (played by Emma Thompson) did represent the Four, the documents revealing torture and coerced testimonies were found in the Surrey Police Headquarters during a special investigation in August, 1987.
• British judges do not hammer on gavels to keep order.

Soundtrack

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.

Filming locations

• 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, UK (used for many London scenes)

See also

• Guildford Four and Maguire Seven
• Birmingham Six
• Prevention of Terrorism Act
• Gareth Peirce

External links

• In the Name of the Father at the Internet Movie Database
• In the Name of the Father (film) at the TCM Movie Database