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.^[1]

Plot

A small time thief from Belfast, Gerry Conlon, is falsely implicated in the IRA bombing of a pub that kills several people while he is in London. Bullied by the British police, he and four of his friends are coerced into confessing their guilt. Gerry's father and other relatives in London are also implicated in the crime. He spends 15 years in prison with his father trying to prove his innocence with the help of a British attorney, Gareth Peirce.

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

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• 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 Peirce (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

Notes

1. ^ The Irish Filmography 1896-1996; Red Mountain Press; 1996. Page 59

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