The Commitments is a 1991 film adaptation of the novel of the same name by Roddy Doyle, which tells the story of some unemployed Dubliners who form a soul band. It was directed by Alan Parker from a screenplay adapted by Dick Clement, Ian Le Frenais and Doyle himself. The film was an international co-production between companies in Ireland, the UK, and the United States.
The Commitments stars Robert Arkins as Jimmy Rabbitte, Johnny Murphy as Joey "The Lips" Fagan, and Colm Meaney as Jimmy Rabbitte Sr. The members of the band are played by Michael Aherne, Angeline Ball, Maria Doyle, Dave Finnegan, Bronagh Gallagher, Félim Gormley, Glen Hansard, Dick Massey, Kenneth McCluskey, and Andrew Strong as Deco.
The featured song in the movie was "Mustang Sally" by Wilson Pickett. The film was very successful at the box office and introduced a new generation to rhythm and blues.
Plot
Jimmy Rabbitte aspires to be the manager of the world's greatest band, with only one kind of music in mind: soul. Disgusted with the current state of bands in Ireland, he decides to assemble a soul band in the tradition of greats like Otis Redding, Aretha Franklin, James Brown and Wilson Pickett. Jimmy holds auditions at his parents' house and soon assembles his group of young musicians. Unlike his idols whose pattern he is trying to follow, Jimmy's band is all white. With the help of Joey "The Lips" Fagan, the only veteran musician in the band who has many unlikely stories about meeting and working with famous musicians, Jimmy begins to whip the rest of the members into stage-ready shape - only to have the group fall apart due to a clash of egos.
Cast
The cast were mostly unknown before filming, and were mainly chosen on the strength of their musical, rather than acting, ability.[1]
- Robert Arkins as Jimmy Rabbitte, Manager. Arkins was initially considered for the role of Deco until the filmmakers discovered Andrew Strong, then sings only in the film's video.[1]
- Andrew Strong as Declan "Deco" Cuffe, Lead Singer. His father Rob Strong was brought in as a vocal coach and Parker heard his son singing and auditioned him for the role of Deco.[2] Strong was only 16 at the time of filming but demonstrated a notable singing ability.
- Bronagh Gallagher as Bernie McGloughlin, Backup Singer. Born in Northern Ireland, Gallagher had to learn a Dublin accent for her role.
- Angeline Ball as Imelda Quirke, Backup Singer.
- Maria Doyle Kennedy as Natalie Murphy, Backup Singer (as Maria Doyle).
- Glen Hansard as Outspan Foster, Guitar.
- Kenneth McCluskey as Derek "Meatman" Scully, Bass.
- Johnny Murphy as Joey "The Lips" Fagan, Trumpet. A number of established musicians were considered for the role including Rory Gallagher and Van Morrison. Morrison apparently insisted that some of his songs be used in the film.[3] Parker insisted that an established actor be used as a 'mentor' for the largely untrained cast.
- Félim Gormley as Dean Fay, Sax.
- Michael Aherne as Steven Clifford, Piano.
- Dave Finnegan as Mickah Wallace, Drums
- Dick Massey as Billy Mooney, Drums.
- Colm Meaney as Jimmy Rabbitte Sr.
- Andrea Corr as Sharon, Jimmy's younger sister, like Jimmy, does not sing in the film.
- Peter Rowan as the skateboarding boy who wants to audition for the band.
- Colm Mac Con Iomaire as an auditioning fiddler.
Reception
The film has been seen by an estimated 1 billion people worldwide since its release.[4]
The film won the BAFTA Award for Best Film, as well as BAFTA Awards for Best Director, Best Editing (Gerry Hambling), and Best Adapted Screenplay. It was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy and for the Academy Award for Best Film Editing.
In 2005 it was voted the best Irish film of all time in a poll sponsored by Jameson Irish Whiskey.[4]
Aftermath
The Commitments was voted the best Irish film of all time in a 2005 poll sponsored by Jameson Irish Whiskey[citation needed] and became a launching pad for a generation of Irish musicians and actors.
Glen Hansard was lead singer of The Frames at the time of the filming and is now an Academy Award-winning singer-songwriter, star of the Irish music movie Once, co-founder of The Swell Season, and still touring with The Frames. Colm Mac Con Iomaire was then, and is now, the violinist for The Frames.
Andrew Strong also went on to become a popular singer, releasing several solo albums. Since the movie, saxman Félim Gormley has toured with a number of bands, including The Rolling Stones.
Andrea Corr and her siblings went on to become chart-topping band The Corrs. In fact, The Corrs' first public performance was auditioning for parts in The Commitments. They impressed the film's music coordinator, John Hughes, who became their manager.
The "Commitmentettes" have become very successful actresses. Angeline Ball won the 2003 Irish Film and Television Award for Best Actress for her performance as Molly Bloom in Sean Walsh's version of Ulysses entitled Bloom. Maria Doyle Kennedy recently played Queen Catherine of Aragon, first wife of Henry VIII and mother of Queen Mary, in the TV series The Tudors. Among Bronagh Gallagher's many film and TV roles was a part in Quentin Tarantino's Pulp Fiction wearing a "The Frames" T-shirt.
The most versatile musician on the set, Robert Arkins' only opportunity to sing was the video that accompanied the release of the film, but he has continued songwriting and recording in Dublin. A spin-off band The Stars From The Commitments, with cast members Dick Massey and Kenneth McCluskey, formed shortly after the movie's release, and is still touring today. The other drummer, Dave Finnegan, leads his own band in Ireland. Peter Rowan, the skateboarder, can be seen on the cover of U2's albums Boy and War.[5] Unlike the other musicians, the band's keyboard player Michael Aherne completed his university degree in civil engineering after the filming and now works as a traffic engineer in Dublin.
The actors in the cast have continued their long careers. Colm Meaney also appeared as the father in the other two film adaptations of Doyle's The Barrytown Trilogy and as Chief O'Brien in two of the Star Trek spinoffs. Johnny Murphy has toured the world in the stage play Waiting for Godot.
References
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