(BIG-TIME SPOILER ALERT - READ THIS AFTER YOU WATCH THE FILM!!)
Michael Collins as a man was an important figure in Irish history, though some consider him as slightly-misguided for one single large decision, though he did many patriotic deeds and was an incredibly brave young man regardless. He was very definitely a patriot and one of the cornerstones of Irish freedom, but he was not the top player in the quest by virtually anyone's estimation; he was more of a soldier general than a political leader, like Washington rather than Jefferson, Franklin and Hamilton in American Revolutionary history.
This movie could have been made with a number of other characters in the lead position who were more important and possibly more dramatic during that era. Patrick Pearse (a lawyer & patriot who had many quotes that could have been used) or James Connolly, who were both executed for the 1916 Easter Uprising, or even Eamonn De Valera, who although demonized in the movie had much more historic weight to draw upon --- all of these figures would have been my choices above Collins. I don't mean to disparage Collins' motives and means as I believe he was a fearless patriot to the end who got caught up in governmental and political machinations that he never should have been involved with; rather, he should have been an army leader, plain and simple.
After seeing this, you quickly realize that the IRA has always been a bloody outfit of terrorists, but they have always had a passionate patriot quest that has fueled that bloodshed and their killing had a truly patriotic mission in its early stages --- their initial missions didn't include the bombing and killing of innocent victims, though they have always had trouble with choosing violence over political discourse. This movie gives the Old IRA as they are called by historians a patriotic and noble light, which is fair indeed. They would certainly not attain that position in any objective film about their latter-day exploits save the Hunger Strikes of 1981.
There are inaccuracies in the movie as you will find in virtually any historically-based movie, but there is much more you will get out of watching it than just dismissing it as a Hollywood story. If you don't know much about Irish history, you will want to learn more after seeing it as I did my first time, and being of Irish-American lineage, I'm quite ashamed that I didn't know as much as I should have; in fact, I knew very little at all. This movie got me started, and after reading many interesting volumes of text from scholarly sources, archives & opinionated texts, I have formed some conclusions of my own.
I believe that the real mistake was in sending Collins to negotiate with the Brits. Regardless of whether he wanted to go or not, he never should have been sent or accepted the position. Furthermore, he never should have accepted anything less than what the Irish leadership wanted him to accept, which was total freedom as a true, non-commonwealth Republic. There probably wouldn't have been a civil war and Collins would have possibly lived to be an old man otherwise and see the real Republic 28 years later. I do believe that the move to an Irish Free State was better than nothing at all, and I agree with Collins motives to gain peace and use Free Statehood as a stepping stone (even DeValera admitted as much later in his life), but there should have been discussion and debate and a general consensus among the Irish leadership with a bonafide plan to turn Ireland into a true free Republic within a certain, short period of time (like what Scotland recently experienced) before Collins & Arthur Griffith foolishly committed to it without that caveat. The only reason a majority accepted it was because it was a done deal and they didn't want any more bloodshed, and Collins and Griffith sold it to a majority of the public after-the-fact, most of whose citizenry was non-confrontational anyway. But with smart negotiating, they could have had it all in due time, the Irish Free State, then the Republic of Ireland (not to be confused with the Irish Republic which existed during the era of the movie prior to the Irish Free State) instead of having to wait until 1949 when England literally gave away its long-awaited freedom along with its other parcels of real estate, Israel & India --- Ireland never fought much again after Collins died. In retrospect, Collins was prophetic when he said that he signed his death warrant by signing the Anglo-Irish Treaty in 1921.
I believe Liam Neeson did a superb job as he always does. Aidan Quinn's accent grated on me (sounded like a New York Irish accent if even that) & Julia Roberts was just plain horrible and served as eye-candy only in my opinion and apparently most others. Alan Rickman also gave a fantastic performance as De Valera, and Stephen Rea always gives a top-notch performance. There are a few other actors I would have liked to see in this production, but all-in-all, I enjoyed the movie very much regardless of its shortcomings --- it was a very necessary movie to be made.
I thought the music was excellent as well as the lush Irish countryside --- it will make you want to see it at least once in your lifetime.
Michael Collins as a man was an important figure in Irish history, though some consider him as slightly-misguided for one single large decision, though he did many patriotic deeds and was an incredibly brave young man regardless. He was very definitely a patriot and one of the cornerstones of Irish freedom, but he was not the top player in the quest by virtually anyone's estimation; he was more of a soldier general than a political leader, like Washington rather than Jefferson, Franklin and Hamilton in American Revolutionary history.
This movie could have been made with a number of other characters in the lead position who were more important and possibly more dramatic during that era. Patrick Pearse (a lawyer & patriot who had many quotes that could have been used) or James Connolly, who were both executed for the 1916 Easter Uprising, or even Eamonn De Valera, who although demonized in the movie had much more historic weight to draw upon --- all of these figures would have been my choices above Collins. I don't mean to disparage Collins' motives and means as I believe he was a fearless patriot to the end who got caught up in governmental and political machinations that he never should have been involved with; rather, he should have been an army leader, plain and simple.
After seeing this, you quickly realize that the IRA has always been a bloody outfit of terrorists, but they have always had a passionate patriot quest that has fueled that bloodshed and their killing had a truly patriotic mission in its early stages --- their initial missions didn't include the bombing and killing of innocent victims, though they have always had trouble with choosing violence over political discourse. This movie gives the Old IRA as they are called by historians a patriotic and noble light, which is fair indeed. They would certainly not attain that position in any objective film about their latter-day exploits save the Hunger Strikes of 1981.
There are inaccuracies in the movie as you will find in virtually any historically-based movie, but there is much more you will get out of watching it than just dismissing it as a Hollywood story. If you don't know much about Irish history, you will want to learn more after seeing it as I did my first time, and being of Irish-American lineage, I'm quite ashamed that I didn't know as much as I should have; in fact, I knew very little at all. This movie got me started, and after reading many interesting volumes of text from scholarly sources, archives & opinionated texts, I have formed some conclusions of my own.
I believe that the real mistake was in sending Collins to negotiate with the Brits. Regardless of whether he wanted to go or not, he never should have been sent or accepted the position. Furthermore, he never should have accepted anything less than what the Irish leadership wanted him to accept, which was total freedom as a true, non-commonwealth Republic. There probably wouldn't have been a civil war and Collins would have possibly lived to be an old man otherwise and see the real Republic 28 years later. I do believe that the move to an Irish Free State was better than nothing at all, and I agree with Collins motives to gain peace and use Free Statehood as a stepping stone (even DeValera admitted as much later in his life), but there should have been discussion and debate and a general consensus among the Irish leadership with a bonafide plan to turn Ireland into a true free Republic within a certain, short period of time (like what Scotland recently experienced) before Collins & Arthur Griffith foolishly committed to it without that caveat. The only reason a majority accepted it was because it was a done deal and they didn't want any more bloodshed, and Collins and Griffith sold it to a majority of the public after-the-fact, most of whose citizenry was non-confrontational anyway. But with smart negotiating, they could have had it all in due time, the Irish Free State, then the Republic of Ireland (not to be confused with the Irish Republic which existed during the era of the movie prior to the Irish Free State) instead of having to wait until 1949 when England literally gave away its long-awaited freedom along with its other parcels of real estate, Israel & India --- Ireland never fought much again after Collins died. In retrospect, Collins was prophetic when he said that he signed his death warrant by signing the Anglo-Irish Treaty in 1921.
I believe Liam Neeson did a superb job as he always does. Aidan Quinn's accent grated on me (sounded like a New York Irish accent if even that) & Julia Roberts was just plain horrible and served as eye-candy only in my opinion and apparently most others. Alan Rickman also gave a fantastic performance as De Valera, and Stephen Rea always gives a top-notch performance. There are a few other actors I would have liked to see in this production, but all-in-all, I enjoyed the movie very much regardless of its shortcomings --- it was a very necessary movie to be made.
I thought the music was excellent as well as the lush Irish countryside --- it will make you want to see it at least once in your lifetime.
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