The Wind That Shakes the Barley **** (2006, Cillian Murphy, Pádraic Delaney, Liam Cunningham) – Classic Movie Review 3744

The 69-year-old Ken Loach won the 2006 Cannes Film Festival’s top honour of the Palme d’Or for his impassioned, controversial Irish historical war drama, a tale of two fictional County Cork brothers fighting for Irish independence from the United Kingdom during the Irish War of Independence (1919–1922) and the Irish Civil War (1922–1923).

Cillian Murphy stars as medical graduate Damien O’Donovan, who joins the local IRA brigade, commanded by his brother Teddy (Pádraic Delaney). While Teddy mellows, Damien fights on for a socialist republic, as bloody civil war brings comrades and brothers in conflict.

This bold, riveting film is one of fighting talk. It is thoroughly provocative and ultimately moving, and rousingly handled by an on-fire Loach, as well as superbly acted by a fine cast. Murphy gives an outstanding star performance and Liam Cunningham also especially impresses as Dan, a union official who shares Damien’s socialist views. Thrillingly written by long-time Loach collaborator Paul Laverty, the film is influenced by Walter Macken’s 1964 novel The Scorching Wind.

The Wind That Shakes the Barley is a traditional song with words by Robert Dwyer-Joyce, set during the 1798 rebellion in Ireland and featured early in the film.

The film was shot in towns in County Cork during 2005, including Ballyvourney and Timoleague. Many of the extras are from local Scout groups and many of the British soldiers are played by members of the Irish Army Reserve.

The Palme d’Or award was very significant in promoting the film in the UK, where a mere 30 prints were planned for distribution (compared with 300 in France), so it eventually appeared on 105 screens across Britain and Northern Ireland.

Loach went on to win the second Palme d’Or of his career exactly 10 years later for the impassioned protest drama I, Daniel Blake in 2016.

© Derek Winnert 2016 Classic Movie Review 3744

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