Hollywoods latest take on the Easter Rising: Easter Sixteen

[pete2]

One of Ireland's foremost historians has warned that a Hollywood take on the 1916 Easter Rising might be exploited by dissident republicans in their campaign against the peace process.

Easter Sixteen stars Guy Pearce as James Connolly, the Irish Marxist who took part in the rising and was executed at Dublin's Kilmainham jail, and Ian Hart as Thomas Clarke, another key figure in the uprising.

Paul Bew, a professor of Irish politics and a leading historian, has expressed concern that unless the complexities of the Rising are explained, the simple message that a dedicated minority can use violence will encourage present-day dissidents...

[Nicola Charles, producer of Easter Sixteen:] "The film is really the prequel to Michael Collins. Our final scene is their opening scene. It's a human interest story and in no way does it glorify violence. It's not about violence and revolution, it's about hope and heroism."

Charles said the characters in the film such as Connolly "are not essentially rebels, they are ordinary people who didn't want to fight for the King or the Kaiser". She admitted that "European factual purists will rip this film apart completely. We have actors from all over the world. It's a dramatisation. A story about the fight for freedom."

Baron Bew of Donegore introduces various talking points arguing against a sensationalist or romanticized depiction of historical events. He seems unfamiliar with how Hollywood movies generate money. Something that jumped out was "She also revealed that there were six other scripts floating around Hollywood about the rebellion"- hard to know if this number is unusual.

New film about Easter Rising 'may give IRA dissidents ammunition' | UK news | The Observer

 

[Mr Crowley]

Baron Bew of Donegore introduces various talking points arguing against a sensationalist or romanticized depiction of historical events. He seems unfamiliar with how Hollywood movies generate money. Something that jumped out was "She also revealed that there were six other scripts floating around Hollywood about the rebellion"- hard to know if this number is unusual.

New film about Easter Rising 'may give IRA dissidents ammunition' | UK news | The Observer

A historian calling for history to be censored and buried. Disgraceful.

 

[Lao-Tse]

I want to see James Nesbitt as Carson and Keeley Hawes as
Lady Lavery.

 

[Catalpa]

Its always the few who get things done.

As for:

"The story of the Rising is the decision by an unelected group of politically motivated to destroy the democratic, leadership of Irish nationalism."

Like come off it Mr Bew

- the British Establishment had never recognised our Democratic Rights to determine our own Destiny as a Nation.

The Leaders of Ireland's 1916 Rising had every right to strike for her freedom.

If Britain had recognised Ireland's wish to determine her own Destiny then the Rising of 1916 would not have taken place.

 

[pete2]

A historian calling for history to be censored and buried. Disgraceful.

I think its the other way around, hes b1tching because he thinks it will not be as multilayered and faceted as it should be.

He is right of course, but nobody wants to pay to sit through a 5 hour boreathon, they want simple heroics, good versus evil, boy gets girl narrative. They want entertainment. To be honest I wouldn't mind an indepth visual history to be done, where Baron Bew of Donegore was involved, but his political prejudices would need to be declared beforehand.

 

[lostexpectation]

there been surprisingly few films on this issue

 

[Breadan O'Connor]

If Britain had recognised Ireland's wish to determine her own Destiny then the Rising of 1916 would not have taken place.

The rising would not have happened but for the undemocratic rebellion by Unionists in ulster.

This caused a reaction by nationalists forming the Irish volunteers, a section of whom went on to carry out the rising.

 

[Catalpa]

The rising would not have happened but for the undemocratic rebellion by Unionists in ulster.

This caused a reaction by nationalists forming the Irish volunteers, a section of whom went on to carry out the rising.

Indeed that was the spark that led to 1916 all right.

How come Mr Bew does not describe the UVF as Undemocratic?

 

[Breadan O'Connor]

Indeed that was the spark that led to 1916 all right.

How come Mr Bew does not describe the UVF as Undemocratic?

I've noticed revisinists tend to discuss 1916 as if it happened out of nowhere.

They never put in the context of the powerful and successful rebellion by the Ulster unionists, led by Craig and Carson, which must have hugely dented the credibility of constitutional Nationalism.

 

[Green eyed monster]

I wish they wouldn't even attempt to make a film about this. Nobody in Hollywood has got either the balls or the independence to do it justice. The makers of this film will be poring over it trying to make sure they cut and chop so as not to 'offend' the British (who still think they hold the deeds over how Irish history should be interpreted (and who use people like Bew and Foster to assert their narrative)). In addition there are too many films dealing with the Troubles and the early Twentieth Century conflicts in Ireland.

What i would like to see are more films made telling the story of how the colonial assault on Ireland originated in the first place (instead of cutting forward to the early twentieth century or the Troubles) but from an independent (ie de-Hollywoodised) perspective, do the Nine Years War, the Norman Invasion or more importantly - do the wars of the 17thC and 1798... Hell there hasn't even been a film made about the so-called famine - an event that had enormous influence on the history of America itself (never mind Ireland), they won't do it because they won't risk annoying the British... but given the interest in Irish history among Non-Irish (and there is a lot) it would be good to give them some background... It could (in the right hands) be powerful and entertaining as well.

 

[FutureTaoiseach]

Paul Bew, a professor of Irish politics and a leading historian, has expressed concern that unless the complexities of the Rising are explained, the simple message that a dedicated minority can use violence will encourage present-day dissidents...

Like the UVF in 1914? :roll:

 

[5intheface]

Prof Bew's long running difficulty with reality and his happiness to present his Unionist opinions as historical fact are the reasons he is now Baron Bew. Ironic and indeed troubling that he has taken the title 'Donegore' considering its connections to the United Irishmen. I wouldn't get too upset about much of what this puppet on a string has to say. Years of being totally wrong with his predictions has not seemingly dented his misplaced confidence to comment.

 

[Gabha Óir]

Tis funny how the 'controversial' tag is attached to any movie , usually beginning with the Torygraph, that doesn't follow a very British narrative on Ireland's history. Time for Fiach Mac Aodha Uí Bhroin to hit the big screen.

 

[Jimmy Sands]

Like the UVF in 1914? :roll:

A fair point, but hardly a rebuttal of his argument.

 

[Riadach]

tis funny how the 'controversial' tag is attached to any movie , usually beginning with the torygraph, that doesn't follow a very british narrative on ireland's history. Time for fiach mac aodha uí bhroin to hit the big screen.

.....................

 

[merle haggard]

The rising would not have happened but for the undemocratic rebellion by Unionists in ulster.

This caused a reaction by nationalists forming the Irish volunteers, a section of whom went on to carry out the rising.

bollix . The decision to have a rebellion once the opportunity presented itself had been taken by the clann long before the UVF was ever heard of . The catalyst for it was the overwhelming turn out and reception given by Irelands population to a visiting British monarch , were people turned out in their millions waving little union jacks at the passing train and coach . Thats what sparked the decision to have one . Had there been no , by that stage tiny , volunteer movement as a front for the IRB there would still have been a rebellion . Your point is as historically blinkered as Ruth Dudley . It wasnt the volunteers who were dealing with germany , it was the IRB military council , which the IRB supreme council didnt even know existed . There would still have been an insurgency , it would still have used largely the same plan as Robert Emmets . There would just have been different uniforms and titles and personalities at a lower level.

 

[merle haggard]

Like the UVF in 1914? :roll:

they didnt use violence , unless you mean when they were co-opted into the British army and fought in france .

 

[Dasayev]

A Hollywood movie about 1916. Look on the bright side, in order to please test audiences, we might win this time

Just don't cast Julia Roberts!

 

[merle haggard]

its a fair bet theyll have michael collins dispatching british cavalry with his little finger , as opposed to the reality of him spending the entire week in the basement of the gpo pointing out he had a sore finger therefore was unfit to fight .

 

[Riadach]

Well I think it's appropriate to show the weaknesses of the characters involved, on both sides, as well as their strengths. The image we have of many of the individuals involved is far too idolised. We are of course dealing with a human struggle in films like that, and all their flaws, as well as their strengths should be shown in that light.