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Niall O'Brien (actor)
Niall O'Brien (8 February 1946 – 25 February 2009) was an Irish actor and member of the Abbey Theatre company, where he appeared in 130 productions. He also appeared in many films and television programmes. Early life O'Brien was born to Maureen (née Wright) and Michael O'Brien on 8 February 1946. He was the youngest of five children. He was born in Dalkey village, County Dublin, and grew up in nearby Glasthule. He was educated at the CBS Westland Row, Dublin, before going on to join the Abbey School of acting. Career After completing his Leaving Certificate, O'Brien started a building apprenticeship. Upon being accepted to the Abbey School of acting in the mid-1960s however, he took a year out of his apprenticeship to try a career as an actor and never went back to the construction industry. In his career as an Abbey actor he took part in 130 theatre productions, including 27 world premiers. His first part was in the play ''Galileo'' in 1965. His last Abbey performance ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Abbey Theatre
The Abbey Theatre ( ga, Amharclann na Mainistreach), also known as the National Theatre of Ireland ( ga, Amharclann Náisiúnta na hÉireann), in Dublin, Ireland, is one of the country's leading cultural institutions. First opening to the public on 27 December 1904, and moved from its original building after a fire in 1951, it has remained active to the present day. The Abbey was the first state-subsidized theatre in the English-speaking world; from 1925 onwards it received an annual subsidy from the Irish Free State. Since July 1966, the Abbey has been located at 26 Lower Abbey Street, Dublin 1. In its early years, the theatre was closely associated with the writers of the Irish Literary Revival, many of whom were involved in its founding and most of whom had plays staged there. The Abbey served as a nursery for many of leading Irish theatre, Irish playwrights, including William Butler Yeats, Augusta, Lady Gregory, Lady Gregory, Seán O'Casey and John Millington Synge, as w ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gorky Park (film)
''Gorky Park'' is a 1983 American mystery thriller film based on the book of the same name by Martin Cruz Smith. The film was directed by Michael Apted. The film stars William Hurt as Arkady Renko, Lee Marvin as Jack Osborne, Joanna Pacula as Irina Asanova, Rikki Fulton as Major Pribluda, Brian Dennehy as William Kirwill, Ian McDiarmid as Professor Andreev, Michael Elphick as Pasha and Ian Bannen as Prosecutor Iamskoy. The plot follows Renko, a Moscow police investigator, on the trail of a gruesome triple murder that leads him into a web of government corruption. Upon release, ''Gorky Park'' was a box office disappointment, barely earning back its $15 million budget, but received positive reviews from critics. Pacuła was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture and Elphick for a BAFTA Award for Best Supporting Actor. Dennis Potter won a 1984 Edgar Award for his screenplay for the film. Plot Moscow ''militsiya'' officer Arkady Ren ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Conspiracy Of Silence (2003 Film)
''Conspiracy of Silence'' is a British drama film set in Ireland and inspired by real events. The film challenges celibacy and its implication for the Catholic Church in the 21st century. Written and directed by John Deery, the cast includes: Academy Award-winner Brenda Fricker, Hugh Bonneville, Chris O'Dowd, John Lynch (actor), John Lynch, Jonathan Forbes (actor), Jonathan Forbes, Jason Barry, Sean McGinley, Fintan McKeown, Jim Norton (Irish actor), Jim Norton and Hugh Quarshie. The movie won many international awards including the U.S. National Board of Review of Motion Pictures' Freedom of Expression Award in 2004, which it shared with Michael Moore's ''Fahrenheit 9/11'' and Mel Gibson's ''The Passion of the Christ''. Deery was also nominated for Best Film Director at the Irish Film Awards in 2003. The screenplay was developed at the Sundance Screenwriters' Lab in Utah and won the Hartley-Merrill International Screenwriting Award presented to Deery at the Cannes Film Festiva ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Goldfish Memory
''Goldfish Memory'' is a 2003 feature film about everyday relationships, set and filmed in Dublin. It was written and directed by Elizabeth Gill. Plot The movie is set around a small group of characters experiencing relationships which build and crumble before the viewers' eyes. The title of the film refers to the belief, expressed by several of characters, that the goldfish retains a memory of something for only three seconds. Tom, one of the principal characters in the film, draws comparisons between this and the human tendency to jump from one relationship to the next, "forgetting" the pain that any previous one might have caused. The film shows complexities involved in straight, gay, lesbian, and bisexual relationships. Writer/director Liz Gill says the film was influenced by the work of directors Robert Altman and Richard Linklater, particularly Linklater's film ''Slacker''. Cast * Sean Campion as Tom * Fiona O'Shaughnessy as Clara * Fiona Glascott as Isolde * Peter Gaynor a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Emperor's New Clothes (2001 Film)
''The Emperor's New Clothes'' is a 2001 historical drama film directed by Alan Taylor and based on the 1992 novel ''The Death of Napoleon'' by Simon Leys. The film stars Ian Holm as Napoleon Bonaparte (his third performance as the military and political leader, after 1974's ''Napoleon and Love'' and 1981's ''Time Bandits''), Iben Hjejle, and Tim McInnerny. The plot revisions the history surrounding Napoleon's exile to Saint Helena following his defeat at the Battle of Waterloo. Although set in Paris, the film was mostly shot in Turin, Italy. Plot In 1821, Napoleon Bonaparte, after six years in exile on the isle of Saint Helena, has a plan to escape. Switching places with lowly French deckhand Eugene Lenormand, Napoleon will make his way to Paris, at which time Eugene will announce the switch, allowing Napoleon to reclaim his throne. However, the plan quickly goes awry: the ship Napoleon is serving on abruptly changes its itinerary and docks in Belgium instead of France. H ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Rat (film)
''Rat'' is a 2000 comedy film directed by Steve Barron and starring Imelda Staunton and Pete Postlethwaite. The film focuses on the transformation of a working-class man into a rat and how his family copes with the startling change. The film's scenario is partly based on Franz Kafka's ''The Metamorphosis''. Plot After his usual night of drinking at the local pub, Hubert Flynn (Pete Postlethwaite) returns home and transforms into a rat. Hubert's family each have different views on him now that he became a rodent. His wife Conchita ( Imelda Staunton) thinks that this change is supposed to be a lesson to Hubert and that the reason he transformed is his own fault. Their son Pius ( Andrew Lovern), destined for a religious life, feels that because his father is now an animal, his family should kill him. Their daughter Marietta (Kerry Condon) feels that the rat is still her father and that they should treat him with love and respect. After hearing the news of a man changing into a r ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
When Brendan Met Trudy
''When Brendan Met Trudy'' is a 2000 film directed by Kieron J. Walsh and starring Peter McDonald (actor), Peter McDonald and Flora Montgomery. It was written by Roddy Doyle. The screenplay concerns a Dublin schoolteacher who falls in love with a mysterious young woman who turns out to be a thief. Plot Brendan (Peter McDonald (actor), Peter McDonald) is a shy, reserved teacher who takes his profession seriously. Away from the classroom, he has a love of films and classical music. One night, after practising with his church choir, he meets Trudy (Flora Montgomery), a bright, witty and free-spirited woman whom he believes is a Montessori teacher. Despite the differences in their personalities, the two begin a relationship. Brendan is unaware that his new girlfriend is actually a burglar, and is shocked when Trudy asks him to prove his love by helping her on one of her 'jobs'. Brendan is torn between his feelings for Trudy, and the desire to do what is right. Throughout his relation ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Legend Of 1900
''The Legend of 1900'' ( it, La leggenda del pianista sull'oceano, 'The Legend of the Pianist on the Ocean') is a 1998 Italian Drama (film and television), drama film directed by Giuseppe Tornatore and starring Tim Roth, Pruitt Taylor Vince and Mélanie Thierry. It was Tornatore's first English-language film. The film is inspired by ''Novecento'', a monologue by Alessandro Baricco. The film was nominated for a variety of awards worldwide, winning several for The Legend of 1900 (soundtrack), its soundtrack. Plot The story is told in the midst of the plot as a series of Flashback (narrative), flashbacks. Max Tooney, a musician, enters a secondhand music shop just before closing time, badly in need of money. He has only his old C.G. Conn, Conn trumpet, which he sells for less than he had hoped. Clearly torn at parting from his prized possession, he asks to play it one last time. The shopkeeper agrees, and as he plays, the vendor immediately recognizes that the played song is the sam ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Braveheart
''Braveheart'' is a 1995 American historical drama film directed and produced by, and starring Mel Gibson. Gibson portrays Sir William Wallace, a late-13th century Scottish warrior who led the Scots in the First War of Scottish Independence against King Edward I of England. The film also stars Sophie Marceau, Patrick McGoohan and Catherine McCormack. The story is inspired by Blind Harry's 15th century epic poem ''The Actes and Deidis of the Illustre and Vallyeant Campioun Schir William Wallace'' and was adapted for the screen by Randall Wallace. Development on the film initially started at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) when producer Alan Ladd Jr. picked up the project from Wallace, but when MGM was going through new management, Ladd left the studio and took the project with him. Despite initially declining, Gibson eventually decided to direct the film, as well as star as Wallace. ''Braveheart'' was filmed in Scotland and Ireland from June to October 1994 with a budget around $65†... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ailsa (film)
''Ailsa'' is a 1994 film directed by Paddy Breathnach and starring Brendan Coyle and Andrea Irvine. His first feature film, it garnered Breathnach the Euskal Media Award for best new director at the San Sebastian International Film Festival. The film also received nominations at the Stockholm Film Festival and the Torino International Festival of Young Cinema. The style and theme of ''Ailsa'' was generally perceived as "European". It was released at a time when the Irish film industry was experiencing enormous growth. Cast * Brendan Coyle as Miles Butler * Andrea Irvine as Sara * Juliette Gruber Juliette Gruber (born 1965) is a British actress born in the United States, but who moved to Britain at the age of one. Gruber is the niece of Hollywood actor Walter Matthau (1920–2000), who was married to her mother's sister. Gruber is the d ... as Campbell Rourke * Gary Lydon as Jack * Blanaid Irvine as Vera References External links * 1994 films English-language Irish f ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Black Beauty (1994 Film)
''Black Beauty'' is a 1994 drama film scripted and directed by Caroline Thompson in her directorial debut. The fifth cinematic adaptation of Anna Sewell's 1877 novel of the same name, the film stars Andrew Knott, Sean Bean and David Thewlis. Produced and distributed by Warner Bros. under their Warner Bros. Family Entertainment label, it is also treated as an autobiography of the horse Black Beauty as in the original novel, and features Alan Cumming as the voice of the 'Black Beauty'. Plot Black Beauty narrates his own story. He is born on a farm in the English countryside during the 19th century and remains by his mother's side until he is sent to Birtwick Park to serve Squire Gordon and his family. Lady Gordon, the squire's sick wife, is pleased by the beautiful horse and gives him his trademark name, Black Beauty. Beauty is smitten with the squire's cynical chestnut mare, Ginger, who rebuffs his attempts to be friendly. However, Beauty also befriends Merrylegs, a perky grey p ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Playboys
''The Playboys'' is a 1992 Irish film directed by Gillies MacKinnon and starring Albert Finney, Aidan Quinn and Robin Wright. The plot follows an unwed young mother whose life is transformed with the arrival of a travelling troupe of actors to her Irish village. The script was written by Shane Connaughton, an Oscar nominee for ''My Left Foot''. The film was shot in his native village Redhills, in County Cavan, Ireland. Plot In a small Irish village in 1957, Tara Maguire, a young resolute woman, is the talk of the town because she is having a baby out of wedlock, and refuses to name the father. During Sunday mass she goes into labour giving birth to a baby boy. Sergeant Brendan Hegarty, the local police officer of the Garda SÃochána, and Mick, a local landowner, vie for Tara's hand in marriage, but she refuses them both. Mick loses his cattle and facing financial ruin commits suicide. People in town blame his death on Tara's rejection. The local priest, Father Malone, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
