Ryan's Daughter (1970)

(The Irish coast, 1916)
IMDb

David Lean never ceased being a master. After a triumvet of films consisting of The Bridge on the River Kawi, Lawrence of Arabia, and Doctor Zhivago, you couldn't really expect anybody to top those. While Ryan's Daughter is lesser known then these three films, and not nearly as epic in scope, it's just as strong in its direction. A vast film full of visual flourish, and griping story, as well as fascinating characters, and characterizations for that matter. If there had been a SAG award in 1970, I don't know how this film could have possibly lost. George C. Scott in Patton may have been more memorable as a single performance, but this movie has got Trevor Howard as powerfully righteous (not self righteous) Catholic Priest, Leo McKern as a blustery (but ultimately cowardly) inn-keep, and John Mills (father of Hayley and Juliet) earning himself a supporting actor Oscar as a sad, pathetic creature out of Lon Cheney.

Perhaps the most surprising performance in the film comes from Robert Mitchum, who proves he was capable of a lot more then the parts the studios usually gave him allowed. Here we have a quite, patient Mitchum, a man of dignity, poise, and learning, who is also an armature botanist. His being cast against type adds an extra layer of tension to the proceedings, as your just waiting for him to crack. Mitchum's Charles Shaughnessy is the village school master, who three years after his wife's death marries a much younger women, a former student of his in fact, who basically forces herself upon him so enamoured she is. That is not to say that Mitchum doesn't return the affection, he comes to love her deeply, deeply enough to see the marriage through the trouble that lies ahead.

The aforementioned trouble comes in the form of Randolph Doryan (Christopher Jones), a shell shocked officer sent back from the front because of a leg injury. Major Doryan is given what is considered a cushy position, at a small military post in occupied Ireland. The troubled but hansom young man comes quickly into a mutual fancy with Mrs. Shaghnessy. This is bad because not only do the local townsfolk hate the British officers there stationed, but Rosy's husband is Robert Mitchum, and you've all seen Cape Fear, you know what he's capable of. Capable or not he never acts in rage, though as he starts to piece together the puzzel of what is happening between his wife and the newcomer, you're pretty sure he's gonna.

However in the end its the towns people who seem to re-enforce the English stereotype of a hot blooded race who can't be trusted to govern themselves. You see that in the unruly young people who crowed the main (and only) street, because there is little employment around. You see it in the mob that comes up to the school teachers house to beat Rose Shaughnessy for being the traitor, though there is not but circumstantial evidence to suggest that she tipped off the British to the arms shipment from the Germans (guess who did?). Her husband knows she didn't do it because he was there with her when she would have had to have done it, and he can't say that kind of thing often. Nobel Irishmen are there to no doubt, the wonderful Trevor Howard, and likable resistance leader Tim O'Leary (Barry Foster)

Ryan's Daughter exceeded my expectations, I thank the late Frank Capra for recommending it to me as an example of great accomplishments in 'current' cinema in his 1970's autobiography. To bad I waited a good decade to take his advice.