The Gentle Gunman (Vintage Classics) [Blu-ray] [2022]

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The trio of John Mills, Dirk Bogarde and Robert Beatty make for a winning combination in The Gentle Gunman, each bringing a unique presence, authority and forcefulness to the tale. Directed by Basil Dearden, it follows two Irish brothers working for the I.R.A. in wartime Britain (John Mills and Dirk Bogarde) confronting their local leader's ruthless methods. Mills is the moral compass, committed to acting and believing in what is right and wrong, whereas Bogarde's character is more youthful and has to contend with making ethical judgments between clashing sides. Beatty takes up the traditional villainous angle but is no less entertaining to observe. After Matt goes to see Terry and is occupied in a botched subway assault, he cautions Terry on no occasion to come home. Resolute to clear his name and rescue Matt… The British magazine Time Out thought the film was "stiff" and "overplotted", [3] while the British Film Institute thought the film struggled to "find the right tone" and culminated with a "car-crash of an ending". [4] The New York Times thought that the film had "failed to search beneath the surface" of the screen-play and described much of the content as "superficial". [5] Quotes [ edit ]

October 28, 2023 , Bradley Hadcroft , No Comment Grimmfest 2023 – Film Review – 8 Found Dead (2023) Are you interested in the filming locations? There are many that we haven't spotted, can you identify them? Have you taken any photos? Are there any films that we should add to the list? Will you pull the “then” stills so that we can add them?The Gentle Gunman should also be commended for its balanced and fairly realistic characterisations. For what still remains an incredibly divisive topic, the film remains remarkably sympathetic to its characters (and their arguments) on both sides of the political discourse. Interestingly, it is the most obviously English character who comes off the worst, portrayed as both pompous and narrow minded (this is perhaps explained by the fact that this character is played by Gilbert Harding, a man who had no love for the British Empire).

The Gentle Gunman will be released on both Blu Ray and DVD on 7th March. Newly restored for this edition, The Gentle Gunman simply looks glorious. Deep inky contrast (the scene in the rain looks particularly impressive) combined with a beautifully crisp and sharp picture, make it seem as if the film could have been shot yesterday. Sound is likewise clean and clear. Altogether this is a beautiful restoration. September 25, 2023 , Paul Devine , No Comment Win Delightful Animation Mavka: The Forest Song on DVD The opening ten minutes are a perfect case in point, which sees Bogarde’s Matt attempt to plant a bomb on the London Underground, with thrillingly tense results. Utilising sharp, taut cutting, dutch angles and striking cinematography, Dearden steers the film with almost note perfect precision. It isn’t long before Dearden throws more impressive set pieces at his audience. A botched gunfight in a down pour feels particularly grim and noirish, while a late stage shootout feels just as thrilling and tense as any action set piece from today.It’s a bit weird that they don’t cast actual Irish people in this. I mean they’re not hard to find - there’s a whole island of them somewhere out in the Atlantic. While not an example of any of the participants’ finest works, The Gentle Gunman is still a compelling film. The acting performances bring a passion and warmth which makes us care about the sympathetic characters, and somewhat pity and despise their rivals. Basil Dearden brings us the intensity that the subject demands. And while this film may not accurately represent the Irish conflict, nor add any context that we couldn’t find elsewhere, it is somewhat sympathetic to both sides. It allows points of view to breathe, and also to overlap, as in life. The Gentle Gunman is a 1950 thriller play by the British writer Roger MacDougall. A former IRA gunman attempts to renounce his violent past, as he is now convinced a non-violent approach is best.

The 20th Century proved to be a tumultuous period for conflict and war in Ireland. The early part of the era saw The Easter Rising in 1916, followed several years later by the Irish Civil War. The latter part of the century was of course defined by The Troubles in Northern Ireland, which finally culminated in peace with the signing of the 1998 Good Friday Agreement. The film benefits from fine cinematography and production design with a film noir atmosphere that is sustained…It premiered at the Cambridge Arts Theatre before transferring to the Arts Theatre in London's West End where it ran for 31 performances between 2 and 27 August 1950. The original London cast included Henry Hewitt, Robin Bailey, Victor Maddern, Larry Burns, Michael Golden, Harry Towb, Eddie Byrne, Kevin Stoney, Louise Hampton and Maureen Pryor. [1] The production was televised by the BBC in September 1950. [2] Adaptation [ edit ]