Hennessy (1975)
Former Irish Republican Army member Niall Hennessy lives in Belfast, Ireland, with his wife and daughter amid the ongoing Irish-British conflict. Though he still knows people in the IRA, including fugitive leader Tobin, Niall has given up his violent ways. One day his family is caught in a chaotic street shootout and killed by British forces. Overwhelmed with rage and hunted by a Scotland Yard inspector, Niall heads to London to exact his deadly revenge.
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The Worst Film Ever
Good , But It Is Overrated By Some
This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.
Watching it is like watching the spectacle of a class clown at their best: you laugh at their jokes, instigate their defiance, and "ooooh" when they get in trouble.
Demolitions expert in Belfast, once a member of the Irish Republican Army, sees his wife and child accidentally killed in a street riot between political protesters and soldiers; he reacts by traveling to England to carry out a plot against Parliament and Queen Elizabeth II, though Scotland Yard is one step behind. Dreary topical thriller, an odd release coming from American International Pictures, has some relevance to today's headlines, though that doesn't exactly make this endeavor an important or intriguing one. Rod Steiger and widowed friend Lee Remick (reunited from 1968's "No Way to Treat a Lady") are somewhat uneasily cast in their roles, though the film has good music scoring by John Scott and fine cinematography from Ernest Steward. Controversial in Great Britain due to the Queen's appearance via newsreel footage, the producers were forced to begin the film with an amusing disclaimer. ** from ****
Not in a class with THE DAY OF THE JACKAL, but still very engrossing. Rod Steiger actually underplays(!) a role as an Irishman seeking revenge on all of Great Britain after the slaughter of his family...he decides to blow up Parliment while the Queen is speaking. Richard Johnson, who also wrote the screenplay, is the fanatical cop out to stop him. Both Steiger and Johnson are quite good and make compelling foes. Lee Remick proves her acting mettle as an IRA widow who harbors Steiger for as long as her conscience allows. The direction by journeyman filmmaker Don Sharp is surprisingly brisk and he mounts a lot of suspense blending the film with actual news footage of the Royals. It's a refreshing film that has no pat ending. With Trevor Howard as Johnson's crusty yet benign superior.
I first saw this film at the cinema when it was released in 1975. I got the shock of my life when I saw myself in the newsreel film over the opening credits. In 1969, 1971 and 1972 I had served tours in Belfast with the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, and it is film of the Winter 1971/Spring 1972 tour that opens Hennessy.The first few scenes of the street rioting, the armoured "pigs", the equipment of the squaddies and the visceral hatred shown by the rioters was scarily authentic, unfortunately the accents of some of the "Irish" characters wasn't. With such heavyweights as Rod Steiger and Trevor Howard, the film should have received more support- perhaps the distributors were concerned about the politics. A brave film for daring to confront "The Troubles" and a good "yarn" as well.
Maltin is an idiot for saying that the plot is unbelievable. It is in fact all too believable. Rod Steiger shows his versatility by playing an Irishman who impersonates an Englishman. Lee Remick is delectable as usual and English fans will applaud the inclusion of Eric Porter