The Commitments (film)
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| The Commitments | |
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| Directed by | Alan Parker |
| Produced by | Lynda Myles Roger Randall-Cutler |
| Written by | Roddy Doyle (novel) Dick Clement (screenplay) Ian La Frenais (screenplay) Roddy Doyle |
| Starring | Robert Arkins Colm Meaney Andrew Strong Maria Doyle |
| Music by | Wilson Pickett |
| Cinematography | Gale Tattersall |
| Editing by | Gerry Hambling |
| Distributed by | 20th Century Fox (United States) |
| Release date(s) | August 14, 1991 |
| Running time | 118 min. |
| Language | English |
| IMDb profile | |
The novel The Commitments was made into a film in 1991, directed by Alan Parker. It starred Robert Arkins as Jimmy Rabbitte, Johnny Murphy as Joey "The Lips" Fagan, and Colm Meaney as Jimmy Rabbitte Sr. The members of the band were played by Michael Aherne, Angeline Ball, Maria Doyle, Dave Finnegan, Bronagh Gallagher, Félim Gormley, Glen Hansard, Dick Massey, Kenneth McCluskey, and Andrew Strong as Deco (who was only 16 years old during filming). The cast were mostly all unknown before filming, and were mainly chosen on the strength of their musical, rather than acting, ability.
Some of the band members from the movie (including the bassist and the original drummer) have since formed a group that tours under The Commitments name. The film was important in that it introduced a new generation to rhythm and blues much as The Blues Brothers had in the 1980s.
In 2005 it was voted the best Irish film of all time. 1
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[edit] Synopsis
Jimmy Rabbitte (Arkins) aspires to be the manager of the world's greatest rock 'n' roll band, with only one kind of music in mind: Soul. Disgusted with the current state of bands in Ireland, he decides to assemble an old school Dublin soul band in the tradition of greats like Otis Redding, Aretha Franklin and Wilson Pickett. Jimmy holds auditions out of his parents' house and soon assembles his group of young musicians. With the help of Joey "The Lips" Fagan (Murphy), the only veteran musician in the band, Jimmy begins to whip the rest of the members into stage-ready shape.
[edit] Band Members
- Andrew Strong - Declan "Deco" Cuffe, Lead Singer
- Bronagh Gallagher - Bernie McGloughlin, Backup Singer
- Angeline Ball - Imelda Quirke, Backup Singer
- Maria Doyle Kennedy - Natalie Murphy, Backup Singer (as Maria Doyle)
- Glen Hansard - Outspan "Fender Bender" Foster, Guitar
- Kenneth McCluskey - Derek "Meatman" Scully, Bass
- Johnny Murphy - Joey "The Lips" Fagan, Trumpet
- Félim Gormley - Dean Fay, Sax
- Michael Aherne - Steven "Soul Surgeon" Clifford, Piano
- Dave Finnegan - Mickah "Don't F*ck With Me" Wallace, Drums
- Dick Massey - Billy "The Animal" Mooney, Drums
- Robert Arkins - Jimmy Rabbitte, Manager
[edit] Trivia
- Robert Arkins was considered to play Deco, but Andrew Strong's incredible singing ability (especially for a 16 year old), won him the part.
- The Corrs' first public performance was auditioning for parts in The Commitments. Andrea Corr also was in the movie as Jimmy Rabbitte's younger sister.
- In the movie, the boy wanting to audition for the band with the skateboard who refuses to sing due to embarrassment, Peter Rowan, can be seen on the cover of U2's album War.
- Niamh Kavanagh, who unsuccessfully auditioned as a backup singer, went on to win the Eurovision Song Contest for Ireland. She also sang a couple of the songs in the movie, including Destination Anywhere.
- Colm Mac Con Iomaire, violinist for The Frames is also seen auditioning as a fiddler for the band. Lead Singer of The Frames, Glen Hansard, stars in the film itself.
[edit] External links
