The Secret of Roan Inish
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| The Secret of Roan Inish | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical Poster |
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| Directed by | John Sayles |
| Produced by | Sarah Green Maggie Renzi |
| Written by | Novel: Rosalie K. Fry Screenplay: John Sayles |
| Starring | Jeni Courtney |
| Music by | Mason Daring |
| Cinematography | Haskell Wexler |
| Editing by | John Sayles |
| Running time | 103 minutes |
| Country | United States Ireland |
| Language | English Irish |
| All Movie Guide profile | |
| IMDb profile | |
The Secret of Roan Inish is an American independent film written and directed by John Sayles, and released in 1994. It's based on the novel The Secret of Ron Mor Skerry, by Rosalie K. Fry.[1]
It is centered on the Irish folklore of Selkies, people who can transform themselves into seals. The story is about Fiona, a young girl who is sent to live with her grandparents near the island of Roan Inish, where the Selkies are rumored to reside. It is an old family legend that her younger brother was swept away in his infancy and raised by a selkie. Part of the film takes place in Donegal.
The movie has been widely praised for its uniqueness and its breathtaking cinematography filmed by Haskell Wexler.
The picture is cautiously recommended for children due to the unusual pacing and atmosphere of the film. Viewers may be disturbed by unflinching shots of the young boy Jamie (Cillian Byrne) completely naked. The character of Jamie is an interesting example of a feral child.
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[edit] Plot
The story is told from the point-of-view of Fiona (Jeni Courtney), a young girl who's sent to live with her grandparents in an Irish fishing village.
Her grandfather weaves tall tales about the family's evacuation from their home on the tiny island of Roan Inish and his great-great grandfather, who once cheated death at the hands of the sea.
As she meets other villagers, Fiona hears more personal stories about an uncle who married a beautiful, part-human/part-seal and how the sea stole her baby brother during the departure from Roan Inish.
Later, Fiona believes that she's found Jamie romping in the grass on Roan Inish, and she must convince the family of her vision.
[edit] Critical reception
The film was well received by film critics.
Critic Stephen Holden, of The New York Times, liked the film's direction. He wrote, "The Secret of Roan Inish is the first film directed by Mr. Sayles that could be described as visually rhapsodic. Photographed by Haskell Wexler on Ireland's rugged northwestern seacoast, it is a cinematic tone poem in which man and nature, myth and reality flow together in a way that makes them ultimately indivisible."[2]
[edit] Cast and ratings
| Ratings | |
|---|---|
| Argentina: | 13 |
| Australia: | G |
| Chile: | 14 |
| Finland: | S |
| Iceland: | L |
| Spain: | T |
| United States: | PG |
- Jeni Courtney as Fiona
- Pat Slowey as Priest
- Dave Duffy as Jim
- Declan Hannigan as Oldest brother
- Mairéad Ní Ghallchóir as Barmaid
- Eugene McHugh as Bar Patron 1
- Tony Rubini as Bar Patron 2
- Mick Lally as Hugh
- Eileen Colgan as Tess
- Richard Sheridan as Eamon
- Micheal MacCarthaigh as Schoolmaster
- Fergal McElherron as Sean Michael
- Brendan Conroy as Flynn
- John Lynch as Tadhg
- Frankie McCafferty as Tim
[edit] Footnotes
- ^ The Secret of Roan Inish at the Internet Movie Database.
- ^ Holden, Stephen. The New York Times, film review, "John Sayles in the Land of Enchantment," February 3, 1995.
[edit] External links
- The Secret of Roan Inish at Rotten Tomatoes.
- The Secret of Roan Inish reviews and other resources.
Honeydripper • Silver City • Casa de los Babys • Sunshine State • Limbo • Men with Guns • Lone Star • The Secret of Roan Inish • Passion Fish • City of Hope • Eight Men Out • Matewan • The Brother from Another Planet • Baby It's You • Lianna • Return of the Secaucus 7
