My Left Foot

My Left Foot
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Jim Sheridan
Produced by	Noel Pearson
Screenplay by	Shane Connaughton Jim Sheridan
Based on	My Left Foot by Christy Brown
Starring	Daniel Day-Lewis Ray McAnally Brenda Fricker Fiona Shaw Hugh O'Conor
Music by	Elmer Bernstein
Cinematography	Jack Conroy
Edited by	J. Patrick Duffner
Distributed by	Granada Films (UK) Miramax Films
Release dates	24 February 1989 (1989-02-24) (premiere)[1]
Running time	103 minutes
Country	Ireland
Language	English
Budget	£600,000
Box office	$14.7 million[2]

My Left Foot: The Story of Christy Brown is a 1989 Irish drama film directed by Jim Sheridan and starring Daniel Day-Lewis. It tells the story of Christy Brown, an Irishman born with cerebral palsy, who could control only his left foot. Christy Brown grew up in a poor, working-class family, and became a writer and artist. The film also stars Ray McAnally, Brenda Fricker, Fiona Shaw, Julie Hale, Alison Whelan, Kirsten Sheridan, Declan Croghan, Eanna MacLiam, Marie Conmee, and Cyril Cusack. It is a partly fictional biography, adapted by Shane Connaughton and Jim Sheridan from the book of the same name by Christy Brown.^[3]

The film was well received by critics and audiences alike. Daniel Day-Lewis and Brenda Fricker won the Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role and Best Actress in a Supporting Role, respectively, and was nominated for three more awards, Best Adapted Screenplay for Shane Connaughton and Jim Sheridan, Best Director for Sheridan and the Academy Award for Best Picture.

Plot

The film opens with Christy Brown, who has cerebral palsy, being taken to a charity event, where he meets his handler, a nurse named Mary Carr. She begins reading his autobiography. Christy could not walk or talk, but still received love and support from his family, especially his mother. One day, while Christy was still a young boy, he is the only person home to see his mother fall down a flight of stairs while in labor. He is able to get the attention of some neighbors, who come to his mother's rescue. His father, who had never really believed in Christy, becomes a supporter when, one day, when he is about ten, Christy uses his left foot (the only part of his body he can fully control) to write the word "mother" on the floor with a piece of yellow chalk.

Consequently, Christy seeks a hobby in painting. He is included by the young people in his neighborhood in their activities, such as playing street football, etc. However, when he paints a picture and gives it to a girl he likes, she returns it to him. His father loses his job and the family faces exceptionally difficult hardships. Christy, to his mother’s dismay, devises a plan to help his brothers steal coal. Christy’s elder sister, who was always very nice to him, gets pregnant and has to get married and leave home. Christy's mother, who had been gradually gathering some savings in a tin in the fireplace, finally saves enough to buy him a wheelchair.

Christy meets Dr. Eileen Cole, who takes him to her school for cerebral palsy patients and persuades a friend of hers to hold an exhibition of his work. Christy falls in love with Dr. Cole, but in the subsequent dinner, he learns she is engaged to be married. As a result, Christy considers suicide. He and his mother build Christy his own private studio, but his father soon thereafter dies of a stroke. During the wake, Christy instigates a brawl. At this point, Christy starts writing his autobiography, My Left Foot. Dr. Cole returns and they resume their friendship. Meanwhile, at the fete, Christy asks Mary Carr to go out with him and they leave the fete together.

Cast

• Daniel Day-Lewis as Christy Brown
  • Hugh O'Conor as young Christy Brown
• Brenda Fricker as Bridget Fagan Brown, Christy's mother
• Ray McAnally as Paddy Brown
• Fiona Shaw as Dr. Eileen Cole

• Kirsten Sheridan as Sharon Brown
• Alison Whelan as Sheila Brown
• Eanna MacLiam as Benny Brown
• Declan Croghan as Tom Brown
• Marie Conremme as Sadie Brown
• Cyril Cusack as Lord Castlewelland
• Phelim Drew as Brian
• Eileen Colgan as Nan
• Ruth McCabe as Mary Carr

Production

Day-Lewis first became interested in the film when he read the opening scene, which features him, as Brown, using his left foot to place a record on a player and then placing a needle onto it so that it will play. ^[4] Lewis would later state of the scene "'I knew it couldn't be done...and that intrigued me".^[4] Many scenes were filmed through a mirror, as Daniel Day-Lewis could only manipulate his right foot to perform the actions seen in the film. Day-Lewis spent some time preparing for the film at Christy Brown's alma mater in Dublin. He later returned there for a visit, with his Oscar.^[5]

Reception

Critical response

Upon its initial release, My Left Foot received positive reviews. Review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes reports that 97% of 34 film critics have given the film a positive review, with a rating average of 8.1 out of 10.^[6]

Accolades

It won the Academy Award for Best Actor (Daniel Day-Lewis) and Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Brenda Fricker). It was also nominated for Best Director, Best Picture and Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium. It also won the NYFCC Best Picture Award for 1989.

See also

• BFI Top 100 British films

References

External links

• Official website
• My Left Foot at the Internet Movie Database
• My Left Foot at the TCM Movie Database
• My Left Foot at Rotten Tomatoes
• My Left Foot at Box Office Mojo