Susan Hated Literature

ISBN: 094796231x
DDC: 941.5082c1936
Author: Ernie O Malley

First line:
This book is an attempt to show the background of the struggle from 1916 to 1921 between an Empire and an unarmed people.

The title of this book is taken from an old Ulster proverb It is easy to sleep on another man’s wound, and it details his life as an IRA soldier during the War of Independence between 1916 and 1921. He was a student in Dublin at the time of the 1916 Rising, and initially had no real feelings for the rebels. But as time passed he became more caught up in the Irish nationalist movement. He joined the Volunteers, later organised other companies, was taken prisoner, and eventually was appointed commander of the Second Southen, the 2nd largest division of the IRA.

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Dir: Phil Morrison
Writ: Angus MacLachlann

• Embeth Davidtz - Madeleine
• Alessandro Nivola - George
• Scott Wilson - Eugene
• Benjamin McKenzie - Johnny
• Celia Weston - Peg
• Amy Adams - Ashley

This is a film that perfectly fits that horrible description; a quirkie independent film. But never annoyingly quirky, so don’t worry about that.

For the majority of the time the film is told through Madeleine’s eyes. She is an art dealer, who meets George, falls in love and marries him. Six months later while in North Carolina trying to close a deal with a prime example of “outside” art they visit George’s family. Peg and Eugene, the parents. Johnny the brother and his very pregnant wife Ashley.

The film seems to be about Madeleine and George, but George isn’t actually in it all that much. And when he is, he says very little. One the one hand he seems to have rejected his family. It was Madeleine’s decision to see his family, he doesn’t really engage with them when there, and he is very thankful when leaving. But at the same time he obviously fits in so easily. This tight-knit, religous community is very much home to him. A home that Madeleine doesn’t really get. With her “Chicago” ways

But I didn’t really like either of these characters. We never got to know George, and Madeleine while nice, always seemed a little false with her “darlings” and her kisses. But Johnny and Ashley are the heart of this film. Johnny who seems in constant anger at everything around him is shown to have a sweeter side, and Ashley is just adorable as the chatterbox with a good heart. She really steals the show.

Its quite a slow, quiet film for much of the time. We get flashes of total silence as we look at the countryside for example. And very little happens.

But it is also a very funny film. Touching, and, another horrible description, heart-warming. Very enjoyable.

IMDb | Slate | Reel Times | Lylee’s Blog | Confessions of a Movie Critic

So there I was watching Grumpy Old Men last night, thinking that they aren’t funny anymore. Maybe I should explain Grumpy Old Men? Well its a tv show where men, who are in middle age, and older, and who happen to be grumpy complain about modern life. Well, life in general really. And while I agreed with their complaints about people who leave their mobiles on in the cinema, I really didn’t agree with most of the second half of the show.

Maybe this is a good thing. I’m neither male nor old, although I can be grumpy.

But I found their complaining over the changing names of places to come across as, not exactly racist. I’m not sure how to explain it. Like the names they knew were the only acceptable ones. The right ones. And who cares if Calcutta is a colonial name imposed on an Indian city, sure weren’t the East Indian Company totally right to make the name easy to pronounce. It all seemed so dismissive of any culture but their own.

But then they started saying that we don’t pronounce Paris like the French do we? So why should we try and say Mumbai instead of Bombay? And I suppose they do have a point, but Mumbai is perfectly easy to say, and no more western or English than Bombay.

I also went to the cinema today, to see Junebug which I really enjoyed. But watching it I realised that America is really really different. Not in a bad way, just different. But its also so different from itself. And the whole religious community aspect was kinda nice to see, but in a “wouldn’t want to live in it” way. In a way it reminded me of the Ireland of my grandparents. Not that I remember that Ireland, but the whole prayer being such a huge part of life. And how communities were centred on the church.

Anyway, its a really good film, and if you get the chance you should take a look at it.