Both brothers return to Ireland, where Terry faces what poses as a court-martial, and he is sentenced to death. Here, though, the moral ambiguity seeps in again, providing an ending to the film that many critics at the time found a cop-out. Terry has decided to spring from custody the two men arrested because of his information; he does, and they arrive to thank him just as he is about to be shot. He escapes with his life, and all, it seems, live happily ever after. In-between these grander moments, Dearden and MacDougall ensure that the film never stagnates during its quieter, more character focused interludes, with Dearden continuously helped by Gordon Dines’ bold cinematography. The fact that the film utilises so many real locations, from urban streets to countryside roads, only adds to the visceral thrill. The Gentle Gunman is a 1950 thriller play by the British writer Roger MacDougall. A former IRA gunman attempts to renounce his violent past, as he is now convinced a non-violent approach is best. The British magazine Time Out thought the film was "stiff" and "overplotted", [3] while the British Film Institute thought the film struggled to "find the right tone" and culminated with a "car-crash of an ending". [4] The New York Times thought that the film had "failed to search beneath the surface" of the screen-play and described much of the content as "superficial". [5] Quotes [ edit ] The Gentle Gunman (1950)". London: British Film Institute. Archived from the original on 28 November 2021 . Retrieved 18 April 2023.

Points for the effort, and it’s not a disaster by any means, but it is a bit of a farce when it would have been stronger taking things more seriously. October 28, 2023 , Bradley Hadcroft , No Comment Grimmfest 2023 – Film Review – 8 Found Dead (2023) The Gentle Gunman is a 1952 British drama film directed by Basil Dearden and starring John Mills, Dirk Bogarde and Elizabeth Sellars. The film is based on a 1950 play of the same title by Roger MacDougall [1] that was televised by the BBC in September 1950. [2] It was produced by Ealing Studios. The film's sets were designed by the art director Jim Morahan. The relationship between brothers Terry and Matt, both active in the IRA, comes under strain when Terry begins to question the use of violence. Show full synopsisThe Gentle Gunman should also be commended for its balanced and fairly realistic characterisations. For what still remains an incredibly divisive topic, the film remains remarkably sympathetic to its characters (and their arguments) on both sides of the political discourse. Interestingly, it is the most obviously English character who comes off the worst, portrayed as both pompous and narrow minded (this is perhaps explained by the fact that this character is played by Gilbert Harding, a man who had no love for the British Empire).

An interesting British gloss on the Irish situation of the 1940s. Sympathetic, but no more so than a lefty feels for any underprivileged young man tempted into the life of a criminal. As an Ealing film, that's what you get with a bit of roguish wit. The accents are not entirely convincing and warst from our two stars Bogarde and Mills. I do love their presence, though, Bogarde's moping and Mill's bravado.Terry, though, is now a wanted man – wanted by his former comrades, who intend to execute him for his “treachery”: and they are led by a truly unpleasant fanatic, Shinto, played by Robert Beatty. The Sullivans’ mother also hates the IRA, since her husband and another son have already died after their involvement with the organisation. John Mills’ earnest goodness, repentance and determination shine through here, giving the film its heart. At moments when the IRA indignation and call-to-arms could feel a little heavy-handed–at least by today’s standards–Mills balances things out. It isn’t just his character’s opposing views, but the truth in his performance, that is so compelling. The trio of John Mills, Dirk Bogarde and Robert Beatty make for a winning combination in The Gentle Gunman, each bringing a unique presence, authority and forcefulness to the tale. Directed by Basil Dearden, it follows two Irish brothers working for the I.R.A. in wartime Britain (John Mills and Dirk Bogarde) confronting their local leader's ruthless methods. Mills is the moral compass, committed to acting and believing in what is right and wrong, whereas Bogarde's character is more youthful and has to contend with making ethical judgments between clashing sides. Beatty takes up the traditional villainous angle but is no less entertaining to observe.

The Gentle Gunman was written by Roger MacDougall, based upon his earlier stage play (MacDougall’s plays were clearly popular at Ealing Studios around this time; The Man in the White Suit, based upon another of MacDougall’s plays, came out the same year as The Gentle Gunman). The film’s political interests are foregrounded right from the start, where two old men, one Irish and one English, discuss the legitimacy of English rule in Ireland. Yet both MacDougall and Dearden treat this discussion (as well as subsequent ones) with a light hearted, almost comic tone. Despite opening with this gentle political commentary, very soon Dearden allows his characters and noirish plot to dominate, with The Gentle Gunman never forgetting to be a briskly paced thriller first and foremost.Did you see them? If not, many of their locations are here on Reel Streets, and if they are not yet discovered, can you help us find them?