Hennessy (1975)

After seeing his wife and young daughter gunned down by a British soldier during a riot in Belfast, Hennessy, (Rod Steiger), decides to blow up the state opening of Parliament by way of revenge. As you would.As a revenge fantasy, Hennessy is fine, apart from the end. As a political thriller, it's laughable. To think the IRA would issue a contract on one of its own volunteers for attempting to kill the British head of state when ten years later it tried and came close to killing Margaret Thatcher demonstrates a lack of research and familiarity with the subject matter.The renewed Troubles were only five years old at the time of filming, and film-makers are always looking for ways of giving us the same old same old in new surrounds - so Hennessy is nothing more than an old-fashioned thriller - implausible, slightly absurd and highly engaging - in no way does it ever address or seek to address the causes of conflict in the north. That comes as a welcome relief.What I liked most about Hennessy the man were his bull-like qualities, his tenacity in the face of over-whelming odds, and the audacity of his revenge fantasy. By seeking to assassinate no less than the head of state he immediately revokes status - the pomp of the Queen's entourage is contrasted bleakly with his family's funeral procession on television. He is conspicuously missing - he has a job of work to do. As a man who strips wires for a living he inhabits all the subtleties of a tradesman - untiring, no-nonsense, get the job done...This film outraged the establishment and liberal press in Britain, who wanted IRA men portrayed neither as heroes or anti-heroes, but criminals. But every country has its own establishment and in Ireland Hennessy is counted a hero, not because of what he did do, but because of what he didn't do - the death of his wife and child are real enough set against his non-act, let that stand.Incidentally, don't miss the wonderful opening of this film which shows footage of Belfast city centre before it was demolished by redevelopers at the behest of the city council. The old town was a beautiful place - if you're ever in Belfast take a walk down Joy St and see the last remaining cultural architecture in the town. It's somewhat ironic that Hennessy's job is that of a demolition expert, and we first see him demolishing a piece of old Belfast by explosive. Maybe what goes around comes around, eh, Niall.

Released at the time when the PIRA were blowing innocent Brits to pieces, it is instructive to re - assess "Hennessy" at a time when Islamic extremists are blowing innocent Brits to pieces .For their potential victims,the terrifying difference between the two organisations is the care the PIRA bombers took to protect their own lives and the indifference of the Islamists towards their own lives or anybody else's.It is depressing to note that the PIRA's present "Campaign" has been going on for forty years,and although they have clearly been bribed by a craven Labour Government to adopt a less overt profile,their aim remains the same. If the Islamists operate on such a time scale - and there is evidence to suggest that their plans are even more long - term - then Brits run the risk of being blown to bits for several generations to come.In that context what can we learn from "Hennessy"? Simply that revenge is the strongest of motives,and that a man who perceives he has nothing to live for is a deadly,unstoppable enemy. And that politics makes strange bedfellows. Mr Rod Steiger plays explosives expert Hennessy,a man maddened by grief at his wife's death (albeit accidental)at the hands of Brit soldiers during street disturbances in Belfast.He plans to extract a terrible vengeance by blowing up the Royal Family at the State Opening of Parliament. Fearful of a backlash,the IRA leadership co - operate with the security forces to stop him. It is a fact universally acknowledged that no terrorist organisation can flourish without at least the tacit support of the community it sprung from.The Provisionals have significant if silent support in a large part of Belfast.Thirty years ago it was more overt and vocal.Hennessy was not a Provo or even a fellow traveller - but he knew a man who was. As the Brits and the Bhoys close in, Hennessy single - mindedly gets on with his plan.And,as we have learned to our cost,there is no defence against a man with nothing to lose. Mr Steiger has somehow gained the reputation of being a "great" actor. Well,he is certainly recognisable as an "actor",I'll say that. Give him an accent i.e. "In the heat of the night","The Pawnbroker" and he showboats quite happily.Thus in "Hennessy" he does "Belfast" pretty well and is right at home playing a broken man,but unfortunately he is never Hennessy,merely Rod Steiger playing Hennessy,a small but important distinction. As we look over our shoulders in a tabloid frenzy of suspicion and fear we reflect that the great Alf Garnet once said "You can't have a democracy without shooting a few people" and it's looking increasingly likely that he may have had a point.

Not in a class with THE DAY OF THE JACKAL, but still very engrossing. Rod Steiger actually underplays(!) a role as an Irishman seeking revenge on all of Great Britain after the slaughter of his family...he decides to blow up Parliment while the Queen is speaking. Richard Johnson, who also wrote the screenplay, is the fanatical cop out to stop him. Both Steiger and Johnson are quite good and make compelling foes. Lee Remick proves her acting mettle as an IRA widow who harbors Steiger for as long as her conscience allows. The direction by journeyman filmmaker Don Sharp is surprisingly brisk and he mounts a lot of suspense blending the film with actual news footage of the Royals. It's a refreshing film that has no pat ending. With Trevor Howard as Johnson's crusty yet benign superior.

I first saw this film at the cinema when it was released in 1975. I got the shock of my life when I saw myself in the newsreel film over the opening credits. In 1969, 1971 and 1972 I had served tours in Belfast with the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, and it is film of the Winter 1971/Spring 1972 tour that opens Hennessy.The first few scenes of the street rioting, the armoured "pigs", the equipment of the squaddies and the visceral hatred shown by the rioters was scarily authentic, unfortunately the accents of some of the "Irish" characters wasn't. With such heavyweights as Rod Steiger and Trevor Howard, the film should have received more support- perhaps the distributors were concerned about the politics. A brave film for daring to confront "The Troubles" and a good "yarn" as well.