The Dawning

Infobox Film
name = The Dawning


image_size = 250px
caption = The Dawning DVD Cover
director = Robert Knights
producer = Sarah Lawson
writer = Jennifer Johnston (novel)
Bernard MacLaverty
narrator =
starring = Anthony Hopkins
Rebecca Pidgeon
Hugh Grant
Jean Simmons
Adrian Dunbar
music = Simon May
cinematography = Adrian Biddle
editing = Max Lemon
distributor = TVS Television
The Vista Organisation Ltd.
released =
runtime = 97 mins
country = UK
language = English
budget =
gross =
preceded_by =
followed_by =
website =
amg_id =
imdb_id = 0094955

"The Dawning" is a film released in 1988, based on Jennifer Johnston's book, "The Old Jest" about an Irish Republican Army (IRA) gunman on the run from the authorities. It starred Anthony Hopkins, Hugh Grant, Jean Simmons and Rebecca Pidgeon, and was produced by Sarah Lawson, through her company Lawson Productions. "Time Out" described it as "solidly crafted ... its main strength lies in the performances."

Plot

"SPOILERS"
The film opens with Angus Barrie (Anthony Hopkins) walking through hills, and coming to rest on a beach, where there is a little hut. Meanwhile, Nancy Gulliver (Rebecca Pidgeon) having just left school, burns all her books in happiness. It is her birthday, and her aunt (Jean Simmons) has invited over Harry (Hugh Grant) to tea, with whom she’s desperately in love. However, during the course of the film, as a result of Harry’s behaviour with another girl and the way he treats Nancy, she realises that her love for Harry was nothing more than childish infatuation.

One day, Nancy goes down to the beach, and notices that her hut has been slept in. She leaves a note requesting that it be left alone. Soon after, she is on the beach reading, when Barrie comes up to her. Over the course of the film, the two develop a relationship, despite her not really knowing and understanding his job: he is one of the first people that became part of a group named the IRA, and is on the run from the government. Nevertheless, she grows fond of Barrie, and dubs him "Cassius" ("because you have a mean and hungry look!")

After Cassius asks her to pass on a message to a colleague, policemen are shot at a horse race show that Nancy and her family were attending. Later that day, the police come to see Nancy, and ask her if she knows where Cassius is. The police officers' suspicion is aroused when Nancy's grandfather (played by Trevor Howard) says he saw her talking to a man on the beach. She denies any knowledge. When they leave, she runs to the cottage on the beach where Cassius was staying to ask him to leave, and finds him already packed. As they walk out, a light shines on them: the police have found him. They shoot him down, much to Nancy's distress. The film ends with Nancy back at home, considerably older and wiser than when the film started. [ [http://imdb.com/title/tt0094955/ The Dawning (1988) ] ]

Production information

"The Dawning" was filmed in Ireland in the mid-1980s, largely on location in Ireland. It was shown at the Montreal Film Festival (competing) on August 23 1988, and won several awards. [ [http://movies.go.com/moviescommunity/tidbits?movieid=808673 "The Dawning" trivia at Movies.com] ] Incidentally, it was Rebecca Pidgeon's first feature film, and Trevor Howard's final film; he died shortly after production ended, and the film was dedicated to him. It was also Jean Simmons' first feature film for nearly ten years. Despite having contributed largely to the production, Bernard MacLaverty was uncredited as a screenwriter.

Plot Notes

Because of their class, the leading characters in "The Dawning" have British accents, as was suited to the period, despite the setting in Ireland. The same should be said for the film "Far and Away" (starring Nicole Kidman and Tom Cruise), but the director Ron Howard gave the actors Irish accents to decrease confusion for the audiences.

The play that Nancy, Maeve and Harry go and see is "Riders to Sea" by John Millington Synge, a film of which was made the year before "The Dawning".

Cast and crew

elected crew

*Robert Knights - "Director"
*Jennifer Johnston - "Writer (novel) "The Old Jest"
*Bernard MacLaverty - "Writer"
*Moira Williams - "Writer"
*Sarah Lawson - "Producer"
*Graham Benson - "Executive Producer"
*Sara Geater - "Associate Producer"
*Moira Williams - "Co-producer"
*Simon May - "Composer"

Complete cast

*Anthony Hopkins - Cassius a.k.a. Angus Barrie
*Rebecca Pidgeon - Nancy Gulliver
*Jean Simmons - Aunt Mary
*Trevor Howard - Grandfather
*Tara MacGowran - Maeve
*Hugh Grant - Harry
*Ronnie Masterson - Bridie
*John Rogan - Mr. Carroll
*Joan O'Hara - Maurya
*Charmian May - Celia Brabazon
*Ann Way - George Brabazon
*Mark O'Regan - Joe Mulhare
*Brendan Laird - Tommy Roche
*Adrian Dunbar - Capt. Rankin
*Geoffrey Greenhill - Cpl. Tweedie

Quotes

Nancy: "(screaming to Harry, who's just walked out)" I'll have done it by your age!
Aunt Mary: "(walking in)" Done what?
Nancy:... My degree.

Critical reception

The Dawning was received largely positively by the critics, will a five star review from Time Out, mentioning that Rebecca Pidgeon had given a "remarkable debut" [ [http://www.timeout.com/film/reviews/65010/the-dawning.html Time Out Review] ] and China Daily noted that Hopkins had played his character "wonderfully". [ [http://app1.chinadaily.com.cn/star/2004/0115/wh-event.html DVD reviews ] ] It received a 6.2 user rating on IMDb. [ [http://pro.imdb.com/title/tt0094955/maindetails IMDb Main Details] ]

Awards and nominations

*Montréal World Film Festival (1988)
**won Jury Prize "Robert Knights" [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094955/awards IMDb - Awards and Nominations] ]
**won Prize of the Ecumenical Jury - Special Mention - "Robert Knights"

References

External links

*imdb title|id=0094955|title=The Dawning
* [http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0000EYUBQ "The Dawning" at Amazon USA]
* [http://www.timeout.com/film/reviews/65010/The_Dawning.html "The Dawning" Time Out Review]
* [http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/1800178377/info "The Dawning" at Yahoo Movies]