Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #4249 in DVD
• Released on: 2008-01-15
• Rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
• Aspect ratio: 1.77:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: PAL
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: German, English, Danish, French, Finnish, Bulgarian, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Turkish, Hungarian, Swedish, Dutch, Czech
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 133 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
If it had been written as a piece of fiction no one would have believed it, but In the Name of the Father is the true story of one of the most shocking episodes in British legal history. Dealing with the events surrounding the Guildford pub bombing in 1974 and the subsequent 15-year fight for justice, the film portrays a nation in the grip of an anti-system, desperate to find culprits at any cost, however immoral, illegal or brutal. By playing out the drama in personal as well as political terms--the relationship between Gerry Conlon (Day-Lewis) and his father (Pete Postlethwaite) becomes the story's centrepiece--the film works on numerous levels, but the events are no less shameful for it. The court case that ultimately freed the three men and one woman only takes centre stage for the last 20 minutes but despite that--and the fact that the outcome is no secret--it is high drama and completely gripping. This is an unmissable example of genuinely courageous cinema.

On the DVD: Where the real-life events behind the film might have offered huge scope for additional material, the DVD provides little beyond production and cast notes. The film's re-creation of both 1970s Belfast and London is very realistic, intensified by the anamorphic screen ratio, and the excellent soundtrack (including Bono, Sinead O'Connor and Thin Lizzy), which helps drive the action, is intensified by the Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack. --Phil Udell

Customer Reviews

Guilty until proven innocent
If ever a story was worthy of being told on the big screen (and to a big audience), it would have to be this one. It is the story of the Guildford Four, and in particular Gerry (and father Giuseppe) Conlon, who were wrongly imprisoned for the bombing of a pub in Guildford. It is also the story of how the basic human rights of a fair trial and of access to justice were denied by the British government, resulting in one of the most high-profile miscarriages of justice in British history.

Nominated for Best Picture, Best Director and Best Actor (Daniel Day-Lewis) Oscars, "In The Name Of The Father" brought back together the Oscar-winning combination of Jim Sheridan and Day-Lewis ("My Left Foot"). The credentials of this movie speak for themselves, but add to that a subtle soundtrack (with tracks specially written by Bono of U2), and some brilliantly shot scenes of 'The Troubles' in Belfast (and London), and you've got yourself something very special...

True, there are several (somewhat glaring) factual errors in this movie (like the presentation of the new evidence in the appeal courts), but this doesn't in any way detract from the importance of the take-home messages from this movie, those being about the injustice, brutality and inhumanity of a government (and police force) hell-bent on prosecuting someone/anyone they could for what was admittedly a truly horrific crime, but one in which the victims also included those who were put behind bars.

Acting from Day-Lewis and Pete Postlethwaite is particularly outstanding, and the interplay of their characters lends the film an emotional depth rivalled only by a handful of others. Everyone involved in making this movie seems to deal with the subject matter with the utmost respect and gravitas. A great film, despite dealing with some of the most serious issues of liberty and human rights since 'Cry Freedom'... a must-have.

a screamer
released in 1993,and a film i watched in the cinema as an underage kid,this was something else,a passionate film,a film that had character and based on real life events and a film that poked holes at the english,what more could i want,those initial youthful feelings have faded as i have got older but the impact of the film remains.
The film is based on the real; events of four irish people accused of an attack on a pub in guildford where innocents are killed,they are wrongfully imprisoned and made as scapegoats,all of this is indeed true,there are however some tall tales introduced to give the film more edge and bite but that can be forgiven.
The film is a journey of one mans fight to prove his innocence essentially,a struggle to adapt to the hatred spat at him and the fall out for those around him such as family and friends.
The acting is top notch and the film moves along and never glamourises anyone really,a job well done.

Absolutely brilliant
I thought this film was absolutely fantastic. I am currently studying it as part of my A-Level Film Studies course. I was not only moved by Gerry's actions but disturbed by the actions of the British Police Force. Great acting by all of the actors. Well done to a great film.