THE GENERAL A film review by Steve Rhodes Copyright 1999 Steve Rhodes RATING (0 TO ****): *** 1/2
"Robin Hood is it, you scumbag?" Inspector Ned Kenny asks sarcastically of his prisoner, Martin Cahill, a real-life Irish criminal known by the sobriquet of "the General." The General was a modern day folk hero to Dubliners in the 1980s and early 1990s. He robbed from the rich, and, although he didn't give to the poor, he did improve the economic status of his own large family -- he had two live-in girlfriends, who were sisters, and had children by both.
THE GENERAL's writer and director John Boorman, Oscar nominee for DELIVERANCE, creates an astonishing and captivating portrait of an iconoclastic criminal. Brendan Gleeson from Braveheart gives a marvelous and revealing performance as the General.
With thin, stringy hair, a ruddy complexion and a belly that looks like it never met a pub it didn't love, the General doesn't look like anybody's idea of a hero. Fond of wearing self-mocking T-shirts embossed with pigs and self-effacing slogans, he doesn't appear to take his fame seriously. With his girth, he's the least likely guy to sneak around occupied houses as a cat burglar, but that's exactly what he does until he eventually moves upscale, robbing expensive jewelry stores. (One job alone causes 100 working-class stiffs to lose their jobs when the, presumably uninsured, company goes under. The morally-challenged General expresses no remorse.)
The story opens with Martin's murder by the IRA and then cuts back to the beginning of his life of crime. Eamonn Owens from THE BUTCHER BOY has the small part of Martin as a child.
Gleeson's mannerisms for Martin capture perfectly the character's futile attempts to hide his identity. Using his meaty hands, Martin spends most of his time outdoors trying to cover his face, even though his easily recognizable physique belies this crude cover-up. Even during interrogations, he hides his face, letting only his eyes peak out.
Looking like a country bumpkin, Martin, a criminal mastermind, constantly surprises with intelligent and ingenious ideas for his larcenous schemes. When the police finally bring him to trial, his shenanigans to disrupt and destroy the trial are both simple and clever. He is the type of crook who is always several steps ahead of the law with a specialty for devising foolproof alibis.
The supporting cast, including Adrian Dunbar as Martin's right-hand man, Noel Curley, and Jon Voight as Inspector Kenny, are all well chosen, but the movie excels on the strength of Boorman's crisp direction and the complex and likable acting by Gleeson. That the General was a rogue is never left to question, but the movie makes it easy to understand how such people can, nevertheless, earn the public's adulation. With several police officers following him in full view wherever he went, the General still managed to earn a handsome living by stealing other people's treasures.
Understanding what the director was trying to accomplish can perhaps best be seen in the medium of the presentation. Boorman chose to shoot the movie in black and white. Why? Because, according to the press kit, he felt that color prettifies and romanticizes. He wanted none of that. The result is a fascinating and revealing portrait of a real and complex character, one whom you'll love even though you know you shouldn't. And in the process you get a better appreciation for what makes people admire the unadmirable.
THE GENERAL runs 2:09. It is rated R for some violence and profanity and would be fine for teenagers.
Email: Steve.Rhodes@InternetReviews.com Web: www.InternetReviews.com
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