Boston Phoenix May 2003
PUCKOON (2002). It's 1924. The Irish Civil War is over, and it's time to draw the boundary between the North and the Free State. A gaggle of bloviating blowhards from both sides gather over a map of the island and set to work cordoning off counties. But when they realize that last call at the pub is imminent, the rest of the partition is scribbled in a frenzied red line before the inevitable mad dash for the bar. Bad news for the hapless hamlet of Puckoon, which is split willy-nilly in two. Suddenly churches are cut off from their cemeteries (the deceased must now secure passports for burial), houses are halved by measures of barbed wire, and punters cram into a tiny corner of the local to take advantage of the North's cheaper pints. It was said that the inspired surrealism of the late Spike Milligan's daft, trenchantly absurd 1963 novel couldn't be filmed, but Terence Ryan proves otherwise with this slice of provocative satire rendered as silly, stylized paddywhackery. A ramshackle village populated by slurring sots, shifty IRA men, imperious priests, and hubristic, hatchet-faced Brits is the quintessence of blarney, of course. But cartoony camerawork and knowing winks from an inspired cast that includes Richard Attenborough, David Kelly, Milo O'Shea, and Elliott Gould only make the mordant bite of this wolf in stage-Irishman's clothing that much more subversive.

 

  CHICAGO TRIBUNE Feb 28, 2003  
 

Irish film festival offers a cinematic pot of gold.

By Michael Wilmington Tribune movie critic PUCKOON (Ireland 2001); director, Terence Ryan

 
 

 

A wonderfully daffy and exaggerated little Irish comedy / satire based on Spike Milligan’s novel about the wild confusion and hilarious acrimony generated by the 1924 border division of Ireland. The spirit of Milligan’s great old “Goon shows”, '50’s Ealing comedies and the ‘60’s gems of Dick (“Help”) Lester – who gets a thank you in the end titles – hover over the movie, which pits zany villagers against dotty Brits and makes fun of everything. With Richard Attenborough, playing a Godlike director/writer/narrator who pulls all the strings and Elliott Gould, Sean Hughes, Freddie Jones.

 

 

February 18 2002 The Berlin Film Festival - Puckoon

Nearly 40 years after it was written, the film version of Spike Milligan's cult novel PUCKOON, brings to the screen the fictional town divided by the 1924 Boundary Commission. The cast, including Sean Hughes, Daragh O'malley, Elliot Gould, Richard Attenborough and John Lynch, have great fun with the material and their good natured buffoonery is infectious. ............. . Veterans Milo O'Shea and David Kelly do the business in small roles and director Terance Ryan captures the insane humour.

 

 

PUckOon NeWs

newsletter 110

A Brief Review of the Puckoon Film...

Last month I saw a special screening of the film version of Puckoon in London for cast and crew. Thanks very much to Terry (the director) and Susan Ryan for inviting me!

The evening begun with a quick chat with Terry, a drink and celeb spotting - Sean Hughes et al. Terry and the producer gave a quick speech before the screening, saying how Spike had seen the film before he died, and that he did enjoy (they sat behind Spike while he watched it and saw his shoulders going up and down as he chuckled along to it.)

And so to the film itself. In my opinion, it didn't disappoint, and is a must see for fans of the book and Milliganesque humour. I think the best thing about it is that the film works as a stand alone film in itself, irrespective of the book. It must have been very difficult to pull all the various scenes and diversions in the book together into one cohesive film.

All your favourite characters and scenes are in, and a great deal of the dialogue is word for word from the book, so you don't miss out on some of the characters' classic soliloquies, descriptions and chats with the author/director/viewer. The characters and setting really did appear as they did in my mind when reading the book.

Off the top of my head, look out for the following classic scenes and dialogue from the book:

- Madigan talking to the camera ('author' in the book) about his legs, his wife, retreating not running away etc..
- The owner of the Holy Drunkard pub describing his wedding day
- Drawing the line to decide the border
- Rafferty
- Moving coffins to and fro across the border
- two brothers smoking the same fag
- the soldiers waiting for a train to show up
- and lots, lots more!

Things missed out include the Chinese policeman, the black leopard, falling into the swimming pool at the end etc - but to be honest it's a lot better for it.

Sean Hughes is great as Madigan (changed from Milligan in the book), .... Gryff Rhys Jones is head of the border patrols, Ronnie Drew of the Dubliners has a cameo role, Richard Attenborough plays the 'author', one of the Macgann brothers is in it, there's the small fella from Ballykissangel, and loads more actors I recognised but can't be bothered to look up their names.

For me, it's one of those films that I could watch over and over again as there are so many funny lines and scenes - bit like rewatching Life of Brian, but I guess I'm a bit biased.

The soundtrack is really good too - exciting jigs and reels help keep the pace going.

I don't know how the critics and general public will react to it - can they cope with Milligan's wandering humour, odd characters and quick fire word play in these days of gentle Hugh Grant type romantic comedies??

If it's anything to go by, my wife, who hasn't read the book, but watched a few Milligan videos, found it funny and chuckled along, so hopefully it'll get favourable reviews.

I really look forward to seeing it again when it comes out properly, and will add any more thoughts I have on the film when I think of 'em.


mm_morton@hotmail.com