Riders to the Sea (1935)

Riders to the Sea (1935)

"It is film art in its most simple and direct and wildly picturesque form"
The Sunday Times, 15th December 1935

Re-released in 2015 by the Hurst Estate to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the film’s release and the 120th anniversary of the birth of the film’s director on 12th February 1895, Belfast born, Gallipoli veteran Brian Desmond Hurst. As Northern Ireland's greatest film director and arguably Ireland's most prolific film director of the 20th Century and one of the leading war film directors HURST'S film catalogue is getting more and more attention.

HURST ON FILM 1928 - 1970 (released on Amazon UK, books in April 2021) tells more about Hurst's second film following his return from Hollywood and training under the legendary John Ford. The book is 621 pages and contains over 1,000 images and sets out, for the first time, Hurst's vast film output and charts his life in Belfast, Gallipoli, Hollywood and Belgravia.

The opening credits of the film set the scene

"In this story of Western Ireland, the most famous work of Ireland’s greatest dramatist JOHN MILLINGTON SYNGE is brought to the screen.It tells of a deeply religious people who speak English with all the poetry and strange turn of phrase of their Irish mother tongue. The women still keep the custom of ‘keening’ lamenting their dead. When the story opens, Maurya (Sara Allgood), the mother, has lost to the sea her father, husband and two sons. Now only two sons are left for her, Michael (Denis Johnston credits note as Denis Johnstone) and Bartley (Kevin Guthrie)."

The appearance of Synge’s bereaved fiancée Maire O’Neill as ‘first woman’ is most poignant (born as Mary Allgood and known as Molly and appearing alongside her sister Sara. Note the film credits show her as Maire O’Neill). Actor and film critic Patrick Kirwan plays the Donegal Priest and a host of Abbey players provide much of the cast. Gracie Fields helped Hurst finance the film and artist John Patrick Flanagan co-produced the film and provided the art direction. Location shots were at Renvyle, Connemara, Co Galway, Ireland.

An important film in Ireland's film legacy and a must view for fans of Hurst's work and Synge's plays. It is pure tragedy, but a beautiful film as the poor mother loses all her men folk one by one to the sea. We apologise for some quality aspects but believe it is important to see the film as it now stands.

Hurst on Film 1928-1970 is available on Amazon kindle and as paperback. By leading writer for TV, radio and stage Stephen Wyatt (who helped Brian prepare his memoirs in the mid 1970s) and Hurst's x3 niece Caitlin Smith (who had access to the vast Hurst archives). It is lavishly produced at over 600 pages and 1,000 images and includes Riders to the Sea. In total more than 30 films made over four decades in three continents.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hurst-Film-B...

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