The Field

Richard Harris (in an Oscar-nominated performance) and John Hurt (in an overlooked by Oscar performance) star in Jim Sheridan's (My Left Foot) widely anticipated second feature film. Set in the gorgeous rocky hillsides of Ireland, The Field is based on John Keane's stage play about an obsessed old man whose love for the land destroys his family. Harris is Bull McCabe, a domineering worker, husband, and father who gets a chance to bid for the "field" he has cultivated all his life when the owner puts it up for sale. Unfortunately, a visiting Yank (Tom Berenger) who's come looking for his roots decides he wants the field for himself. In addition to the central conflict of McCabe vs. the Yank (or "tradition" vs. the "new age"), McCabe's son, Tadgh (Sean Bean) doesn't share his father's overpowering sense of commitment to the land. Flitting back and forth through the struggles is John Hurt as Bull's right-hand man, a pathetic little climber, whose inability to keep secrets provides both the comic relief and impetus for the tragic ending. Hurt's wizened face and made-up rotting teeth, along with the fact that every single emotion he has is unabashedly displayed (whether he's lusting for a bite of a sandwich, or wriggling from the excitement of a tidbit of news he can't wait to impart), is reason enough to see this movie. Although flawed by a finale which strains too much for a King Lear-like ending, The Field is a wonderful showcase for both Harris and Hurt, and a powerful drama about the age-old conflicts between both the generations and the times. Highly recommended. (R. Pitman)