Song For A Raggy Boy
2003
SONG FOR A RAGGY BOY is a very grim story based on true events. Aidan Quinn plays William Franklin, who on his return from the Spanish Civil War takes a job at a boys Catholic Reform School in 1939 Ireland. He soon witnesses the priests systematic cruelty and abuse of the boys, but is warned to ignore it. The chilling, .. Read more
| Starring | Aidan Quinn, Ian Glen, Dudley Sutton, Marc Warren |
|---|---|
| Director | Aisling Walsh |
| Genres | Drama |
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Song For A Raggy Boy
SONG FOR A RAGGY BOY is a very grim story based on true events. Aidan Quinn plays William Franklin, who on his return from the Spanish Civil War takes a job at a boys Catholic Reform School in 1939 Ireland. He soon witnesses the priests systematic cruelty and abuse of the boys, but is warned to ignore it. The chilling, villainous performance of Iain Glen as Brother John, the Head of Discipline, is in marked contrast to Franklin's warmer relationship with the typically rapscallion boys. Peter Mullen's THE MAGDALEN SISTERS told a similar tale of abuse passed off as discipline, but what sets this apart is the director's choice to retain from the book Franklin's flashbacks to the Spanish Civil war, reflecting his own damaged psyche.
| Starring | Aidan Quinn, Ian Glen, Dudley Sutton, Marc Warren |
|---|---|
| Director | Aisling Walsh |
| Studio | HIGH FLIERS |
| Run time | DVD: 1 hr 33 mins |
| Certificate | |
| Genres | Drama |
| Language | DVD: English |
| Released | DVD: not available Production year: 2003 |
| Format | DVD |
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Critics' reviews (4)
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Although less shocking than The Magdalene Sisters, Aisling Walsh's adaptation of Patrick Galvin's autobiographical tome exposes similar abuses that scarred religious education in bygone Ireland. As the unrepentant socialist returning from the Spanish Civil War, Aidan Quinn has a touching Dead Poets influence over his charges at the Catholic reform school ruled with a rod of iron by Iain Glen's sadistic cleric. But Walsh never quite strikes the right balance between pitiless cruelty and empathic compassion, especially as Richard Blackford's score drenches the latter in gushing sentiment.
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Rural Ireland, 1939: Just returned from serving with the International Brigades in Spain, William Franklin (Quinn)... read more on Time Out
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Most helpful member's review
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27 out of 30 people found this review helpful
A true story which you should not miss!
Well you only need to see the first ten minutes to decide that William Franklin was a brilliant teacher. Set in 1930?s Ireland Aidan Quinn brilliantly portrays this civil war fighter turned schoolteacher who joins a reform school run by the Catholic Church and its priests.
He soon finds that the majority of the boys cannot read or write and have been locked away in this ?prison school? for minor offences such as truancy and theft or have been abandoned by their parents. Pity these schools cannot be revived in today?s yob culture society of political correctness and if you touch me I?ll sue you. Not saying that I condone what these priests did, there is plenty of sexual & physical abuse in the film something that the Catholic Church has only recently admitted to have gone on within their organisation. But certainly some children ? teenagers these days could do with a spell of national service or have a spell in reform schools like this to teach them some manners and discipline.
Ian Glen plays the brutal bully priest who will give the boys the hiding of their life just for the sake of it and just because he is the prefect, another excellent portrayal of a priest who borders on psychotic beats up children and thinks it?s justified if he says few prayers.
Aisling Walsh directors this wonderful film with some well known faces who all play their part in making this true story even more believable and leaves you angry and wanting justice to be done or just to give the priests a good smack in the mouth.
The boys are all new to acting and judging by their performances some have got long and lucrative careers ahead of them.
A film that somehow got overlooked by the Oscars & Baftas but is a must see! -
Most recent members' review
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2 out of 3 people found this review helpful
A MUST SEE!
This is a tense drama about what really happened in the catholic reform schools.
Although the film is gripping and excellent, I only gave it 4 stars, as it in places gets a bit slow and needs something more. Albeit a must see movie! -
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Song For A Raggy Boy
SONG FOR A RAGGY BOY is a very grim story based on true events. Aidan Quinn plays William Franklin, who on his return from the Spanish Civil War takes a job at a boys Catholic Reform School in 1939 Ireland. He soon witnesses the priests systematic cruelty and abuse of the boys, but is warned to ...
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