Riders to the Sea (1936 film)

Riders to the Sea
Riders to the Sea
Directed by	Brian Desmond Hurst
Written by	Brian Desmond Hurst; Wolfgang Wilhelm; Patrick Kirwan; Francis Stewart
Based on	play Riders to the Sea; by John Millington Synge
Produced by	John P. Flanagan; Gracie Fields
Starring	Sara Allgood; Denis Johnston
Distributed by	BBSC ; Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Release date	13 July 1936;
Running time	3710 ft ; 40 minutes
Country	Great Britain
Language	English

Riders to the Sea is a British short film, shot in 1935 in Ireland. It is based on 1904 play of the same name, written by John Millington Synge. It was directed by Brian Desmond Hurst with Sara Allgood and Denis Johnston in the title roles.

Plot[]

A story set in a fishing community in Western Ireland. It concerns Maurya, a woman who loses her husband and her sons at the sea.

Cast[]

Sara Allgood as Maurya
Denis Johnston as Michael
Kevin Guthrie as Bartley
Ria Mooney as Cathleen
Shelah Richards as Nora
Brigit Laffey

Production notes[]

The film was shot in 1935 in Connemara, County Galway.

Critical response[]

Writing for The Spectator in 1935, Graham Greene praised Fields for her courage and generosity in financing this independent film, however he faulted the film's apparent independence from the viewer, and described the film as "altogether too private" in its presentation. Greene (who admitted a personal disinclination toward Synge's plays) predicted that even Synge's admirers would struggle with the film and suggested that "something has gone badly wrong with the continuity; the loss of act divisions has upset the sense of time".^[1]

References[]

^ Greene, Graham (20 December 1935). "Riders to the Sea". The Spectator. (reprinted in: Taylor, John Russell, ed. (1980). The Pleasure Dome. pp. 39–40. ISBN 0192812866.)

External links[]

Riders to the Sea at IMDb
Riders to the Sea website dedicated to Brian Desmond Hurst
Riders to the Sea in a website dedicated to Gracie Fields
Full restored film at YouTube

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[1] Greene, Graham (20 December 1935). "Riders to the Sea". The Spectator. (reprinted in: Taylor, John Russell, ed. (1980). The Pleasure Dome. pp. 39–40. ISBN 0192812866.)

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