Film No. 7 (2015) Jimmy's Hall January 29th.

Film No. 7 (2015) January 29th.  8.00 PM THE PINES Outdoor Cinema Joondalup.

"The hall is a safe place, we can think, talk, listen, laugh and dance; it brings out the best in us."


Jimmy's Hall


Ken Loach, like Mike Leigh (Mr Turner), has excelled in 2014. They have both made films which capture an era, mirroring different chapters in English/Irish history but depicting very charismatic characters who each made significant contributions for very different reasons.

Jimmy's Hall takes us to the lush fields of Ireland in 1932. The charismatic James Gralton (Barry Ward) has returned to his rural roots after 10 years in New York the place of his exile, accused of influencing his fellow brethren with socialist views. In 1922 against the wishes of the clergy, he led the people of his village in the task of building a hall on his land, so they might talk, listen, laugh and most importantly dance.

Gralton is depicted as a reluctant hero. On his return and because the hall still stood, the younger generation of the region convince him to reopen the doors to reinvigorate their souls as he had done before. He does and with clever scripting and editing we learn about the past and present of a people wanting a simple and free life no matter how complicated the political and religious air that they breathed.

So while the politics of the time were less than simple, Loach does not try to complicate Jimmy's plight. History tells us that Jimmy Gralton was charismatic, Barry Ward portrayed this perfectly. Jim Norton's portrayal of Father Sheridan gave Jimmy's Hall the tension required of a good drama, culminating in a profound outburst in the closing scene. An outburst that leaves us wondering how things might have been. 

Eight years ago Loach won the Palme d'Or at Cannes for The Wind That Shakes The Barley; he feels strongly about telling important stories from this era in Irish history. Jimmy's Hall is the equal of Barley.  10GUMS