The Crying Game came out October 30th, 1992. Although ostensibly a movie about the Irish Republican Army, the Good Friday agreement that formally ended "The Troubles" was only five years away. Certainly interesting for a film that could easily be set 25 years earlier, it still feels so revolutionary 25 years later. Although it is today known as a landmark LGBT film (more on that in a minute), it also jumps between a number of different genre classifications seamlessly; namely political thriller and romantic dramedy. Altogether, though, this is a very effectively made foreign hybrid film.
When IRA mercenaries kidnap an English army captain named Jody (Forrest Whittaker)., one of the mercenaries, Fergus (Stephen Rey) begins to bond with him. When the IRA's demands are not met, and with Jody's execution imminent, he gives Fergus a picture of his love Dil. When Jody's killed during a rescue attempt, Fergus seeks out Dil (Jaye Davidson), who works in a hair salon; buying a drink for her and fending off a drunken pest. Upon going to her apartment, Fergus discovers she is transgender and runs away in disgust. But when fellow IRA compatriot Jude (Miranda Richardson) comes to pay the piper, she threatens to kill Dil if he doesn't assassinate a high ranking British judge. Dil ties up Fergus to her bedpost and he cannot carry out the hit. Jude comes back to kill them both, but Dil shoots her with Fergus' gun. Fergus wipes her prints off the gun and allows himself to be arrested in the place of Dil, who comes to visit him every day in jail waiting for him to get out.
The film was inspired by a 1931 short story by Frank O'Connor called Guests of the Nation, in which IRA soldiers develop a bond with their English captives, whom they are ultimately forced to kill. Jordan used this as the foundation to tell a larger story, albeit one with two polar opposite but ever competing tones. Which one works better in my opinion? Well, when I reflect on this film, my memory always comes back to the romance between Fergus and Dil before the IRA hostage/assassination framework. Jaye Davidson, a gay man in real life, is extremely convincing in both the physical and emotional aspects of a character who the audience thinks is a woman for more than half the film. Physically he passes the eye test, but the sadness and tenderness he brings to the role in his voice and facial gestures, from his love-hate-love relationship with a straight man never coming off as anything less than 100% authentic. Veteran actor Stephen Rey carries his share as well; it's certainly not a one sided affair, the feelings he has for Dil, born out of both genuine affection and the need to redeem himself for Jody's death, is played with subtlety and pure authenticity.
Part of the reason I wanted to have this film on this 1992 retrospective was I recently worked on a screenplay about the IRA, set in the 1970's (where this film feels more at home). Going back for research about this film the other night one thing stood out: IRA films always are in a restrained setting. There are no epic battles, dictators are not overthrown; it's all about small scale subterfuge to gain independence for a tiny piece of land. Political meetings happen in homes, pubs, and small shacks. Violence happens with a pistol or a small bomb. Nonetheless, this film, along with a small handful of others including Hunger and In the Name of the Father shaped my perception of what IRA Belfast looked like and for that I'm indebted. In the end, the film was nominated for six major Oscars including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor, Best Editing, losing almost all specifically to that year's darling Unforgiven (which will be covered later this month). Luckily, for what it's worth, Neil Jordan nabbed a Best Original Screenplay win. I just hope one day my IRA film can be made and I can tell Neil Jordan in person what an influence his film had on me.
Rating: ***1/2 out of 4
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