The Brylcreem Boys

Produced 1996 at Rough Magic Films Sherwood Ltd, Douglas, Isle of Man; 105 mins., color, Dolby SR sound

"In 1941, as part of an effort to remain strictly neutral, the Dublin government made a deal with both Berlin and London whereby any soldier, sailor or pilot captured on Irish soil, whether of German or Allied forces, would be interned for the duration of the war. What the Irish failed to tell was that they would intern everybody in the same camp. It is here that Canadian pilot Miles Keogh and German pilot Rudolph Von Stegenbeck meet after a fight in which both their planes were downed. Outside the camp, both fall in love with the same woman, an independent Irishwoman who refuses to take steps in their private little war." (Summary written by Gerard Morvan {morvan.cyb@vdp.fr})

Production:

Directed by Terence Ryan
Produced by Gabriel Byrne
Written by Jamie Brown and Susan Morrall
Original music by Richard Hartley
Cinematography by Gerry Lively
Film Editing by Emma Hickox
Production Design by Steve Hardie
Art Direction Shane Kenny
Costume Design by David Murphy

Cast :


Bill Campbell .... Miles Keogh
William McNamara .... Sam Gunn
Angus MacFadyen .... Count Rudolph von Stegenbek
Gabriel Byrne .... Sean O'Brien, camp commander
Jean Butler .... Mattie Guerin
(Jean Butler was lead dancer in the 1995 and 1996 Riverdance shows)
John Gordon Sinclair .... Richard Lewis
Oliver Tobias .... Hans Jorg Wolff


User Comments:

28 January 1999 Summary: How to ruin a good idea in one easy lesson

"This film somehow manages to take a fascinating premise and totally destroy it with bad writing and some of the worst ensemble acting in a film that I have ever seen. Even the usually reliable Gabriel Byrne gives a one-dimensional performance. And he deserves a portion of the blame for making this fiasco, being one of the producers. All-in-all a waste of time and money that doesn't even qualify as good trash."

Links:


History Department | Filmnotes | revised 3/19/99