MovieChat Forums > The Devil's Own (1997) Discussion > Imagine a british film glorifying Timoth...

Imagine a british film glorifying Timothy McVeigth as a freedom fighter

posted 12 years ago by al666940-3
6 replies | jump to latest

I have a couple English friends, and both mentioned that line upon seeing this film.

Can't say I disagree with them.

I don't know enough about the conflict, so I am aware any opinion I have may be misinformed.

However I really don't think it's good to glamorize/legitimize some terrorists (IRA, Mandela, Arafat, Northen Aliance, Sharon) and demonize others (Hamas, Hezbollah, Al Qaeda, McVeith).

Either:
a) Condemn all, no matter how appealing their cause may be.
b) Stop using the term, accepting it's becoming meaningless (like accusations of antisemitism against any/all critics of Israel, they just don't carry much weight anymore).
c) Accept terrorism is relative (one man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter, yesterday's terrorist is today's statesman).

[–] 12 years ago

[deleted]

[–] wwestar 12 years ago

No, not really.

[–] CoinBiter 9 years ago

Actually, Cromwell is generally portrayed in a negative light in British fiction, although Cromwell was a complicated geezer whose legacy as well as the Irish settlements included, for example, the readmittance of the Jews to England, and religious toleration for dissenters. Since your statement pretty much acknowledges you haven't read any British fiction about Cromwell, you'll have to take my word for it.

In contrast, Charles II, for example - despite presiding over a period of intense political and religious repression over Scotland and England - is generally portrayed as a jolly womaniser.

Such is the nature of historical fiction - better to be a Romantic, no matter what the reality of your record, than a Puritan.

Of course, you wrote this post some two years ago, so it's a bit pointless for me to respond, but I just thought I'd correct a misapprehension :)

I think I could eat one of Bellamy's meat pies

[–] dddmi7-1 12 years ago

"Imagine no possessions...I wonder if you can..."

[–] spookyrat1 10 years ago

To be fair, Frankie/Rory isn't glorified as a freedom fighter in the film. He's actually depicted as murderer (a number of times over) and gun-runner, who has the common touch and is nice to people who are nice to him.🐭

[–] davedave11 9 years ago

like Whitey Bulger