Review of Ryan's Daughter (1970) by Kisaan T — 30 Jun 2012

I disagree with many famous critics like Roger Ebert and others, disliking this film. It even makes me wonder why they dislike it. That wonder and question is : - For what do you go to watch a film? What would you expect a film must offer to you? The prime goal of a film is entertainment right.

And it should be a resonant of theatrical and realistic when it comes to performances, right. Every film has it's genre. So in order to be a good film, it should be good and unique in it's genre.

So if it is a comedy, it should be able to make laugh which a new inventive approach to humor and comedy, or at least it should be able to create a sense of amusement in watcher, if not laugh. If the film is a Romance or a Tragedy, then it should dissolves audiences in a heart-melting emotions, if the film is an action-thriller, the sequences and style of the action sequences should appear to be more extra-ordinary then previous action films, and those sequences should be smart enough to justify thrill factor in audiences.

Finally if a film is drama, and with many sub-genre inside it like Romance etc...then a drama film should amaze the audiences' minds when it starts, revolve them in a whirlpool of emotions throughout, and finally give them a satisfying culmination to the drama created.

And adding, every film should not contain more cliche (even if it does, it should be done smartly). Now, these all must be the general guidance for a decent-original film, which a lecturer must be providing to the film-students.

I didn't find many flaws while watching Ryan's Daughter. If it has a huge scale, then it was David Lean's signature - in which he had been successful in Lawrence of Arabia, Doctor Zhivago, River Kwai (and even in Passage to India).

If the film's flaw was that it didn't contributed much in performances - I say it was not needed. There are and there were many directors in whose films actors gave a very perfect and audiences digestible performances, eventhough when their dialogues seem to blur.

And I guess, story or screenplay of this film, must not be the reason why this film got criticized, that heavily. Because the film's pace of story progression was similar to every earlier Lean's films and he even did it in Passage to India.

It didn't appeared amateur. In fact, I think it was made with a perfection. I think he had captured every scene with a conviction and together with his own style of giving us the delightful scenery.

How many directors can you name who were or who are able to complete their films packed with such a vast and beautiful landscapes, together with story ongoing and in grip. Just Look at the scene from this film, in which the storm emerges in the villages, and whole villages gathers at the sea-shore to recover the armament for an Irish Leader.

That scene was magnificent. I think many critics' forgot that it was Lean's style of making lengthy films and photographing lavishly. Ryan's daughter is a satifactory drama and a romance film, which takes it's time to unravel and explain its themes, but overall feels pleasing.

I would've watched it in a Cinema-Hall if possible because of Lean's lavish photography. Don't miss this film, if you care for films which take their time for justifying their drama in audiences hearts and minds, but when done, does completely.