Review of Ryan's Daughter (1970) by Stuart K — 10 Aug 2010

After the successes of Lawrence of Arabia (1962) and Doctor Zhivago (1965), David Lean went epic once more for this sweeping romance. It should have been his masterpiece, instead, it brought his reputation as the grandmaster of the epic vision crashing down with horrible opposition to the film.

This is unfair, but at the same time, the film didn't need to be epic, when it's plot is quite small. Set in the small town of Killary on the Dingle Peninsula in 1916 Ireland, it focuses on the romance and marriage of middle-aged school teacher Charles Shaughnessy (Robert Mitchum) and Rosy Ryan (Sarah Miles), who is the daughter of local landlord Thomas Ryan (Leo McKern), who is an informer to the British camp posted nearby.

Rosy is left wanting more out of her marriage, when she discovers it's not all it's cracked up to be. However, when WW1 hero Major Randolph Doryan (Christopher Jones) comes to take over the nearby army base, Rosy begins a clandestine affair with Doryan, but Charles turns a blind eye to it, and the townspeople then turn on Rosy.

It's a very simple romance story against the backdrop of the Troubles, it does have some good moments, such as the storm when the village gather a cache of German arms. But, it is quite overblown and it's not the sort of story that suits an epic vision.

Despite all good intentions, Lean should have made this smaller like Brief Encounter (1945) or Hobson's Choice (1954), then it would have been twice the film.