International Film: Waking Ned Devine
On September 10th, Santa Fe hosted a screening of the 1998 film Waking Ned Devine. Directed by Kirk Jones, this movie is set in the small Irish village of Tullymore. Two old men discover that a member of their community holds a winning lottery ticket and they intend to cozy up to the lucky individual in order to reap some of the benefits. When they discover that the winner has died from the shock of it, they and the rest of the village plot to deceive the lottery man, pass one of the residents off as the dead man to claim the money, and split the winnings among themselves.
Surprisingly, although this film deals with themes of greed and deception, the outcome is unlike in those with similar plots. I kept expecting the characters to turn against each other and to have their relationships destroyed as a result. I assumed they would be found out in the end and have to face the consequences. Typically, stories such as this highlight the message that to lie - particularly to a person of authority, such as the lottery man - and to cheat will always lead to your undoing. However, the characters in this movie all benefitted tremendously from the experience. The entire village (even the priest!) agrees to take part in this scheme and they successfully deceive the man from the city. They all gain wealth, their relationships are strengthened, the woman agrees to marry the pig farmer, and her son gains a father. Their collusion brought them closer together instead of driving them apart.
Nowhere is this intimacy more evident than in relationship between Jackie and Michael. The pair share a special closeness; in some ways, Jackie is closer to Michael than he is to his wife. They scheme together throughout the movie like little boys. Jackie is clearly the instigator, while Michael follows (sometimes reluctantly). The two men appear completely at ease together, suggesting a long and deep friendship. They share clothing, go for a naked swim in the ocean without any shyness, and even sleep in the same bed without hesitation or discomfort. Surely such acts in our own culture would be assumed to have very different intentions.
It was also interesting to see how the people of Tullymore behave almost like a loose family unit. The low, spread out population ensures that everyone is very familiar with one another. Jackie and his wife host a charming social dinner that functions as an interactive space for the residents, as well as a cover to seek out the lottery winner under the guise of social niceties. Lizzie Quinn, a sour old woman, is seen arguing over the price of a fixed toaster (so there is someone who is actually known for fixing toasters, and she went to him instead of just throwing it away and buying a new one). Jackie even casually strolls right inside his neighbor Ned’s house without knocking, reflecting an uncommon ease.
Waking Ned Devine provides a glimpse into the strong community aspect of a small Irish town. The lush greenery, proximity to the sea, stone buildings and thatched roof bungalows, wild fiddle music, and unique Irish customs shown in the movie portray an environmentally and culturally rich backdrop for the population of Tullymore to occupy. The town has a rich community with surprising depth and camaraderie and while the premise of the movie may be built around lies and fraud, it is a story of friendship and triumph.
