Ryan's Daughter

Ryan's Daughter

Poster

Country	United Kingdom
Directed by	David Lean
Release Date	1970

Main Cast
Character	Actor
Rose Ryan/Shaughnessy	Sarah Mills
Charles Shaughnessy	Robert Mitchum
Father Hugh Collins	Trevor Howard
Michael	John Mills
Major Randolph Doryan	Christopher Jones
Tom Ryan	Leo McKern

Ryan's Daughter is a 1970 British romantic drama directed by David Lean. Screenwriter and frequent Lean-collaborator Robert Bolt had originally intended to adapt Gustave Flaubert's Madame Bovary with his wife Sarah Mills as the title character, but Lean wanted to try a different setting, changing the setting to Ireland in the wake of the 1916 Easter Rebellion. It did retain Sarah Mills as the title character however, joining Robert Mitchum, Trevor Howard, John Mills, Leo McKern, and Christopher Jones.

Although the film was a hit at the box office, it was not a hit with the critics. Lean's previously three films, The Bridge on the River Kwai, Lawrence of Arabia, and Doctor Zhivago, were all huge hits and had won a combined nineteen Academy Awards, and he simply tried too hard to duplicate the scale now expected of him. The harsh conditions of the location shoot in Western Ireland and constant delays took its toll on the cast and crew. Christopher Jones, who had been cast without ever meeting Lean, had to have his dialogue reduced and whatever lines he did have dubbed because Lean had not realized that Jones had a relatively high-pitched voice. Difficulties between Jones and director Lean, and costar Sarah Mills, along with the brutal murder of his good friend Sharon Tate at the hands of the Manson family during filming caused Jones to effectively retire from acting. Likewise, Leo McKern was injured on set and took a short sabbatical himself. Lean was extremely hurt by the critical reception of the film and didn't direct another feature for fourteen years.

The film was nominated for four Academy Awards and won two. John Mills, who had no dialogue and was almost unrecognizable as "village idiot" Michael, won for Best Supporting Actor. The film also won the Academy Award for Best Cinematography, just like Lean's three previous films.

The following weapons were used in the film Ryan's Daughter:

Lee-Enfield No.1 Mk. III*

British troops are armed with Lee-Enfield No.1 Mk.III* rifles. Tim O'Leary (Barry Foster) and his rebels are armed with them as well.

Lee-Enfield No.1 Mk. III* - .303 British

The Corporal (Barry Jackson) and "Lanky Private" (Des Keogh) with their Lee-Enfields while on patrol.

Tim O'Leary (Barry Foster) takes aim with his SMLE.

British troops greet the arrival of Major Doryan (Christopher Jones).

Major Doryan takes aim with an SMLE.

The Corporal with his SMLE with bayonet affixed while Father Collins (Trevor Howard) scolds Major Doryan.

Special

Major Doryan catches an SMLE. This is from a making-of featurette and is not in the final cut. (Hopefully he caught it on the first try.)

Major Doryan fires the SMLE. This is from a making-of featurette and is not in the final cut. Note that in the final cut, the chinstrap on his cap is not used and that he is wearing a trenchcoat rather than a wool greatcoat.

Webley Mk. VI

Tim O'Leary carries a Webley Mk VI. He hands it to Paddy (Philip O'Flynn) to subdue the constable, but later gets it back. Major Doryan later gets his hands on it.

Webley Mk. VI - .455 Webley

O'Leary hands his Webley to Paddy.

Paddy and Tom Ryan (Leo McKern) subdue the constable (Brian O'Higgins).

A good shot of O'Leary's Webley at the ready.

Major Doryan points O'Leary's own Webley at him.

Major Doryan with his own Webley during a PTSD-induced flashback.

Special

Major Doryan with his Webley during what appears to be rehearsal. As with above, his costume is different than in the final cut, and there's a paper cup on the truck's fender.

Mauser Gewehr 1898

Included in the German weapons shipment are some Mauser Gewehr 1898 rifles. In a continuity error, the Lee-Enfields carried by O'Leary's rebels turn into Gewehr 1898s prior to them receiving the shipment.