Down the Corner
A group of Ballyfermot schoolboys attempt to rob an orchard in the more affluent, nearby suburb of Chapelizod.
A group of Ballyfermot schoolboys attempt to rob an orchard in the more affluent, nearby suburb of Chapelizod.
The film appears simple. Its leads steal apples but leave us more knowledgeable about their lives. From Dublin’s margins, weaned on tales of rebellion, they face uncertain futures and, perhaps, broken promises.
Significant Irish filmmakers (Comerford, Quinn, and Black) were involved in the project. McFarlane’s screenplay was based on his novella; Weldon stars as a father made redundant and bitter.
Weldon’s songs, from _Dark Horse in the Wind_ (1976), are critical to the film. As it ends, his character walks aimlessly. On the soundtrack, he sings, ‘Where will you be, my blue-eyed son, oh, when your Daddy’s race has run?’