A Prayer for the Dying
Encyclopedia
A Prayer for the Dying is a 1987
thriller film about a former IRA
member trying to escape his past. The film was directed by Mike Hodges
, and stars Mickey Rourke
, Liam Neeson
, Bob Hoskins
, and Alan Bates
. The film is based on the Jack Higgins
novel of the same name.
) and his IRA team tracking two British Army Landrovers on a lonely road. They have planted a bomb ahead to kill the soldiers. At the last minute, a school van overtakes the Landrovers, and hits the bomb killing all the children. This totally shakes Fallon who wants to leave the violence and goes to London in order to eventually move to the US.
He lands in London and takes sanctuary in a church pretending to be a reporter escaping from the UK. He contacts a prior contact in London who introduces him to a local mob leader. The mob leader and his psychopathic younger brother know of his past and offer him a passport and lots of money in order to complete one last job. Reluctantly he agrees. Meanwhile he starts falling in love with the blind niece of the parish priest (Bob Hoskins
). To his horror, the job is to murder the priest since he has witnessed the mob leader's younger brother committing a murder.
Fallon takes on the job to ensure that no one else kills the priest and to plan his next move. He confesses to the priest who urges him to escape London along with his niece. The mob leader finds out his plans and cautions his brother to remain low while he figures out a way to kill them both. But his brother decides to take matters in his own hands and goes to the church but she manages to stab him with a pair of scissors and kills him. The mob leader is distraught at the death of his brother and attacks Fallon in a fit of rage, pushing him over a railing on the roof of the church, causing him to fall through a lower roof into the church. The mob leader is killed moments later by a bomb. In his dying moments, Fallon confesses to the priest about his past who grants him absolution. Fallon dies in peace.
was going direct A Prayer for the Dying but left during pre-production due to creative differences.
Mickey Rourke
was paid £1 million to star in the film. This was part of the play or pay deal.
Originally Inseminoid music composer John Scott
had composed the film but was fired due to creative differences from the producers and they hired Bill Conti
to finish the score.
Both Mike Hodges
and Mickey Rourke
have disowned the film as it wasn't the finished film they intended to make. Also the Producer did the cut that was for their audience.
had a critical hit film Croupier
. That release was going to be by MGM. Both region 1 and 2 have the original theatrical release.
1987 in film
-Events:*January 31 - The Cure for Insomnia premieres at The School of the Art Institute in Chicago, Illinois, to officially become the world's longest film according to Guinness World Records....
thriller film about a former IRA
Provisional Irish Republican Army
The Provisional Irish Republican Army is an Irish republican paramilitary organisation whose aim was to remove Northern Ireland from the United Kingdom and bring about a socialist republic within a united Ireland by force of arms and political persuasion...
member trying to escape his past. The film was directed by Mike Hodges
Mike Hodges
Mike Hodges is an English screenwriter, film director, playwright and novelist. His films as writer/director include Get Carter, Pulp, The Terminal Man and Black Rainbow; as director his films include Flash Gordon, Croupier and I'll Sleep When I'm Dead...
, and stars Mickey Rourke
Mickey Rourke
Philip Andre "Mickey" Rourke, Jr. is an American actor, screenwriter and retired boxer, who has appeared primarily as a leading man in action, drama, and thriller films....
, Liam Neeson
Liam Neeson
Liam John Neeson, OBE is an Irish actor who has been nominated for an Oscar, a BAFTA and three Golden Globe Awards.He has starred in a number of notable roles including Oskar Schindler in Schindler's List, Michael Collins in Michael Collins, Peyton Westlake in Darkman, Jean Valjean in Les...
, Bob Hoskins
Bob Hoskins
Robert William "Bob" Hoskins, Jr. is an English actor known for playing Cockney rough diamonds, psychopaths and gangsters, in films such as The Long Good Friday , and Mona Lisa , and lighter roles in family films such as Who Framed Roger Rabbit and Hook .- Early life :Hoskins was born in Bury St...
, and Alan Bates
Alan Bates
Sir Alan Arthur Bates CBE was an English actor, who came to prominence in the 1960s, a time of high creativity in British cinema, when he demonstrated his versatility in films ranging from the popular children’s story Whistle Down the Wind to the "kitchen sink" drama A Kind of Loving...
. The film is based on the Jack Higgins
Jack Higgins
Jack Higgins is the principal pseudonym of UK novelist Harry Patterson. Patterson is the author of more than 60 novels. As Higgins, most have been thrillers of various types and, since his breakthrough novel The Eagle Has Landed in 1975, nearly all have been bestsellers...
novel of the same name.
Plot
The film begins with Martin Fallon (Mickey RourkeMickey Rourke
Philip Andre "Mickey" Rourke, Jr. is an American actor, screenwriter and retired boxer, who has appeared primarily as a leading man in action, drama, and thriller films....
) and his IRA team tracking two British Army Landrovers on a lonely road. They have planted a bomb ahead to kill the soldiers. At the last minute, a school van overtakes the Landrovers, and hits the bomb killing all the children. This totally shakes Fallon who wants to leave the violence and goes to London in order to eventually move to the US.
He lands in London and takes sanctuary in a church pretending to be a reporter escaping from the UK. He contacts a prior contact in London who introduces him to a local mob leader. The mob leader and his psychopathic younger brother know of his past and offer him a passport and lots of money in order to complete one last job. Reluctantly he agrees. Meanwhile he starts falling in love with the blind niece of the parish priest (Bob Hoskins
Bob Hoskins
Robert William "Bob" Hoskins, Jr. is an English actor known for playing Cockney rough diamonds, psychopaths and gangsters, in films such as The Long Good Friday , and Mona Lisa , and lighter roles in family films such as Who Framed Roger Rabbit and Hook .- Early life :Hoskins was born in Bury St...
). To his horror, the job is to murder the priest since he has witnessed the mob leader's younger brother committing a murder.
Fallon takes on the job to ensure that no one else kills the priest and to plan his next move. He confesses to the priest who urges him to escape London along with his niece. The mob leader finds out his plans and cautions his brother to remain low while he figures out a way to kill them both. But his brother decides to take matters in his own hands and goes to the church but she manages to stab him with a pair of scissors and kills him. The mob leader is distraught at the death of his brother and attacks Fallon in a fit of rage, pushing him over a railing on the roof of the church, causing him to fall through a lower roof into the church. The mob leader is killed moments later by a bomb. In his dying moments, Fallon confesses to the priest about his past who grants him absolution. Fallon dies in peace.
Production
Originally Franc RoddamFranc Roddam
Francis George "Franc" Roddam is an English film director, businessman, screenwriter, television producer and publisher. He is married to photographer, Leila Ansari, and has six children from previous marriages. He currently lives in London.-Career:Roddam's films include "Quadrophenia", "K2",...
was going direct A Prayer for the Dying but left during pre-production due to creative differences.
Mickey Rourke
Mickey Rourke
Philip Andre "Mickey" Rourke, Jr. is an American actor, screenwriter and retired boxer, who has appeared primarily as a leading man in action, drama, and thriller films....
was paid £1 million to star in the film. This was part of the play or pay deal.
Originally Inseminoid music composer John Scott
John Scott (composer)
John Scott , also known as Johnny Scott and Patrick John Scott, is a British composer and conductor. Scott has worked with some of the world's foremost producers and directors including Richard Donner, Norman J...
had composed the film but was fired due to creative differences from the producers and they hired Bill Conti
Bill Conti
William "Bill" Conti is an American film music composer who is frequently the conductor at the Academy Awards ceremony.-Early life and career:...
to finish the score.
Both Mike Hodges
Mike Hodges
Mike Hodges is an English screenwriter, film director, playwright and novelist. His films as writer/director include Get Carter, Pulp, The Terminal Man and Black Rainbow; as director his films include Flash Gordon, Croupier and I'll Sleep When I'm Dead...
and Mickey Rourke
Mickey Rourke
Philip Andre "Mickey" Rourke, Jr. is an American actor, screenwriter and retired boxer, who has appeared primarily as a leading man in action, drama, and thriller films....
have disowned the film as it wasn't the finished film they intended to make. Also the Producer did the cut that was for their audience.
Director's Cut
They were rumours that there was going to be a director's cut of the film as Mike HodgesMike Hodges
Mike Hodges is an English screenwriter, film director, playwright and novelist. His films as writer/director include Get Carter, Pulp, The Terminal Man and Black Rainbow; as director his films include Flash Gordon, Croupier and I'll Sleep When I'm Dead...
had a critical hit film Croupier
Croupier (film)
Croupier is a 1998 film starring Clive Owen as a croupier. Directed by Mike Hodges, the film was released by Image Entertainment on DVD in the USA, and Alliance Atlantis in Canada. Though intended as a feature film, it was shown on television in North America...
. That release was going to be by MGM. Both region 1 and 2 have the original theatrical release.