How others will see it. Jim Sheridan's Irish-themed films deservedly have a strong following. Those under his spell will enjoy this entry as well. It's not nearly as good as In the Name of the Father. But that may be too much to ask from every film.
Character actor John Hurt and noble thespian Richard Harris also have their fan base, and have many delicious scenes, to be savored by those who care to do so.
Beyond the marquis names, we have an interesting set of conflicting themes: tradition versus progress, common law versus local customs, and the obligation of a son to obey the will of his father. These will be hashed out in due course.
Most people will pay little mind to the themes, and concentrate on the story, which involves stubbon old Harris and his determination to control a minor plot of land. At this level, the movie is both interesting and rewarding.
How I felt about it. In his own mind, and perhaps also in the opinion of the admiring locals, Harris is a great man who should be granted the land, in return for his lifetime of toil over it. Harris is even willing to pay what be believes is a fair price for it.
But, there is a dark and less heroic side to Harris. The need to obtain and keep the land requires illegal harassment that easily get out of hand. And it does. Harris' obsession with the land blinds him to the injustice it causes.
He also can't see the horizon beyond the field. Is it a god-given right, or a curse, for a family to slave over a strip of land, generation after generation? Perhaps it is the latter. Perhaps the obedient but unpromising son instead wants what is beyond the horizon.
Evolution of man past mere dirt farmers is unthinkable to Harris. But it's not to Tom Berenger, an American moneybags with Irish roots. His grand plans to build power plants and roads provides a challenge to Irish tradition. His ally is the local clergyman, Sean McGinley, who is motivated by both a bribe in the form of donations, and a desire to help the widow property owner, who has been essentially cast out by Harris' machinations for her land.
Just as Berenger is duly punished for his uncompromising pursuit of progress, old man Harris receives due punishment for his single-minded pursuit of land. He can admit his sins and failures to God, but he can't accept that his way of life is ending, let alone that it may be for the best. True tragedy arrives when you believe you are heroic, but those same actions prove you a villain. If it can happen to statesmen, it can happen to sharecroppers.