‘We’ll Make Our Own Rules’: Postcolonial Cinematic Reclamations of Irish Revolutionary History'
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Abstract
This paper analyzes Neil Jordan’s Michael Collins’ (1996) functionality as a post-colonial national Irish enterprise and its establishment of a ‘sovereign’ cinematic identity through representations of the struggle for Home Rule. A film made “by Ireland, for Ireland,” Michael Collins exists within the canon of ‘ceasefire cinema’ and remains a landmark in Irish film history because of its historical content, international interest, and enormous Irish investment in its production. Notably, however, it was also immensely controversial; in the United Kingdom, for instance, many critics argued that Jordan’s work would incite nationalist violence in the midst of a fragile ceasefire. Additionally, because of the involvement of American production companies and American actors, many questioned the authenticity behind the aforementioned claim of Irish authenticity. Thus, these factors and responses beg the questions: ‘how can a film claim to be representative of a country’s identity, historical trauma, and struggles for autonomy if it is the result of another?’ and ‘does the depiction of colonial violence serve to redeem or abet?’ This paper will employ Michael Collins as a vehicle to explore these questions as well as the complex natures of Irish cultural and historical autonomy and post-colonial cinematic identities.
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