The General

With The General John Boorman has created a fascinating and multifaceted portrait of the Dubliner Martin Cahill, aka the General, a real person, who was shot by the IRA in 1994. He was the mastermind behind a series of heists, which is why he got his nickname.

Martin Cahill sided with the working classes all his life, but he did not care much for any of the political fractions in Ireland. That became the death of him.

The film shows that although Cahill was a hero among young people, he was not infallible. This is demonstrated in a cruel crucifixition scene. On the other hand John Boorman does not make a problem out of the fact that Cahill slept with both his wife and sister-in-law. The two sisters do not seem to mind an awful lot.

The General is beautifully photographed in black and white, which makes the film seem more authentic.