Ryan's Daughter

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Ryan's Daughter

R

Released Nov 9, 1970

3h 26m

Drama

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Popcornmeter

47%

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17 Reviews

73%

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2,500+ Ratings

A teacher's (Robert Mitchum) wife (Sarah Miles) has an affair with a British soldier (Christopher Jones) in 1916 Northern Ireland.

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Kevin Maher

Times (UK)

A weary Madame Bovary rehash set in rural Ireland.

Rated: 1/5

Jul 14, 2017

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Variety Staff

Variety

Overlength of perhaps 30 minutes serves to magnify some weaknesses of Robert Bolt's original screenplay, to dissipate the impact of the performances, and to overwhelm outstanding photography and production.

Nov 6, 2007

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Tom Milne

Time Out

An awe-inspiringly tedious lump of soggy romanticism.

Jun 24, 2006

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Debbie Brown

Baltimore Afro-American

David Lean does come through for movie-goers in the second half which is filled with drama and good acting which lead to an almost perfect climax.

Sep 23, 2020

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Emanuel Levy

EmanuelLevy.Com

Arguably David Lean's weakest film, this lushly photographed (it won Oscar for Freddie Young) period Irish romance is rambling and pointless, and feels like an occasion for Sarah Miles (then married to writer Bolt) to show off her beautiful body.

Rated: C

Mar 22, 2008

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TV Guide

The best thing about this much-vaunted, overlong Irish epic love triangle is its gorgeous photography.

Rated: 2.5/4

Nov 6, 2007

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Helen M

Snuck into this when I was 14 and I swore that if their wedding night was what sex was all about, then I was never going there! Loved this film. The scenery was magnificent and I think some critics are missing the point. The film highlights what was going on at the time in Ireland. Some of the dialogue may be a bit naff but all in all, I really enjoyed it and i think John Mills played the village idiot perfectly.... for the times that were in it.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

08/17/24

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Colin M

Village life on the Irish coast in 1916 as experienced by a publican's daughter who becomes amorously involved with the local schoolmaster.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/04/24

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Alec B

Yes, its definitely the weakest of Lean's epics but I don't think its worthy of outlandish scorn. The weak elements of the film (Mills' performance, the bloated running time) hurt but don't really undo the entire production. The film is still beautifully photographed and the Irish setting for a loose adaption of Madame Bovary works really well.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

11/10/23

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Shirley S

One of my all time favourite films. It is interesting to see so many comments that it is over long and I can't help but wonder if that is a reflection of the modern need for fast action and instant gratification. I never found it too long, it being so full of social commentary and the frailties and follies of people that result in cruelty and heartbreak. When I first saw it, not long after it came out, I was horrified that the great Sir John Mills played the village idiot - then I realised it was the most difficult part to play - and of course, it is visually stunning.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

04/06/23

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Paul S

Amazing cinematography, perfect soundtrack .

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/08/23

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Liam D

It's Oscar wins are definitely well deserved but the movie feels shallow

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

11/22/22

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David Lean

Director

Robert Mitchum

Charles Shaughnessy

Sarah Miles

Rosy Ryan

Christopher Jones

Randolph Doryan

Trevor Howard

Father Collins

John Mills

Michael

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Synopsis

A teacher's (Robert Mitchum) wife (Sarah Miles) has an affair with a British soldier (Christopher Jones) in 1916 Northern Ireland.

Director: David Lean
Producer: Anthony Havelock-Allan
Screenwriter: Robert Bolt
Distributor: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Production Co: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Rating: R
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Nov 9, 1970, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 21, 2016
Runtime: 3h 26m

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