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Hennessy is a 1975 British thriller film directed by Don Sharp and starring Rod Steiger, Trevor Howard, Lee Remick, Richard Johnson, Peter Egan, Stanley Lebor and Sir Patrick Stewart, the latter in his film debut.[1][2]

Hennessy
Directed by	Don Sharp
Screenplay by	John Gay
Produced by	Peter Snell
Starring	Rod Steiger Lee Remick Richard Johnson
Cinematography	Ernest Steward
Edited by	Erik Boyd-Perkins
Music by	John Scott
Production company	Hennessy Film Productions
Distributed by	American International Pictures
Release date	31 July 1975 (1975-07-31) (USA)
Running time	103 min
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English

Plot

After the death of his family during a riot in Belfast, Niall Hennessy comes up with a plan to blow up the British Houses of Parliament.[3]

Cast

• Rod Steiger − Niall Hennessy
• Lee Remick − Kate Brooke
• Richard Johnson −Insp. Hollis
• Trevor Howard − Cmdr. Rice
• Peter Egan − Williams
• Eric Porter − Tobin
• Ian Hogg − Gerry
• Stanley Lebor − Hawk
• John Hallam − Boyle
• Patrick Stewart − Tilney
• David Collings − Covey
• John Shrapnel − Tipaldi
• Hugh Moxey − Stephen Burgess (M.P.)
• Margery Mason − Housekeeper
• Paul Brennan − Maguire
• Paul Blake − Rally Leader
• Patsy Kensit − Angie Hennessy

Production

The film was a co production between Peter Snell and American International Pictures. The original director was to be John Guillermin but by the time the producers raised finance he was on another project so they approached Don Sharp, then directing Callan.[4]

Production started in February 1974 and finished in September.[5][6]

Footage of Queen Elizabeth

The film contained footage of Queen Elizabeth II speaking at the State Opening of Parliament and apparently reacting to something happening in the House of Lords, taken in 1970. The clips were purchased by AIP from Movietone News and incorporated in the film. Buckingham Palace consented to use of the clip in the film but later said this was a misunderstanding as to the way the news footage would be used in the film and they would not do it again.[7][8]

Release

The British Board of Film Classification initially refused to classify the film because of the footage. Producer Samuel Z. Arkoff managed to get it passed by adding a disclaimer stating that the British Royal Family had not participated and footage of the Queen was from newsreel and by cutting a six-second sequence where the Queen appeared to react to the explosion.[7]

The Rank Organisation then refused to screen the film in its Odeon Cinemas, citing commercial reasons. EMI also refused to distribute it, with Chairman Sir Bernard Delfont claiming it was too sympathetic to the IRA to be shown at that present time.[8] Critics such as Alexander Walker protested against this.[9]

As a result, it was only shown at a small number of independent cinemas.[10]

Critical Reception

The Guardian called it "quite a good thriller".[11] The Los Angeles Times called it "routine but competent."[12]

References

External links

• Hennessy at IMDb
• Hennessy at Rotten Tomatoes
• Hennessy at YouTube

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