BREAKFAST ON PLUTO

Ireland/UK, 2005, 129 minutes, Colour.
Cillian Murphy, Liam Neeson, Stephen Rea, Brendan Gleeson, Liam Cunningham, Eva Birthwistle, Ruth Mc Cabe, Dominic Cooper, Ian Hart, Stephen Waddington, Gavin Friday, Ruth Negga.
Directed by Neil Jordan.

This is as unpredictable film as you will find for a long time. It means that you are not quite sure of whether you are enjoying it or not because you don’t recognise too many signposts along the way to indicate what the film is doing or where it is going. Which, of course, is all to the good – and means that you have to give some more thought to what you have seen than what you might normally do.

One signpost, however, is that the film is based on a novel by Patrick Mc Cabe who has co-written the screenplay. His Butcher Boy took us into some weird realms: both ordinary life in a village but also violence and apparitions of the Virgin Mary. In Ireland. That’s another signpost. This is an Irish story with a sense of the fantastic, the offbeat comedy and a touch of blarney, the Catholic church and moral teaching and sex.

But the main signpost is that the film has been co-written and directed by Neil Jordan. For over twenty years, Jordan has offered many very different portraits of Irish life (Angel, The Miracle, Butcher Boy) as well as delving into the world of fantasy and mythologies (Company of Wolves, Interview with the Vampire, In Dreams). His versatility can be seen from the fact that he made Michael Collins, Mona Lisa, The End of the Affair. But, reviewers will point to his Oscar-winning (for screenplay) The Crying Game for a reference here with its story of a transvestite.

First of all, the film is comic in tone. The hero (who might preferred to be referred to as heroine) narrates the story in a broguishly roguish kind of way. Then there are the two robins who feature early in the film, pecking into the tops of milk bottles and making chirpy comments along the way (with sub-titles!!). The narrative is also split up into almost forty mini-chapters with humorous and ironic titles coming up on screen.

This the story of Patrick, abandoned by his mother at the presbytery door in 1956, who is fostered by a demanding mother, finds that he prefers dressing and acting like a girl and takes the name Kitten, and embarks on the life of a transvestite in London in the 1970s. That plot outline should be enough to raise curiosity.

But, there is so much more than that. Not only is it a humane story of a very confused young man who feels alienated from family and community, it moves into the area of Irish troubles and terrorism and brutal police interrogations.

When a policeman takes an interest in Kitten, he helps her/him to move into a Soho prostitute co-op where he appears in peep-show booths – which offers a telling sequence where, in a parallel to the confessional, his father tells him how to find his mother. The film ends with strong feeling but avoiding sentimentality.

Cameos from Brendan Gleeson, Ian Hart and Stephen Rea and the earnest presence of Liam Neeson as the parish priest. But it is Cillian Murphy (Girl With a Pearl Earring, Red Eye, Batman Begins) who sustains the film with a fully committed performance as Patrick.

1.The impact of the film? Awards?

2.The adaptation of a novel, the collaboration with the novel writer? The devices from literature, especially the chapters, for a film?

3.The Irish settings, the town, Dublin, the contrast with London, the details of London regions?

4.The musical score, the range of songs, adapted for each chapter, the lyrics illustrating themes?

5.The strength of the cast, the work of Neil Jordan and his films?

6.A portrait of Ireland in the 1970s, the country, the Troubles, the church, morals?

7.A film of characters, and a portrait of Kitten?

8.‘In Which I Am Abandoned’: the priest, the young Patrick in a dress, going to confession, his foster mother, the football, wanting him to be masculine and to repeat, ‘I am a boy and not a girl’?

‘My Foster Mother’s Shoes’: Mrs Braden, her harshness, taking in Patrick? His background? The absence of his mother? The priest father?

‘My Friends: An Introduction’: Laurence, Down Syndrome, Patrick and his kindness, Charlie, her friendship with Irwin? The robot, the playing the games, the guns? The music and ‘Ghost Riders in the Sky’?

‘My Mother: An Introduction’: Mr Patrick and his explanation about Patrick’s origins? The flashbacks and seeing his mother on the bus? His mother being swallowed up by London? The questions about his father?

‘My Father: An Introduction’: The comparison of his mother to Mitzi Gaynor, the scene from Les Girls, the cheque, Patrick going to confession, his talking with Father Liam, Father Liam’s reaction to him?

‘In Which I Am Mis- Conceived’: The essay, the breakfast scene, his mother and ‘breakfast is served’, the priest and seeing her as a woman, Eily and her language, chatter, sex talk, the sexual relationship with the priest? The anger of the teacher about the essay? Patrick’s imagining his origins? Taking him to the priest headmaster? His requesting to do home economics instead of sport? The discussions about St Patrick, St Kitten as being one of his acolytes?

‘The Price of the Dance’: Kitten and his feminine manner, the dress? The song of ‘God Created a Woman’? The bus, his clothes, the bouncers refusing the group entry into the club? The reasons?

‘The Astral Highway’: Laurence, with the group, the bikies, Laurence smoking, the drinking? The Border Knights? The song: ‘Stars … Journey to Mars and Breakfast on Pluto’? The talk about the planets?

‘Changes’: The priest, announcing the retreat, the priest talk about bodily changes, no problems too difficult, the problem box near the altar rails? His reaction to Kitten, turning the retreat into disrepute? His foster mother being upset? Getting a lift on the bus? Leaving home? The cumulative effect of this kind of background, growing up, education, treatment on Kitten, his sexual perspective, transgender?

‘The Mohawks: An Introduction’: The discussion with the group about the Troubles, torture? In the bar, performing? Billie Hatchet and the group, the Mohawks? Talking with Kitten, the kiss, dancing? The song, ‘Honey’? The group at the window watching? The effect on Kitten, on Billie?

‘My Showbiz Career’: Kitten as a squaw in the Mohawks’ performance, in the bars? The booing and the reaction, throwing things? The soldiers and the search?

‘Secret Place’: The song, ‘Me and Mrs Jones’? Billie taking Kitten to the house, the lake, Kitten becoming domestic, cleaning up, discovering the cache of arms?

‘Very, Very Serious’: The march in the town, Irwin’s involvement? Charlie and Irwin arguing? The police, the crowds, the explosion, Laurence’s death, the grief at the funeral? The introduction of the theme of the Troubles? The IRA, arms caches? The reactions to the British soldiers? The film’s comment on these social issues?

‘Deep Water’: Kitten throwing the guns into the lake, Billie’s reaction, fleeing? The argument about the Republicans?

‘In Which I Get Out of My League’: The members of the paramilitary, the search of the house, the discussion about guns, digging the grave, putting Kitten in the grave, not wanting to kill nancy boys, his pleading for being killed, their leaving him?

‘Revenge’: The shooting, the getaway, Irwin in the car, wetting himself?

‘In Which I Leave the Strife- Filled Hamlet and Cross the Ocean Wild and Wide’: London, going to the office, the search for his mother, the assurance of the woman and her urging him to take care of himself?

‘On the Street Where You Live’: The song, ‘Where’s Your Momma Gone’? His searching, going to the houses, the black person answering the door?

‘A Fairy Tale’: Seeing the small house, going in, the children’s playground, the atmosphere of the fairy tale, Jo- Jo and ‘Wombling Free’? Jo- Jo’s anger, in the bar, meeting the girls, Jo- Jo going with one of them? Jo- Jo and the brawl in the park with the children? The Wombles?

‘Perfume’: The prostitutes, the street, the pickups, the discussions about true love? The man in the car, the song, ‘Feelings’? The client attacking him, using force, Kitten using the perfume as a spray and getting away?

‘In Which Kitten Finds Hope’: Meeting Albert, the magician, the song, ‘Smoke Gets in Your Eyes’? The attraction, walking and talking?

‘My Showtime Career Part 2’: The song, ‘Windmills of Your Mind’? The Amazing Albert, the act and hypnotising Kitten, searching for his mother, hugging the audience? His being sawn in half and the blood everywhere? Throwing the knives at the wheel, the heart, Albert wringing it out? The effect of these people on Kitten, self-esteem, friendship and love, identity?

‘Phantom Ladies’: Talk, the travel, at the pier, declaration of love, the act, Charlie arriving in London, taking Kitten away from Albert? The close-up of Albert’s sad face?

‘Revolutions’: Song, ‘Children of the Revolution’? Jo- Jo in the bar, offering the job at the Tower of London? Irwin and his connections, smuggling weapons into London? Charlie and Kitten and their discussion, her worry about Irwin, her pregnancy, the issue of abortion?

‘The Abortion’: Going to the clinic, Kitten talking about himself, not being aborted? Charlie and the official, deciding to go? Song, ‘Lay Your Head Upon My Pillow’? The perspective of the film on abortion, pregnancy, the value of life?

‘My Tights, They’re in Ribbons’: Kitten at the club, dressed as a woman, seeing the engineer, his offering her a drink, their dancing, his talk about Ulster? The dance, the song ‘Honey’? The explosion, the debris, the dead? Kitten’s reaction, the tights in ribbons? Being carried away, the photographers and his posing?

‘The Smile of a Cross- Dressing Killer’: Kitten arrested, the interrogation, the bashing?

‘Kitten Saves the World’: Song, ‘Stop, What’s That Sound’? Kitten and his fantasy, infiltrating the Republican group, the perfume? Kitten singing, spraying? Memories of Laurence, song, ‘Honey’? His being held six days? The two officials and the interrogation, presuming that he was a criminal, the bomb? Carrying him away to the cell?

‘My Sweet Little Cell’: The issue of holding Kitten too long, his arguments about wanting to stay, trying to persuade them to stay in his cell? Their letting him go? More benevolent towards him?

‘Love is a Many- Splendoured Thing’: The rain, the old man with his proposal? On the streets, the cars and the clients? On the escalator, thinking he saw his mother, missing the train in the underground? The interrogator picking him up, trying to help, taking him to Soho, the co-op of the women?

‘Five Good Girls – A Co- Op’: The letter to Charlie, his performance in the peepshow? Arguing about his figure, a svelte gamin? Father Liam and his arrival, watching the peepshow, the equivalent of a confessional? His telling the story, confessing that he was Kitten’s father, could never tell the boy how much he loved him, didn’t know how? Kitten saying it required only three words? Father Liam and his comment about the boy’s growing up, laughter disguising his tears? A way to deal with his situation? Father Liam giving him the address of his mother?

‘On the Street Where You Really Live’: Dressed as a woman, the BT survey, encountering Patrick, their discussions, going into the house, seeing his mother, fainting? The questions about the phones? His mother’s hospitality? His not revealing the truth? The discussions with the young Patrick? The glimpse of Irwin being shot?

‘Be Still My Heart’: Kitten going to Ireland, talking to Father Liam, his asking him to call him Father? His being taken into the church? Finding Charlie, consoling her? Sharing the room? The breakfast talk with Father Liam? Talking about looking for his mother? Finding his father?

‘Lollipop Ladies’: Song, ‘How Much Is That Doggie in the Window’? Kitten and Charlie shopping, his foster mother’s reaction? The argument about the waggedy tail? The women reporting Father Liam to the bishop: ‘He isn’t worth a damn’? The bishop wishing he was a bus conductor?

‘Christmas Eve’: The fire bomb, the destruction of the church, the presbytery, Father Liam and the rescue, standing amidst the ruins? Finding the ciborium and the consecrated Hosts? The congregation?

‘Tearing Me Apart’: Kitten leaving again for the UK, Charlie and the birth, the hospital sequence? Meeting the young Patrick? Seeing his mother pregnant again, hoping it was a girl?

‘The Device of Having the Birds Chatter at the Beginning, at the End’: Loving to talk about nothing, quoting Oscar Wilde that nothing was the only thing he could talk about that he knew anything about? Song, love, ‘Your Baby Love’?

9.The cumulative effect of the insights into Ireland, the Catholic church, clergy, misconduct of clergy? The consequences? The issues of gender, transgender? Acceptance or not? The difference between Ireland and England? The range of people in Kitten’s life, negative effects, a more positive outlook? A portrait of a different young man?