Thirty years after its release, Michael Collins remains as much a story about how films get made as it is a historical drama. Neil Jordan’s 1996 biopic starred Liam Neeson as the Irish revolutionary and went on to make history at the Irish box office. To mark the 30th anniversary, here is the making of the film, fact by fact.
It beat Jurassic Park in Ireland
Michael Collins opened in the United States on 11 October 1996 in six theatres, grossing $182,221 for the weekend, before expanding to 748 theatres. In the UK and Ireland it opened on 8 November 1996 in 247 theatres at number one. Its opening weekend gross included £442,867 from Ireland, a record opening for the country. The film later became the highest-grossing film ever in Ireland, surpassing Jurassic Park, with IR£4.27 million ($6.7 million). By 2000, only Titanic stood above it.
Cimino wrote a 1980s Collins film
Before Neil Jordan’s version, Michael Cimino wrote a script and was involved in pre-production work on a Collins film called Blest Souls for over a year in the late 1980s, with Sean Bean marked down to star. Cimino was fired over budget concerns, and the eventual film was scripted and directed by Neil Jordan.
Kevin Costner wanted to make Mick
Neil Jordan mentions in his film diary that Kevin Costner had also been interested in developing a movie about Collins, titled Mick. Costner had visited Béal na Bláth and the surrounding areas. The eventual film was an international co-production between companies in Ireland and the United States.
The IRA ceasefire delayed its release
Politics intervened during production. While filming, the breakdown of the IRA ceasefire caused the film’s release to be delayed from June to December. Warner Bros. executive Rob Friedman pressured the director to reshoot the ending to focus on the love story between Collins and Kiernan, in an attempt to downplay the breakdown of Anglo-Irish Treaty negotiations.
Jordan met Neeson on Excalibur
Jordan had first met Liam Neeson on the set of John Boorman’s Excalibur, where Jordan was credited as a creative associate and Neeson had a supporting role as Sir Gawain. They became friends, and Jordan revealed that he hoped to one day make a film about Collins with Neeson involved. Longtime Jordan collaborator Stephen Woolley said, “Liam Neeson was always going to be part of this film, from the moment Neil started writing it… It was Neil’s and Liam’s obsession right through the eighties and early nineties.”
Rickman won de Valera after Turturro talks
A number of Irish actors auditioned for the part of Éamon de Valera, but Jordan felt they were performing a stereotype rather than finding his true character. Jordan discussed the role with John Turturro before casting Alan Rickman.
One of Ireland’s most expensive films
The project carried real ambition. With a budget estimated at $25 million, with 10%-12% from the Irish Film Board, it was one of the most expensive films ever produced in Ireland.
Collins’s great-grandnephew was in it
The film even had a direct family connection to its subject. Aengus O’Malley, a great-grandnephew of Michael Collins, played a student in a scene filmed in Marsh’s Library.
Sinéad O’Connor sang on the score
The score was written by acclaimed composer Elliot Goldenthal and features performances by Sinéad O’Connor. Frank Patterson also performs with the Cafe Orchestra in the film and on the album.
Which of these Michael Collins facts is your favourite? Tell us the one you will remember.
Facts from Wikipedia: Michael Collins (film), available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Film images from TMDB. This product uses the TMDB API but is not endorsed or certified by TMDB.