''The Irishman'' is an Australian 1978 romantic drama film directed and written by

Donald Crombie Donald Charles Crombie (5 July 1942 – 25 March 2025) was an Australian film and television director. He is known for the films ''Caddie (film), Caddie'' (1976), ''The Irishman (1978 film), The Irishman'' (1978), ''Cathy's Child'' (1979), '' ...

Cast

* Michael Craig as Paddy Doolan *

Simon Burke Simon Gareth Burke (born 8 October 1961) is an Australian actor, active in films, television and theatre. Biography Simon Burke began his career at the age of 12, starring in Michael Cove's ''Kookaburra'' (1974); a painful look at a dysfuncti ...

as Michael Doolan *

Robyn Nevin Robyn Anne Nevin (25 September 1942) is an Australian actress recognised with the Sidney Myer Performing Arts Awards and the JC Williamson Award at the Helpmann Awards for her outstanding contributions to Australian theatre performance art. F ...

as Jenny Doolan *

John Clayton John Clayton may refer to: Arts and entertainment Writing *John Clayton (architect) (died 1861), English architect and writer *John Clayton (sportswriter) (1954–2022), American sportswriter and reporter *John Bell Clayton and Martha Clayton, Joh ...

as Sam Brookes *

Roger Ward Roger Ward (born 24 July 1937)Wilmingham, Margot "The Illustrated Encyclopedia of. Australian Showbiz is an Australian actor and scriptwriter who has had a considerable career in film and television, noted for "tough guy" roles in which he of ...

as Kevin Quilty

Production

The film is based on the 1960 book by

Elizabeth O'Conner Elizabeth O'Conner (1913 – 6 May 2000), born under the name Barbara Willard Lowe, was an Australian novelist. Elizabeth O'Conner was born in Dunedoo in New South Wales. After a childhood spent in Katoomba in the Blue Mountains region of New ...

, and was written and directed by

for whom it was "a labour of love"."Interview with Donald Crombie", ''Signet'', 18 December 1998
accessed 16 November 2012 The movie was budgeted at $767,000 but went $800,000 over. It was filmed in May through to July in 1977.

Release

The film was a disappointment at the box office. Crombie later said he thought it was five to ten minutes too long, and suffered from being released soon after ''

The Mango Tree ''The Mango Tree'' is a Miles Franklin Award-winning novel by Australian author Ronald McKie. Synopsis The story follows the childhood of a young man, named Jamie, growing up in a country town in Australia during the early 20th century. Criti ...

'', another coming of age period movie set in Queensland, when there was a backlash against period films.Peter Beilby & Scott Murray, "Donald Crombie", ''Cinema Papers'', Oct-Nov 1978 p131-132

References

External links

* * 1978 films Australian romantic drama films Films based on Australian novels Films directed by Donald Crombie 1978 romantic drama films 1970s English-language films 1970s Australian films English-language romantic drama films {{romantic-drama-film-stub