Under the overcast, rainy skies of Cork, Ireland, along with disturbing images of infant mortality and alcohol abuse, you will find a tale of optimism.

Director Alan Parker, whose library includes “Pink Floyd: The Wall” and “Mississippi Burning,” presents his latest drama, “Angela’s Ashes,” author Frank McCourt’s autobiographical account of a 17-year struggle ending in success.

The story begins in New York Harbor in 1935, deep in the American depression. The McCourt family is welcoming its newest to the family, baby Mary Margaret.

The young baby Mary, four young boys, Frank, Malachy Jr., twins Eugene and Oliver, mother Angela (Emily Watson) and father Malachy (Robert Carlyle), make up the family that strains to feed their hungry stomachs and warm their naked bodies.

The downward spiral begins with the loss of Mary Margaret, who is taken by malnutrition and cold. The loss of his only daughter stuns Malachy, who goes out for cigarettes, and doesn’t return for three days.

During this time, the twins also succumb to malnutrition. Seeking help, the family moves back to Ireland, where there was no work and people are dying from starvation and the damp.

The family arrives in Limerick and receives a sour greeting from Angela’s Catholic mother, who resents that her daughter married a Protestant from Belfast.

The boys begin school where they are ridiculed because of their uncleanli ness and their shoeless feet. At the same time, the boys’ father struggles to find work, only to drink all the family’s money away, losing job after job, overcome by hangovers.

Despite Malachy’s pride, Angela begins to beg and borrow money for food and coal. The family finds a place at the end of Windmill Street, where the feces from their neighbors’ latrines fill their living room and kitchen.

Malachy leaves for London, seeking better employment. After weeks without word or money, Frank, who excels in classwork (particularly Shakespeare), gets a job delivering coal and is stricken with a terrible case of conjunctivitis (swelling of the eye that causes blindness), and is forced to quit.

Malachy returns and leaves for England again, this time for good, which leads to the deepest valley of the McCourt saga.

Angela moves the family in with the abusive and gluttonous cousin Laman Griffin, who forces Angela to be a sex slave for his minimal services to her family.

Finally, Frank finds a good job as a delivery boy. This leads him to Theresa Carmody, a lovely girl who has consumption (a common disease like the plague). The two fall in love, but when she dies, Frank feels as though he is being punished for their sexual activities.

One of Frank’s professors inspires him to travel to America and leave the dreadful Ireland. The remainder of the film shows the result of Frank’s persistence to find his dream.

“Angela’s Ashes” includes all the little things that make a quality film.

The setting, costumes, music, genuine acting and an inspiring true story all point to cinema success.

The cinematography and musical score produce an overwhelming feeling of desperation for the movie patron. Composer John Williams (Star Wars, E.T., Schindler’s List), provides an almost subliminal dismal mood that sinks into you as your eyes pick up the sorrowful images.

The film uses three actors respectively in Frank’s childhood, Joe Breen, Ciaran Owens and Michael Legge. This flawless depiction of Frank McCourt’s development and growth, from young boy to young man, sells the movie’s victory.

This true story of overcoming diversity and inspiring optimism will leave you fulfilled and have you talking to your friends for hours afterwards.

4 Stars

---

Trevor Bleedorn is a senior in journalism and mass communication from Davenport.