Director Michael Hodges and star Mickey Rourke both disowned "A Prayer for the Dying." I'm not sure what issues they had with this formulaic but suspenseful adaptation of Jack Higgins' novel, but I thought it was a good thriller. Rourke plays Martin Fallon, a seasoned IRA gunman who prefers a sawed off shotgun but abandons his IRA convictions after he witnesses a dreadful but senseless accident over which he exerts no control. Fallon and IRA associate Liam Docherty (Liam Neeson) watch in horror as a school bus mini-van transporting children accelerates past two British lorries, hits a tripwire meant for them, and detonates an explosion that wipes out the kids. Everybody flees, and Docherty is sent to break Liam back, after Fallon has fled country. In London, Martin encounters more trouble. A murderous mortician, Jack Meehan (Alan Bates of "Zorba the Greek") wants to hire Fallon to knock off an adversary. Meehan is prepared to forge Fallon a passport and pay him $50-thousand to eliminate his opponent. Fallon kills Meehan adversary, but things go awry here, too. An unsuspecting priest, Father Michael Da Costa (Bob Hoskins), witnesses Fallon's execution style killing. Instead of shooting the priest on the spot, Fallon turns and walks away. Later, Fallon confronts the Da Costa in the confessional, and Da Costa refuses to identify him. The police question Da Costa, but he refuses to divulge his knowledge about Fallon. This is where "A Prayer for the Dying" lifts part of its plot from the Alfred Hitchcock movie "I, Confess." As it turns out, Da Costa has a relative, Anna (Sammi Davis), who falls in love with Fallon even though she cannot see him. Meanwhile, Docherty and his woman Siobhan Donovan (Alison Doody of "A View to a Kill") track Liam down with order to bring him back or kill him. Docherty cannot bring himself to kill Fallon, but Donovan cherishes no such convictions. She kills Docherty as he is sitting up in bed, blowing his brains out. Meanwhile, Meeham's sleazy brother tries to assault Anna, but she stabs him to death with a pair of scissors. Fallon's death scene is memorable. The performances are all superb, especially Hoskins who plays priest who was once a soldier. Like I wrote, I'm not sure why Hodges and Rourke didn't like this atmospheric thriller.

Let me start by saying that I was fortunate enough to be able to re-enact 2 scenes from this great film in college (theatre class). I played Fallon in the park meeting with Liam Neeson's character (played by another student). Our fellow thespians loved the intensity but were a bit perplexed by the slow pacing.Secondly,the scene with Fallon and the priest (at the pulpit)after Docherty is shot by his female partner.Maybe it's partly because of my Irish heritage, but I LOVED this film.The soundtrack features some lovely pennywhistles and a bittersweet melody. I,also, enjoyed the Bach Fugue (sic) though Fallon's organ playing didn't look that realistic to me (I play).Liam Neeson is wonderful, as always. The look on his face as Fallon turns away from him in the park is priceless.He knows he just signed his own death-warrant.Secondly, the previous scene where he announces "Here,here, I'll not go near this place" to the (funeral-worker) informer. What authority! Some memorable quotes: "I once saw some writin' on a wall in (London) Derry ... that said: is there a life before death?" and "I don't wanna keep waking-up hearing the screams of young children, I lost somethin a long time ago...everything" and the ending when Fallon asked God to "Please,please,please forgive me" then dies in the arms of the grateful priest. Wow! Also, Bates is terrific as devil/angel crimeboss and that line "I don't think you quite know who I am, Father". It truly could have been written about a mafioso or a gangbanger who is curved back in by people who believe he knows too much: ally or not The IRA wants him back (in their fold) or dead.Trust me : it happens daily in this country.In my humble opinion: Like Mel Gibson's Hamlet , Rourke is surrounded by some of the best actors in GB and gives a nearly perfect performance. Nuanced and understated yet with a quiet intensity that should have earned him an Oscar (or at least a nomination).Who did he anger to be so vilified by Hollywood's honchos?Lastly, Bates was said to have "chewed up the scenery" by a critic. Does anyone know what that means? Love to all, all over this blue planet !!!

Gotta admit, I'm on a Mickey Rourke run, having just seen Angel Heart, Barfly, and Francesco. A Prayer for the Dying is a wonderful piece of work -teriffic acting by all, including Bates, Hoskins, etc. Mickey Rourke has to be one of the most under-rated actors in the industry. His "bad-boy" image hasn't helped, as it has helped other actors who fall into the same category. He reminds me a lot of Steve McQueen -subtle, intense, controlled acting, but when the action is needed he delivers. I sincerely hope he has a comeback sometime soon. In the meantime, run to your nearest video store and rent this great film. There are some incredible moments that I won't forget anytime soon. This story has been told before: bad guy trying to get away from the badness. . . but Rourke makes is all new, by adding his own unique charism. See it.

In my opinion Mickey Rourke's third best movie, the first being "Angel Heart" and the second being "Year of the Dragon".Rourke teamed up with Mike Hodges the director of such classics as "Get Carter" and the more recent "Croupier" in April of 1986 in London.The whole movie was filmed on location in London, the Irish scenes at the beginning were filmed probably in Herts. The actual church is in Canning in London, near the ill fated Millennium Dome and still stands today. It wasn't being used as a church at the time, and the roof damage was real due to a bombing in the second world war. The church still stands and is currently used as a community centre.Rourke plays Martin Fallon an IRA terrorist with a heart who recently bombed a school bus by accident and fled to London to evade the IRA and start again. He is taken on by local kingpin Jack Meehan played by a very camp Alan Bates whom has a day job of a funeral director and by night a nasty villain who wants Fallon to do one last job and he will pay him well and give him a passport and ticket to the US.The mark Fallon is to kill is another local kingpin whom Meehan wants dead so he can take over his drug business. The mark he has to kill always visits his mother in a local church where Fallon shoots him, but is seen by Father Da Costa played very well by Bob Hoskins. Da Costa won't co-operate with the police after hearing Fallon's confession and the whole movie then is based around Jack Meehan trying to kill Fallon and the Da Costa.Rourke's accent is spot on, maybe not to a true Irishman, but certainly to most it is very good, and his acting is on top form.Hoskins is believable and carries of being a vicar fairly well, and the script also tells he is an ex army officer which gives him a bit of reason to be little rough on some of the villains.Look out for a young Anthony Head (from Buffy) and a blind Sammi Davis whom was very popular in a lot of Ken Russell movies from the early 90's.