Words Upon the Window Pane
Encyclopedia
Words Upon the Window Pane is a 1994 Irish drama film and the directorial debut of Mary McGuckian
. The film is based on William Butler Yeats
' one-act play of the same name. Pat O'Connor
was billed to direct the project but he personally offered McGuckian, who was writing the screenplay at the time, the opportunity to also direct. The film received its US premiere on 10 June 1994 at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts
as part of the largest retrospective of Irish film ever shown outside Ireland. In September that year, the film was screened at the 51st Venice International Film Festival
.
, the spirits of his former lovers, Stella and Vanessa, emerge.
Mary McGuckian
Mary McGuckian is a film director, producer and screenwriter from Northern Ireland.-Early life:Born and brought up in Northern Ireland during the 'troubles', Mary McGuckian completed her formal education in the Republic of Ireland at Trinity College Dublin, where she took a degree in engineering...
. The film is based on William Butler Yeats
William Butler Yeats
William Butler Yeats was an Irish poet and playwright, and one of the foremost figures of 20th century literature. A pillar of both the Irish and British literary establishments, in his later years he served as an Irish Senator for two terms...
' one-act play of the same name. Pat O'Connor
Pat O'Connor (director)
Pat O'Connor, born in Ardmore, County Waterford, is an Irish film director.In 1982, O'Connor won a Jacob's Award for his direction of the RTÉ TV adaptation of William Trevor's short story, Ballroom of Romance starring Cyril Cusack and Brenda Fricker. It was shot near the village of Ballycroy,...
was billed to direct the project but he personally offered McGuckian, who was writing the screenplay at the time, the opportunity to also direct. The film received its US premiere on 10 June 1994 at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts
Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts
Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts is a complex of buildings in the Lincoln Square neighborhood of New York City's Upper West Side. Reynold Levy has been its president since 2002.-History and facilities:...
as part of the largest retrospective of Irish film ever shown outside Ireland. In September that year, the film was screened at the 51st Venice International Film Festival
51st Venice International Film Festival
The 51st Venice International Film Festival was held on 1 September - 12 September, 1994.-Jury:*David Lynch *Olivier Assayas*Margherita Buy*Gaston Kaboré*Nagisa Oshima*David Stratton*Uma Thurman*Mario Vargas Llosa*Carlo Verdone-Awards:...
.
Plot
In 1928 Dublin, during séances concerning Jonathan SwiftJonathan Swift
Jonathan Swift was an Irish satirist, essayist, political pamphleteer , poet and cleric who became Dean of St...
, the spirits of his former lovers, Stella and Vanessa, emerge.
Cast
- Geraldine ChaplinGeraldine ChaplinGeraldine Leigh Chaplin is an English-American actress and the daughter of Charlie Chaplin.Chaplin first came to prominence for her Golden Globe-nominated role of Tonya in David Lean's Doctor Zhivago . She received her second Golden Globe nomination for Robert Altman's Nashville...
as Miss McKenna - Ian RichardsonIan RichardsonIan William Richardson CBE was a Scottish actor best known for his portrayal of the Machiavellian Tory politician Francis Urquhart in the BBC's House of Cards trilogy. He was also a leading Shakespearean stage actor....
as Dr. Trench - Jim SheridanJim SheridanJim Sheridan is an Irish film director. A six-time Academy Award nominee, Sheridan is perhaps best known for his films My Left Foot, In the Name of the Father, Get Rich or Die Tryin and In America.-Life and career:...
as Jonathan Swift/Dean Swift - Geraldine JamesGeraldine JamesGeraldine James, OBE is an English actress.-Early life and family:James was born in Maidenhead, Berkshire, to a cardiologist father...
as Mrs. Henderson - Orla BradyOrla Brady-Early life and career:The second of four children born to Dublin publican Patrick Brady and his wife Catherine who had appeared in amateur productions at the Gate Theatre, Brady first became interested in an acting career after reading works by Germaine Greer and Simone de Beauvoir.Brady drifted...
as Vanessa. - John LynchJohn Lynch (actor)John Lynch is an Irish actor from Northern Ireland.-Biography:John Lynch was born in the United Kingdom and moved to his father's native home in Corrinshego, County Armagh, near Newry, County Down in Northern Ireland as a child. He attended St Colman's College, Newry, a Catholic school...
as John Corbet - Gerard McSorleyGerard McSorleyGerard McSorley is a theatre, television and an Irish film actor.-Early life:He was born in Omagh, County Tyrone, and after attending a Christian Brothers school in his hometown he attended St. Columb's College in Derry. He then attended Queen's University, Belfast, where he was taught by among...
as Abraham Johnson - Donal DonnellyDonal DonnellyDonal Donnelly was an English-born Irish theatre and film actor. He was born in Bradford, Yorkshire, England, but raised in Dublin, Ireland....
as Cornelius Patterson - Gemma CravenGemma CravenGemma Craven is an award-winning Irish actress.She is possibly best known for her role in the Irish TV drama The Clinic as Dr...
as Mrs. Mallet - Brid BrennanBrid BrennanBrid Brennan is an Irish actress, best known for her theatre work. She was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland.-Theatre work:Brennan created the role of Agnes Mundy in Brian Friel's play Dancing at Lughnasa. She played the role in the original Dublin, West End and Broadway productions, winning a...
as Stella - Hugh O'ConorHugh O'ConorHugh O'Conor is an Irish actor. His first film appearance was opposite Liam Neeson in the 1985 movie Lamb. Currently, he has two upcoming projects: Finding Fate and Operation H²O.-Biography:...
as Cabin boy