Love & Savagery takes place in 1969 Ballyvaughan, in
Ireland. Newfoundlander, poet and geologist Michael (Allan Hawco) is
there to look at rocks, though swiftly becomes interested in local
barmaid Cathleen (Sarah Greene). But Cathleen’s bound for the nunnery
and the village’s highly protective men-folk don’t take kindly to some
outsider distracting fair Cathleen so near to her betrothal with the
almighty. John N. Smith (Dangerous Minds) directs a
straightforward but affecting story—adapted by Des Walsh from his own
book—that feels as if it could have been made in 1969, it’s so
comfortingly familiar. Visuals of Ireland’s green slopes and fractured
stone never fail to impress, though you’d better enjoy traditional
Irish music because you won’t escape it here.
This article appears in Nov 12-18, 2009.
I saw the movie in St. John’s, Newfoundland tonight. It started a little slow but it was excellent.