Borstal Boy

Dec 8 2000 Not Rated 1h 31m
Drama, Romance

Based on Irish poet Brendan Behan's experiences in a reform school in 1942. A 16 year-old Irish republican terrorist arrives on the ferry at Liverpool and is arrested for possession of explosives. He is imprisoned in a Borstal in East Anglia, where he is forced to live with his would-be enemies, an experience that profoundly changes his life.

Plot

Brendan Behan, a sixteen year-old republican, is going on a bombing mission from Ireland to Liverpool during the second world war. His mission is thwarted when he is apprehended, charged and imprisoned in Borstal, a reform institution for young offenders in East Anglia, England. At Borstal, Brendan is forced to live face-to-face with those he perceived as "the enemy," a confrontation that reveals a deep inner conflict in the young Brendan and forces a self-examination that is both traumatic and revealing. Events take an unexpected turn and Brendan is thrown into a complete spin. In the emotional vortex, he finally faces up to the truth.

Written by

Brendan Behan, Nye Heron, Peter Sheridan

Directed by

Peter Sheridan

Production Countries

United Kingdom, Ireland

Production Companies

British Screen Productions, British Sky Broadcasting

Languages

English, Gaeilge

Awards

1 win & 4 nominations

Scores
# of Votes
2,678
Average Rating
6.8 out of 10
Metascore
47
Popularity
NA