Disc Details
Special Features:	Commentary by Director Maurice O'Callaghan. Theatrical trailer. Cast and Crew Bios. Scene selection
Video Format:	Anamorphic Widescreen
Languages:	English (Dolby Digital 5.1)
Captions:	None.
Casing:	1-Disc Keep Case

Arthur's nemesis is Josie (Niall O'Brien, Kane from "Excalibur"). Josie is a wealthy farmer who has a love of all things modern. Josie once courted Catherine, and he still loves her. Josie resents Arthur because of this. Josie works his fields with a new tractor, while Arthur harvests his wheat with an old horse-draw reaper. Under British rule it was illegal for an Irishman to own a horse. Arthur rides and works upon his horse as a symbol of his hard fought freedom. His actions are guided by his principles, even when his principles get in the way of practicality and economics.

The long standing tension between the two men comes when Josie gives Jimmy a one Pound note to deliver to the Priest. The donation is a symbolic gift to the church on the anniversary of the victory over the British. The amount is a symbolic one. At Mass on the following Sunday, the Priest reads aloud the names and amounts of the donations of all the parishioners. The priest announces that Josie only gave 19 Schillings. It seems that Jimmy stole part of the gift to buy a comic book. Josie is publicly humiliated. This small theft sets of the conflict which drives the rest of the film.

Written, produced and directed by Maurice O'Callaghan, "Broken Harvest" is a highly personal film which those not interested in the political history of Ireland might find a bit slow. The director does a fine commentary track which clears up many of the historical aspects of the Irish conflict which underlie this story. "Broken Harvest" won Best Picture at the Dublin film festival and Best Arthouse film at the London Film Festival, but it is in many ways, a clumsy film. Its heart is in the right place. The characters are real folks. How much you care for them is a matter of taste. I found Arthur to be an intriguing fellow, even if he is quite foolhardy. Catherine is also a strong character who demands your attention. Mr. Lane and Ms. Quinn have good chemistry between them. The son was a wimpy little kid who bothered me like no child since Freddie Bartholomew in "Captain's Courageous." I don't think he was supposed to be this way, but he is a weak link in the machine. Unfortunately, he is the story teller, and as such hurts the picture. I don't spank my kids (not that there's anything wrong with that), but I sure wanted Arthur to backhand him. Niall O'Brien as Josie turns in the film's best performance. He has a strong screen presence. Even though he is supposed to be the heavy, you like him, and understand his actions.

The film's weaknesses lay at the feet of writer, director O'Callaghan. There are some editing problems also. Some scenes are meant to have symbolic power. O'Callaghan doesn't seem to trust the intelligence of his audience and so hammers you with the image longer than he should just to make sure that those not paying full attention in the back row "get it." This is a near fatal flaw. It doesn't sink the movie, but it makes one think, "I could have done that scene better myself." All in all, "Broken Harvest" works as a small scale humanistic drama. It would be of most interest to those with a strong pride in their Irish heritage. I enjoyed the insights I gained about the history of Ireland. "Broken Harvest" is reminiscent of films you might see on "Masterpiece Theater" or the "A&E" cable network.

The musical score is outstanding. The film was scored by Patrick Cassidy, who also scored the excellent "Opera scene" from "Hannibal." The photography by Jack Conroy is also rich and lush. I was unaware of the beauty of the Irish country side. I've seen many movies filmed in Ireland, but I saw places in this film I've never seen before.

Picture Quality: 10/10
Nice transfer. Rich colors accent the lush Irish countryside.

Sound Quality: 10/10
Again, nice job. Patrick Cassidy's beautiful score is a highlight.

Menu: 10/10
Simple, easy to use. Very Green!

Extra Features: 4/10
I give the commentary by the director a "10" but there aren't many other extras to speak of.

The Final Word:
Another good job by VCI Home Entertainment. Whether you want to get this film on DVD or VHS will probably depend on how much you like the movie. The main reason to get the DVD over the video is the director's commentary which gives much historical background information about the conflict in Ireland. The bottom line is that the movie may be enjoyed without that background, but to a history buff like myself, it makes the experience more enjoyable. Both the DVD and VHS versions are available through VCI Home Entertainment.

Rusty White