Love and Rage

This under-appreciated work is a disturbing tale of forbidden love, rage, sexual obsession, violence, class oppression, rape, political intrigue, dead dogs and kinky sex, all in a picturesque setting. What's not to like?

It's a weird, creepy flick and may not be a critic's choice, but I like it. The acting is stellar, with Craig is at his creepiest, charismatic best. Okay, maybe he's a bit over the top, but Dillane was a revelation as the bumbling, stumbling, effeminate Doctor Croly.

We're introduced with a voiceover by Dillane -

"In the year 1903, there was a big house on a wild island, where two ladies lived alone...and together. I was a doctor on the island and I often visited the big house. I still do. But I have no medicine for their secret wounds. And yet, there was a time, golden in its way,  when we all seemed...well, happy  is not a word I care to use now."

The setting is Achill Island, off the Irish coast, and the actual home where these real events took place many years ago was used in the film.

Greta Scacchi is Agnes MacDonnell, a high-born but fun-loving Englishwoman living on the sparsely populated island with a few servants and time on her hands. The film opens to a village festival on the beach, where she and her friend Dr. Croly are watching the games, or should I say cruising the men. One in particular, Irish rake James Lynchehaun catches their attention. Agnes points out what a "fine specimen" he is, and Dr. Croly agrees wholeheartedly. "Mmmm, yes, he has remarkable eyes."

James is nothing if not an opportunist, and before long he's doing Agnes's books, among other things. He reveals little except that he's a trained actor, and he certainly entertains both Dr. Croly and Agnes, he's playing both of them.  One night, apparently aroused by her trousers, he says that he needs a pretty boy to be "strict and stern"  "To teach me a thing or two. I need to be frightened to be..happy."   Agnes jumps on top of him with "I'll give ya something to be frightened of!"  and her housekeeper actually becomes frightened by the sounds coming from the room.  Daniel becomes so excited that he makes a premature... departure.  I warned you it was weird.

Biddie the housekeeper has lesbian feelings for Agnes and tells her "That man's a rogue."  Agnes: "Who ISN'T around here? At least he can add two and two."

I guess you have to lower the bar in relation to surroundings, especially in the grip of animal attraction.

"Now there's a fine specimen!"	"Mmmm yes.  He has remarkable eyes."
"Set another place for dinner, Biddy."	Stephen sang a hymm with a very pleasant voice and strong vibrato.
I don't know why he was making these weird faces, though.
James wastes no time getting next to the "Yellow Woman."	"Diplomacy is not my strong suit."   That's quite an understatement.
	"Here's what the bad women smoke,  Mrs. McDonnell. I'll supply your tobacco. " - James Lynchehaun
"Do you like this Lynchehaun character, William?" "I do. He's a very impressive young man. Very original and intelligent."	"And? Remarkable eyes?" [laughs] "Yes, very... penetrating."
"I do like a man, or a pretty boy, to be strict  and stern.  Teach me a thing a thing or two."	"You could pass, in those trousers. I need to be frightened to be....happy."
"I'll give you something to be frightened of!!!"	Biddy's frightened by the slapping, whipping and moaning sounds coming from the room
"You're a bad bad woman, look what you made me do!"
James impersonates Dr. Croly in church.
James hears Biddy outside the door.	He's  looking more evil to me, but Agnes is blinded by lust.
She's lovesick when James stays away.
"We're in the pink."  It looked  to me like Dillane was trying hard to keep from laughing at this line. The double-meanings continued...	"Men don't get hot flashes. What about a rush of blood to the head?" [laughs] "Not me, I'm afraid. As a man, I'm a mouse." "Oh please. I don't think you're as dull as you pretend to be, William."
"Who ARE you, really?"
James gets drunk and violently rapes Agnes one night.	It's only a warm-up to what he has planned for her.
James is seen shooting and burying several dogs. This is never a good sign, so Dr. Croly agrees to speak with him.
James leaves Agnes for dead and torches the place.
The Trial.  Dr. Croly testifies to Agnes's injuries with shaking hands and voice.	Contusions, lacerations, skull fractures, nose bitten clean off, left eyeball crushed and removed, vaginal tears from thorns....
Sentenced to life in prison, James escapes to America, where his acts were ruled 'political' and U.S. courts refused to extradite him.	Nevertheless, he makes his way back seven years later....