My Left Foot (film)

My Left Foot
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Jim Sheridan
Produced by	Noel Pearson
Screenplay by	Jim Sheridan Shane Connaughton
Based on	My Left Foot by Christy Brown
Starring	Daniel Day-Lewis Ray McAnally Brenda Fricker Fiona Shaw Hugh O'Conor
Music by	Elmer Bernstein
Cinematography	Jack Conroy
Editing by	J. Patrick Duffner
Distributed by	Granada Films (UK) Miramax Films
Release date(s)	24 February 1989 (1989-02-24) (premiere) 10 November 1989 (1989-11-10) (U.S.)
Running time	103 minutes
Country	Ireland
Language	English
Budget	£600,000
Box office	$14,743,391

My Left Foot: The Story of Christy Brown is a 1989 drama film directed by Jim Sheridan and starring Daniel Day-Lewis. It tells the true story of Christy Brown, an Irishman born with cerebral palsy, who could control only his left foot. Christy Brown grew up in a poor, working-class family, and became a writer and artist. The film also stars Ray McAnally, Brenda Fricker, Fiona Shaw, Julie Hale, Alison Whelan, Kirsten Sheridan, Declan Croghan, Eanna MacLiam, Marie Conmee, and Cyril Cusack. It was adapted by Shane Connaughton and Jim Sheridan from the book of the same name by Christy Brown.

The film was well-received by critics and audiences alike. Day-Lewis was praised for his portrayal of Brown, which earned him his first Academy Award for Best Actor. Fricker also won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.

Plot

Christy Brown is taken to a charity event and meets his handler, a nurse named Mary Carr. She starts to read his autobiography. Christy Brown was born handicapped. He could not walk or talk, but was loved and supported by his family, especially his mother. When his mother has a stroke, Christy gets help. His father who had never really believed in him becomes a supporter when one day when he is about ten, Christy uses his left foot(the only part of his body he can really control) to write the word ‘mother’ with a piece of chalk on the floor. Christy starts painting. He is included by the young people in his neighborhood in their activities such as playing street soccer and even sessions of ‘spin the bottle’. However when he paints a picture and gives to a girl he likes, she returns it to him. His father is laid off from his job and times become really tough. Christy, to his mother’s dismay comes up with a plan where his brothers are able to steal coal. Christy’s elder sister, who was always very nice to him, gets pregnant and has to get married and leave home. Christy’s mother who had hidden her savings in a tin in the fireplace finally saves enough to buy him a wheelchair. He meets Dr. Eileen Cole, who takes him to her school for cerebral palsy patients and persuades a friend of hers to hold an exhibition of Christy’s work. However, at a diner afterwards he learns she is engaged to be married. Christy considers suicide. He and his mother build Christy his own private studio, but his father soon thereafter dies of a stroke. His wake degenerates in to a bar room brawl started by Christy. Christy starts writing his autobiography, My Left Foot. Dr. Cole returns and they resume their friendship. Meanwhile, at the fete Christy asks Mary Carr to go out with him and they leave the fete together and an onscreen message tells us they later got married.

Cast

• Daniel Day-Lewis as Christy Brown
• Brenda Fricker as Bridget Brown
• Ray McAnally as Paddy Brown
• Fiona Shaw as Dr. Eileen Cole
• Hugh O'Conor as young Christy Brown
• Kirsten Sheridan as Sharon Brown
• Alison Whelan as Sheila Brown
• Eanna MacLiam as Benny Brown
• Declan Croghan as Tom Brown
• Marie Conremme as Sadie Brown
• Cyril Cusack as Lord Castlewelland
• Phelim Drew as Brian
• Ruth McCabe as Mary Carr

Production

Many scenes were filmed through a mirror, as Daniel Day-Lewis could only manipulate his right foot to perform the actions seen in the film. Day-Lewis spent some time preparing for the film at Christy Brown's alma mater in Dublin. He later returned there for a visit, with his Oscar.

Reception

Critical response

Upon its initial release, My Left Foot received positive reviews. Review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes reports that 100% of 33 film critics have given the film a positive review, with a rating average of 8.2 out of 10.

Accolades

It won the Academy Award for Best Actor (Daniel Day-Lewis) and Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Brenda Fricker). It was also nominated for Best Director, Best Picture and Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium. It also won the NYFCC Best Picture Award for 1989.

List of awards and nominations
Award	Date of ceremony	Category	Recipients and nominees	Result
Academy Awards	26 March 1990	Best Actor	Daniel Day-Lewis	Won
		Best Supporting Actress	Brenda Fricker	Won
		Best Picture	My Left Foot	Nominated
		Best Director	Jim Sheridan	Nominated
		Best Adapted Screenplay	Shane Connaughton & Jim Sheridan	Nominated
BAFTA Film Awards	1990	Best Actor	Daniel Day-Lewis	Won
		Best Supporting Actor	Ray McAnally	Won
		Best Film	My Left Foot	Nominated
		Best Adapted Screenplay	Shane Connaughton & Jim Sheridan	Nominated
		Best Makeup	Ken Jennings	Nominated
European Film Awards	25 November 1989	Best Actor	Daniel Day-Lewis	Nominated
Golden Globe Awards	20 January 1990	Best Actor	Daniel Day-Lewis	Nominated
		Best Supporting Actress	Brenda Fricker	Nominated
Independent Spirit Awards	24 March 1990	Best Foreign Film	‘’My Left Foot’’	Nominated
London Film Critics		Actor of the Year	Daniel Day-Lewis	Won
Los Angeles Film Critics	16 January 1990	Best Actor	Daniel Day-Lewis	Won
		Best Supporting Actress	Brenda Fricker	Won
National Film Critics	8 January 1990	Best Actor	Daniel Day-Lewis	Won
New York Film Critics	14 January 1990	Best Film	‘’My Left Foot’’	Won
		Best Actor	Daniel Day-Lewis	Won
Writers Guild of America (WGA)	18 March 1990	Best Actor	Daniel Day-Lewis	Nominated
Young Artist Awards	March 1990	Best Young Actor Supporting Role in a Motion Picture	Hugh O’Conor	Won
		Best Motion Picture: Drama	‘’My Left Foot’’	Nominated

Cultural references

• An episode of The Critic has Jay Sherman wearing a My Left Foot sock, a promotion item given to him when viewing the film. In another episode dealing with classic films being updated with "happy endings", Jay states that he "doesn't want the guy from My Left Foot becoming a punter for the Bears".
• An episode of The Nanny has Fran saying that Daniel Day Lewis could make Mr. Sheffield's breakfast with his left foot tied behind his back.
• In the 1999 film, Flawless, Walter Koontz (Robert De Niro) suffers a stroke and is partially disabled. When a drag queen meets him for the first time, he remarks, "You've got a kind of My Left Foot thing going on, huh?" For the rest of the movie, he refers to him as 'Mr. My Left Foot.'
• In an episode of Gilmore Girls Lorelai tells Luke that she was just doing a rendition of Daniel Day-Lewis' performance in My Left Foot and how she did it with her right foot to give a very different effect.
• In an episode of Family Guy, "Jungle Love" Stewie Griffin performs a rendition of "My Left Foot", in which he sings and pulls himself across a stage whilst in a wheelchair only using his left foot.
• An episode of In Living Color had a sketch called "My Left Foot of Fury," featuring a wheelchair-bound martial artist.

See also

• BFI Top 100 British films

External links

• Official website
• My Left Foot at the Internet Movie Database
• My Left Foot at the TCM Movie Database
• My Left Foot at Rotten Tomatoes
• My Left Foot at Box Office Mojo