Fresh
The sea is the villain and the quest for food the plot of this peasants-among-peasants picture, which rates high artistically.
Variety Staff, Variety
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Man of Aran
Overview
A documentary on the life of the people of the Aran Islands, who were believed to contain the essence of the ancient Irish life, represented by a pure uncorrupted peasant existence centred around the struggle between man and his hostile but magnificent surroundings. A blend of documentary and fictional narrative, the film captures the everyday trials of life on Ireland's unforgiving Aran Islands.
Director and cast
- Robert Flaherty Director
- Colman 'Tiger' King as A Man of Aran
- Maggie Dirrane as His Wife
- Michael Dirrane as Their Son
- Pat Mullin of Aran as Shark Hunter
- Patch 'Red Beard' Ruadh as Shark Hunter
- Patcheen Faherty as Shark Hunter
- Tommy O'Rourke as Shark Hunter
- Stephen Dirrane as Canoeman
- Pat McDonough as Canoeman
Critics on Rotten Tomatoes
Top critics, in their words
94%
Tomatometer
Fresh
Robert Flaherty, the mellow wanderer with a camera, has made a memorable film out of the tragic and beautiful fundamentals of human behavior.
Andre Sennwald, New York Times
Fresh
The photography is brilliant, the best of any of Flaherty's work.
Don Druker, Chicago Reader
Fresh
Mightily impressive.
Time Out
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