Synopsis

Dublin criminal Martin Cahill builds a reputation through audacious robberies, taunting the police, and exploiting the divisions between rival political and criminal factions. His charisma makes him a folk hero to some, but his increasingly ruthless behavior brings mounting pressure from the Garda, the IRA, the UVF, and people within his own circle.

Factoids & Trivia

• The film is based on Irish crime journalist Paul Williams' book about Martin Cahill, the real-life Dublin criminal known as "The General."

• Cahill had previously burgled the filmmaker's home and stole a gold record awarded for the "Dueling Banjos" hit associated with *Deliverance*. The incident is recreated in the film, including Cahill's discovery that the record is not made of real gold.

• Although the film was shot in color, its theatrical release was printed in black and white. The choice gave the recent true story a sense of distance and helped present Cahill as a larger-than-life, almost mythic figure.

• Filming took place around Dublin, including the neighborhoods of South Lotts and Ranelagh.

• The film premiered in competition at the 1998 Cannes Film Festival, where it received the Best Director award.

• A colorized or alternate color version was later circulated for television and home video, while the black-and-white presentation remains the version most associated with the film.