The Devil's Own is a 1997 American action thriller film directed by Alan J. Pakula, starring Harrison Ford and Brad Pitt, with Rubén Blades, Natascha McElhone, Julia Stiles, Margaret Colin, Treat Williams, and George Hearn in supporting roles.
Plot[]
In 1972 Northern Ireland, eight-year-old Frankie McGuire witnesses his father gunned down for republican sympathies.
Twenty years later in Belfast, Frankie and three fellow IRA members are ambushed by the British Army and Special Reconnaissance Unit agents. Two of the IRA gunmen are killed, but Frankie and his comrade Sean Phelan escape after managing to kill three soldiers, a civilian and four rival loyalists. Pursued by a British Army helicopter, Frankie's commander Martin MacDuff decides that the IRA needs Stinger missiles to fight back.
Under the alias "Rory Devaney", Frankie arrives in New York City to buy missiles. American Judge Peter Fitzsimmons, a longtime IRA supporter, arranges for him to stay with Irish-American NYPD Sergeant Tom O'Meara, his wife Sheila, and their three daughters on Staten Island. Believing that "Rory" is an immigrant construction worker, Tom and his family welcome Frankie into their home.
Sean reunites with Frankie, acquiring an old fishing boat to smuggle the missiles home. Frankie cuts a deal with black market arms dealer and Irish mobster Billy Burke to receive the missiles in several weeks time. Fitzsimmons has the money for the deal delivered to Frankie by Megan Doherty, another IRA operative posing as his family's nanny, and Frankie hides the duffel bag of cash in the O'Meara's basement. Megan later warns Frankie that MacDuff has been killed by British authorities and they must postpone the deal, much to Burke's displeasure.
After lying to protect his partner, Eddie Diaz, for fatally shooting an unarmed thief in the back, a guilt-stricken Tom decides to retire from the force. He comes clean to Sheila and they return home, only to be confronted by masked intruders. Frankie arrives and he and Tom fight off the intruders as Sheila calls the police, but they are held at gunpoint until sirens approach and the assailants flee. Frankie confronts Burke for sending his men to steal the money, shooting one of the attackers in the knee, but Burke reveals that he is holding Sean hostage and demands payment for the missiles.
Realizing that the intruders were searching Frankie's room in the basement, Tom discovers the duffel bag of cash. Confronted by Tom, Frankie reveals his true identity, but Tom has called Eddie and they arrest him. Stuck in traffic en route to the police station, Frankie overpowers Tom and takes his gun, mortally wounding Eddie when he draws his own gun, but is forced to flee without the money.
With Eddie dead, Tom is questioned by the FBI and their British counterparts and realizes that they intend to kill Frankie, who meets Burke at an abandoned warehouse. Demanding the money, Burke presents Frankie with the missiles as well as Sean's severed head, and Frankie hands over a duffel bag rigged with a bomb. The resulting explosion allows Frankie to kill Burke and his men, and he drives off with the missiles.
Frankie goes to Megan at the Fitzsimmons' residence, determined to complete his mission and deliver the missiles to Ireland. Downstairs, Tom interrupts a cocktail party and confronts the judge, before recognizing Megan from a photo in Frankie's bag, but Frankie escapes. Tom convinces Megan that only he can save Frankie from being killed by the authorities, and she directs him to the boat.
At the dock, Tom sneaks aboard as Frankie sets sail with the missiles, leading to a shootout. Tom is wounded and disarmed, and Frankie prepares to kill him but realizes he too has been shot. Tom embraces a dying Frankie, recognizing that they both were fighting for causes they believe in, before steering the boat back to shore.
Cast[]
- Harrison Ford as Sergeant Tom O'Meara
- Brad Pitt as Francis "Frankie" McGuire/Rory Devaney
- Shane Dunne as Young Frankie
- Margaret Colin as Sheila O'Meara
- Rubén Blades as Edwin Diaz
- Treat Williams as Billy Burke
- George Hearn as Judge Peter Fitzsimmons
- Mitchell Ryan as Deputy Chief Jim Kelly
- Natascha McElhone as Megan Doherty
- Paul Ronan as Sean Phelan
- David O'Hara as Martin MacDuff
- Simon Jones as Harry Sloan
- Julia Stiles as Bridget O'Meara
- Ashley Carin as Morgan O'Meara
- Kelly Singer as Annie O'Meara
- David Wilmot as Dessie
- Anthony Brophy as Gerard
- Martin Dunne as Frankie's father
- Gabrielle Reidy as Frankie's mother
- Malachy McCourt as Bishop Thomas
- Ciaran O'Reilly as Father Canlon
- Rob McElhenney as Kevin
- Victor Slezak as FBI Agent Evan Stanley
- Damien Leake as FBI Agent Art Fisher