The Film
Shake Hands with the Devil
A story of love and hate...and the sudden sound of guns!
The Story
In 1921 Dublin, the IRA battles the "Black & Tans," special British forces given to harsh measures. Irish-American medical student Kerry O'Shea hopes to stay aloof, but saving a wounded friend gets him outlawed, and inexorably drawn into the rebel organization by his former professor Sean Lenihan, who has "shaken hands with the devil" and begun to think of fighting as an end in itself. Complications arise when Kerry falls for a beautiful English hostage, and the British offer a peace treaty that is not enough to satisfy Lenihan.
black and tan undercover mission symbolic violence british crimes political violence irish resistance fugitive suspect irish irish war of independence (1919-22) irish history irish republican new recruit freedom fighters 1920s medical student bombing ireland ira (irish republican army) hostage-taking dublin, ireland irish-american liberation of hostage rebellion
Runtime
111 min
Released Jun 1959
Gallery
The Stills.
