Comedy
Ireland,United Kingdom
Hear My Song is a 1991 British-Irish comedy-drama film directed by Peter Chelsom and starring Adrian Dunbar, Tara Fitzgerald, and Ned Beatty. The film is loosely based on the true story of Irish tenor Josef Locke, who vanished at the height of his fame in the 1950s after being chased by British tax authorities.
The film follows Micky O'Neill (Dunbar), an ambitious club owner in Liverpool struggling to keep his business afloat and his relationship with Nancy (Fitzgerald), the daughter of his former flame Cathleen Doyle (Shirley Anne Field), alive. In a last-ditch effort to save his nightclub, Micky decides to track down Josef Locke (played by Vernon Dobtcheff), who is rumored to be living in Ireland under an alias.
Micky travels to Ireland with his friend and assistant William (David McCallum) in order to find Locke and convince him to perform at Heartly's, the struggling club. However, they quickly discover that finding Locke is easier said than done, as he has become a recluse and disappeared from the public eye.
Micky and William enlist the help of Doyle, who is bitter about Locke's abandonment and initially reluctant to assist them. Despite her reservations, she leads them to Locke's hideout in a small Irish village, where Micky must use his wit and charm to convince Locke to perform at Heartly's.
The film features several musical performances by Dobtcheff as Locke, as well as songs by other Irish and British artists. In addition to its comedic and musical elements, Hear My Song also explores themes of love, loss, and redemption, as Micky and Doyle come to terms with their past and present relationships.
Hear My Song was critically acclaimed and received several awards and nominations, including a BAFTA nomination for Best Original Screenplay. It is considered a classic of Irish cinema and a timeless story about the enduring power of music and romance.
