An Everlasting Piece
Encyclopedia
An Everlasting Piece is a 2000
American
comedy film
. The movie was directed by Barry Levinson
and written by and starring Barry McEvoy
. The plot involves two wig salesmen, one Catholic
and one Protestant, who live in war torn Belfast
, Northern Ireland
, in the mid-'80s. The supporting cast includes comedian Billy Connolly
as a lunatic
in a psychiatric hospital
.
McEvoy based the screenplay
on the adventures of his own father as a toupée
peddler to both sides in the midst of the conflict. The movie was shot on location in Belfast.
... Colm
Brian F. O'Byrne
... George
Anna Friel
... Bronagh
Pauline McLynn
... Gerty
Ruth McCabe ... Mrs. O'Neill
Laurence Kinlan ... Mickey
Billy Connolly
... Scalper
Des McAleer ... Mr. Black
Colum Convey ... IRA Man
Ian Cregg ... Milker
David Pearse ... Comrade
Seamus Ball ... Mr. Duggan
Enda Oates
... Detective
Des Braiden ... Vicar
George Shane ... Billy King
in a Belfast psychiatric hospital. As he receives his orientation, and is introduced to the staff who are nearly all called Billy, he resents being referred to as 'The new Catholic'. Before being introduced to his fellow barber, George, he is warned not to bring up the subject of poetry
. With nothing to do and nothing in common to talk about with George, Colm decides to ask him about poetry and is subjected to George's very poor efforts, which he pretends to appreciate. As the orderlies start bringing patients in, the pair relax and talk about all manner of subjects, with George relating a notable story about chasing a joyrider who stole his brother's car, insisting that during the chase they got George's Ford Escort
up to 190mph before it blew up.
Later, on their way back to the barber room they meet an orderly escorting a new patient whom he calls "The Scalper", explaining he was the only seller of hair pieces in all of Northern Ireland until he went crazy and scalped some of his customers. Colm and George immediately hit upon a plan. They decide to meet with the Scalper and convince him to give them his list of customers so that they may take over the hairpiece monopoly he formerly owned. The Scalper calls them "Greedy sad little children" but agrees to give them the list, if they give him a good reason why he should. Colm's answer of "because we're bored" satisfies him enough and he lets them have the list.
Colm and George, as 'The Piece People' embark upon their mission to get rich, with Colm's girlfriend Bronagh helping them out with administrative duties. She sets their first appointment with Mr Black, who denies any knowledge of a hairpiece appointment but lets them into his house and eventually agrees to buy one off them. It later is revealed that he wasn't on the list, Bronagh had seen his picture in the newspaper because he shot a Catholic. After a time of little success in selling their hairpieces, they discover that they are not the only ones who acquired the Scalper's client list and their supplier, Wigs Of Wimbledon, have decided to hold a meeting with The Piece People and "Toupée or not Toupée", their rival company. At this meeting George learns that the company that sells the most wigs wins exclusive rights to sell their products in Northern Ireland. Meanwhile, Colm tracks down Mr Black and retrieves the wig he bought because Mr Black's cheque had bounced and he refused to pay in cash. While making his escape, the wig is grabbed from him by a pack of dogs who chew it up, but he manages to get it back from them.
After visiting Mr Duggan, a farmer who is secretly bald, and failing to sell him a wig because Toupée Or Not Toupée are selling below cost in order to win the competition, the partners get stopped on a remote road by members of the IRA
demanding to know what they are up to. This confrontation results in them selling the wig retrieved from Mr Black to the lead IRA man who does not notice it had been chewed up by dogs in the interim.
The competition is raging, but the IRA man accidentally leaves his wig at the scene of a bombing, prompting the RUC
to investigate The Piece People, and after being interrogated, George gets angry with Colm for dragging him into the mess and they have a falling out. Meanwhile the IRA man tracks down Colm and demands he sells the IRA all the wigs they want as every bald catholic in the country is being compared with the wig found at the scene of the bombing and it was only a matter of time before he would be caught. Colm refuses on the grounds that his business partner is a Protestant and it would be unethical, despite how the sales would almost guarantee the exclusive deal with Wigs of Wimbledon.
Colm goes to George's poetry reading (where George is reciting a much better quality of poetry than that which he first recited in the opening scenes) and makes up with him, and together with Bronagh's help, they discover that many soldiers in the British Army in Northern Ireland are suffering from Alopecia
due to the extremely stressful conditions and manage to secure a government contract to supply them with wigs for all soldiers wanting one. This proves to be enough to win them the competition and The Piece People become the sole hairpiece salesmen in the country.
2000 in film
The year 2000 in film involved some significant events.The top grosser worldwide was Mission: Impossible II. Domestically in North America, Gladiator won the Academy Awards for Best Picture and Best Actor ....
American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
comedy film
Comedy film
Comedy film is a genre of film in which the main emphasis is on humour. They are designed to elicit laughter from the audience. Comedies are mostly light-hearted dramas and are made to amuse and entertain the audiences...
. The movie was directed by Barry Levinson
Barry Levinson
Barry Levinson is an American screenwriter, film director, actor, and producer of film and television. His films include Good Morning, Vietnam, Sleepers and Rain Man.-Early life:...
and written by and starring Barry McEvoy
Barry McEvoy
Barry McEvoy is an Irish film actor/writer best known for writing and playing the lead in An Everlasting Piece , directed by Barry Levinson. McEvoy's first screen appearance of note was in the supporting role of a gangster in Gloria , filmed after he had spent a decade performing in Off Broadway...
. The plot involves two wig salesmen, one Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
and one Protestant, who live in war torn Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
, Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
, in the mid-'80s. The supporting cast includes comedian Billy Connolly
Billy Connolly
William "Billy" Connolly, Jr., CBE is a Scottish comedian, musician, presenter and actor. He is sometimes known, especially in his native Scotland, by the nickname The Big Yin...
as a lunatic
Lunatic
"Lunatic" is a commonly used term for a person who is mentally ill, dangerous, foolish, unpredictable; a condition once called lunacy. The word derives from lunaticus meaning "of the moon" or "moonstruck".-Lunar hypothesis:...
in a psychiatric hospital
Psychiatric hospital
Psychiatric hospitals, also known as mental hospitals, are hospitals specializing in the treatment of serious mental disorders. Psychiatric hospitals vary widely in their size and grading. Some hospitals may specialise only in short-term or outpatient therapy for low-risk patients...
.
McEvoy based the screenplay
Screenplay
A screenplay or script is a written work that is made especially for a film or television program. Screenplays can be original works or adaptations from existing pieces of writing. In them, the movement, actions, expression, and dialogues of the characters are also narrated...
on the adventures of his own father as a toupée
Toupee
A toupée is a hairpiece or partial wig of natural or synthetic hair worn to cover partial baldness or for theatrical purposes. While toupées and hairpieces are typically associated with male wearers, some women also use hairpieces to lengthen existing hair, or cover partially exposed scalp...
peddler to both sides in the midst of the conflict. The movie was shot on location in Belfast.
Cast
Barry McEvoyBarry McEvoy
Barry McEvoy is an Irish film actor/writer best known for writing and playing the lead in An Everlasting Piece , directed by Barry Levinson. McEvoy's first screen appearance of note was in the supporting role of a gangster in Gloria , filmed after he had spent a decade performing in Off Broadway...
... Colm
Brian F. O'Byrne
Brían F. O'Byrne
Brían Francis O'Byrne is an Irish actor who works mostly in the United States. He was born in Mullagh, County Cavan.O'Byrne first attracted notice for his performances in the Martin McDonagh plays The Beauty Queen of Leenane as Pato Dooley and The Lonesome West...
... George
Anna Friel
Anna Friel
Anna Louise Friel is an English actress. She rose to fame in the UK as Beth Jordache on the Channel 4 soap Brookside.-Early life:...
... Bronagh
Pauline McLynn
Pauline McLynn
Pauline McLynn is an Irish actress, comedienne and author, best known for playing Mrs Doyle in the Channel 4 sitcom Father Ted, and Libby Croker in the Channel 4 comedy drama Shameless.- Early life :...
... Gerty
Ruth McCabe ... Mrs. O'Neill
Laurence Kinlan ... Mickey
Billy Connolly
Billy Connolly
William "Billy" Connolly, Jr., CBE is a Scottish comedian, musician, presenter and actor. He is sometimes known, especially in his native Scotland, by the nickname The Big Yin...
... Scalper
Des McAleer ... Mr. Black
Colum Convey ... IRA Man
Ian Cregg ... Milker
David Pearse ... Comrade
Seamus Ball ... Mr. Duggan
Enda Oates
Enda Oates
Enda Oates , occasionally credited as Enda Oats, is an Irish stage, film, and television actor. He has received attention for his stagework, but is best known to Irish television audiences as the Reverend George Black in the long running series Glenroe for RTE, and as Barreller Casey in the sitcom...
... Detective
Des Braiden ... Vicar
George Shane ... Billy King
Plot
The story begins with Colm on his way to start a new job, as a barberBarber
A barber is someone whose occupation is to cut any type of hair, and to shave or trim the beards of men. The place of work of a barber is generally called a barbershop....
in a Belfast psychiatric hospital. As he receives his orientation, and is introduced to the staff who are nearly all called Billy, he resents being referred to as 'The new Catholic'. Before being introduced to his fellow barber, George, he is warned not to bring up the subject of poetry
Poetry
Poetry is a form of literary art in which language is used for its aesthetic and evocative qualities in addition to, or in lieu of, its apparent meaning...
. With nothing to do and nothing in common to talk about with George, Colm decides to ask him about poetry and is subjected to George's very poor efforts, which he pretends to appreciate. As the orderlies start bringing patients in, the pair relax and talk about all manner of subjects, with George relating a notable story about chasing a joyrider who stole his brother's car, insisting that during the chase they got George's Ford Escort
Ford Escort
Ford Escort may refer to:* Ford Escort , a vehicle manufactured by Ford Motor Company's European division from 1968 through 2003* Ford Escort , a compact car that was manufactured by the Ford Motor Company for the North American market...
up to 190mph before it blew up.
Later, on their way back to the barber room they meet an orderly escorting a new patient whom he calls "The Scalper", explaining he was the only seller of hair pieces in all of Northern Ireland until he went crazy and scalped some of his customers. Colm and George immediately hit upon a plan. They decide to meet with the Scalper and convince him to give them his list of customers so that they may take over the hairpiece monopoly he formerly owned. The Scalper calls them "Greedy sad little children" but agrees to give them the list, if they give him a good reason why he should. Colm's answer of "because we're bored" satisfies him enough and he lets them have the list.
Colm and George, as 'The Piece People' embark upon their mission to get rich, with Colm's girlfriend Bronagh helping them out with administrative duties. She sets their first appointment with Mr Black, who denies any knowledge of a hairpiece appointment but lets them into his house and eventually agrees to buy one off them. It later is revealed that he wasn't on the list, Bronagh had seen his picture in the newspaper because he shot a Catholic. After a time of little success in selling their hairpieces, they discover that they are not the only ones who acquired the Scalper's client list and their supplier, Wigs Of Wimbledon, have decided to hold a meeting with The Piece People and "Toupée or not Toupée", their rival company. At this meeting George learns that the company that sells the most wigs wins exclusive rights to sell their products in Northern Ireland. Meanwhile, Colm tracks down Mr Black and retrieves the wig he bought because Mr Black's cheque had bounced and he refused to pay in cash. While making his escape, the wig is grabbed from him by a pack of dogs who chew it up, but he manages to get it back from them.
After visiting Mr Duggan, a farmer who is secretly bald, and failing to sell him a wig because Toupée Or Not Toupée are selling below cost in order to win the competition, the partners get stopped on a remote road by members of the IRA
Irish Republican Army
The Irish Republican Army was an Irish republican revolutionary military organisation. It was descended from the Irish Volunteers, an organisation established on 25 November 1913 that staged the Easter Rising in April 1916...
demanding to know what they are up to. This confrontation results in them selling the wig retrieved from Mr Black to the lead IRA man who does not notice it had been chewed up by dogs in the interim.
The competition is raging, but the IRA man accidentally leaves his wig at the scene of a bombing, prompting the RUC
RUC
RUC may refer to: or Coimbra University Radio, a Portuguese university station* Rapid Update Cycle, an atmospheric prediction system* Renmin University of China* Roskilde University or Roskilde Universitetscenter...
to investigate The Piece People, and after being interrogated, George gets angry with Colm for dragging him into the mess and they have a falling out. Meanwhile the IRA man tracks down Colm and demands he sells the IRA all the wigs they want as every bald catholic in the country is being compared with the wig found at the scene of the bombing and it was only a matter of time before he would be caught. Colm refuses on the grounds that his business partner is a Protestant and it would be unethical, despite how the sales would almost guarantee the exclusive deal with Wigs of Wimbledon.
Colm goes to George's poetry reading (where George is reciting a much better quality of poetry than that which he first recited in the opening scenes) and makes up with him, and together with Bronagh's help, they discover that many soldiers in the British Army in Northern Ireland are suffering from Alopecia
Alopecia
Alopecia means loss of hair from the head or body. Alopecia can mean baldness, a term generally reserved for pattern alopecia or androgenic alopecia. Compulsive pulling of hair can also produce hair loss. Hairstyling routines such as tight ponytails or braids may induce Traction alopecia. Both...
due to the extremely stressful conditions and manage to secure a government contract to supply them with wigs for all soldiers wanting one. This proves to be enough to win them the competition and The Piece People become the sole hairpiece salesmen in the country.