Terrific material; terrible movie. By the nineteenth century, Irish catholic soldiers had centuries of experience abroad, in the service of the British Empire, as well as in continental armies and across South America. Here, the St Patrick's Battalion, a largely Irish unit, defends Mexico in the Mexican-American War (1846-1848). There are complex subjects here – American imperialism and racism, patriotism and pan-religious loyalties – all in the period of the Great Famine (1845-1852). But the film is so melodramatic, so poorly produced, directed, and acted, that it’s difficult to trust any …
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One Man's Hero
Overview
One Man's Hero tells the little-known story of the "St. Patrick's Battalion" or "San Patricios," a group of mostly Irish and other immigrants of the Catholic faith who deserted to Mexico after encountering religious and ethnic prejudice in the U.S. Army during the Mexican-American War. The plot centers around the personal story of John Riley, an Irishman who had been a sergeant in the American Army who is commissioned as a captain in the Mexican army and commands the battalion, as he leads his men in battle and struggles with authorities on both sides of the border
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Release date
02/08/1999
Votes
23
Popularity
3.8
Tom Berenger
Captain John Riley
Joaquim de Almeida
Cortina
Daniela Romo
Marta
Mark Moses
Col. Benton Lacy
Stuart Graham
Corporal Kenneally
Gregg Fitzgerald
Paddy Noonan
Don Wycherley
Brian Athlone
Wolf Muser
Cpl. Schultz
Luke Hayden
Seamus McDougherty
Ilia Volok
Daniel Grzbalski
Patrick Bergin
General Winfield Scott
James Gammon
General Zachary Taylor
Carlos Carrasco
Dominguez
Stephen Tobolowsky
Captain Gaine
Dermot Martin
Seamus Fitzgerald
Mark Thomas
McFadden
Original Soundtrack
Loading soundtrack videos…
Good Guys Wear Black
Tower of London
Hell to Eternity
Victory March
Black Death
Spirits of the Dead
A Generation
Nang Nak
Dawn Over the Drava
The Lonely House
Wagon Team
Beach of the War Gods
Baraka
North West Frontier
Route Irish
Black Commando
War Horse
En kvinna ombord
Red Scarf
Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi