The Actors

This article is about the 2003 film. For the Charlotte Church song, see Back to Scratch.

The Actors is a 2003 Irish film written and directed by Conor McPherson and starring Dylan Moran and Michael Caine. In supporting roles are Michael Gambon, Miranda Richardson and Lena Headey.

The Actors
Directed by	Conor McPherson
Written by	Conor McPherson
Produced by	Neil Jordan Redmond Morris
Starring	Michael Caine Dylan Moran Lena Headey Michael Gambon Miranda Richardson Michael McElhatton Abigail Iversen Aisling O'Sullivan Ben Miller Simon Delaney Alvaro Lucchesi
Cinematography	Seamus McGarvey
Edited by	Emer Reynolds
Music by	Michael Nyman
Production companies	Miramax Films FilmFour Senator Film The Irish Film Board Four Provinces Films Company of Wolves Close Call Films
Distributed by	Icon Film Distribution (Australia) Senator Filmverleih (Germany) Momentum Pictures (United Kingdom and Ireland, through FilmFour Distributors)
Release date	17 April 2003 (2003-04-17)
Running time	91 minutes
Country	Ireland
Language	English

The Actors is a contemporary comedy set in Dublin. It follows the exploits of two mediocre stage actors as they devise a plan to con a retired gangster out of £50,000. The gangster owes the money to a third party, whom he has never met.

The actors take advantage of this fact by impersonating this 'unidentified' third party, and claiming the debt as their own. To pull it off they enlist Moran's eerily intelligent nine-year-old niece, who restructures the plan each time something goes wrong.

The two protagonists are acting in a version of Shakespeare's Richard III in which everyone dresses in Nazi uniform, a sly nod to Ian McKellen's production.

The film is centred on the Olympia Theatre, and it is noteworthy for featuring the famous glass awning over the entrance which has since been destroyed in a traffic accident. The glass awning has since been rebuilt to its full former glory.

Cast

• Michael Caine as Anthony O'Malley
• Dylan Moran as Tom Quirk
• Lena Headey as Dolores
• Abigail Iversen as Mary
• Aisling O'Sullivan as Rita
• Ben Miller as Clive
• Michael Gambon as Barreller
• Simon Delaney as Ronnie
• Alvaro Lucchesi as Lesley
• Michael McElhatton as Jock
• Miranda Richardson as Mrs. Magnani
• Alison Doody as herself
• Marty Whelan as himself
• Deirdre O'Kane as Stage Manager

Reception

Empire gives the film 2/5, describing it as "Based on an idea by Neil Jordan, The Actors had the potential to be gut-achingly funny. But instead it ends up raising a few paltry smiles."

Soundtrack

The Actors
Soundtrack album by Michael Nyman, Conor McPherson, Fionnula Flanagan
Released	19 May 2003
Genre	Soundtrack, contemporary classical, minimalism
Language	English
Label	EMI Records
Michael Nyman chronology
Sangam: Michael Nyman Meets Indian Masters (2003) The Actors (2003) Man and Boy: Dada (2004)

1. Act One - The Michael Nyman Band and Moss Hall Junior Choir
2. Star Of The Sea - Laura Cullinan, Bebhinn Ni Chiosain, Cliona Ni Chiosain & Niamh H Reynolds
3. Zinc Bar Walk - The Michael Nyman Band
4. A Certain Party - The Michael Nyman Band
5. House On Fire - The Michael Nyman Band
6. Act Two - The Michael Nyman Band
7. Could This Be Love? - Lena Headey & Dylan Moran
8. Mary Directs Tom - The Michael Nyman Band
9. Una's Waltz - Una Ni Chiosain/Conor McPherson
10. Rope Trick - The Michael Nyman Band
11. Dolores On The Beach - The Michael Nyman Band
12. Return To The Scene Of The Crime - The Michael Nyman Band
13. Seems So Long - Cathy Davey
14. Wheelchair Chase - The Michael Nyman Band
15. Tubbetstown Elegy - The Michael Nyman Band
16. Lovely Morning - Cathy Davey
17. Mrs O'Growny Appears - The Michael Nyman Band
18. Zinc Piano - The Michael Nyman Band
19. Final Act - The Michael Nyman Band

External links

• The Actors at IMDb
• The Actors at Rotten Tomatoes