In real life Gerry and Giuseppe did not share a cell in prison.
Gabriel Byrne had purchased the rights to Gerry Conlon's book "Proved Innocent" and had intended to play Gerry himself but decided to let Daniel Day-Lewis play the part and just serve as executive producer instead.
Daniel Day-Lewis kept his Northern Irish accent on and off the set for the entire shooting schedule.
The character of Inspector Dixon is a mix of several police officers connected to the case.
In preparation for his role, Daniel Day-Lewis lost 30 pounds and spent nights in the jail cell on the set as crew members threw water and verbal abuse at him.
Paul O'Grady who played a prisoner was cut from the final print.
Despite his executive producer credit, Gabriel Byrne distanced himself from the project, chiefly due to the "artistic" liberties that were taken with the details of the story.
[after his case is dismissed, and the guards try to escort him out]
Gerry Conlon:
I'm a free man, and I'm going out the front door.
Gerry Conlon:
That was a good day's work, McAndrew. A good day's work.
Joe McAndrew:
Get away from me.
Gerry Conlon:
You're not looking me in the eye when you're speaking to me. You see, I know how to look at people without blinking as well. In all my god-forsaken life I have never known what it was like to want to kill somebody until now. You're a brave man, Joe. A brave man.
Giuseppe Conlon:
I want you have some respect.
Gerry Conlon:
Respect for who?
Giuseppe Conlon:
For yourself.
[Speaking to people outside the court]
Gerry Conlon:
I'm an innocent man. I spent 15 years in prison for something I didn't do. I watched my father die in a British prison for something he didn't do. And this government still says he's guilty. I want to tell them that until my father is proved innocent, until all the people involved in this case are proved innocent, until the guilty ones are brought to justice, I will fight on. In the name of my father and of the truth!
[On the alibi for Gerry Conlon and Paul Hill]
Appeal Prosecutor:
My Lord, this is new evidence.
Appeal Judge:
It is shocking new evidence.
Appeal Prosecutor:
My lord, this evidence was not submitted at the trial that is under appeal.
Appeal Judge:
That, I believe, is the point that Mrs Pierce is trying to make. Proceed, Mrs Pierce.
[after hearing of his father's death]
Gareth Peirce:
[With tears in her eyes] Well, I think they ought to take the word 'compassion' out of the English dictionary.
Gerry Conlon:
I'll be older than you when I get out of this place. If I get out. Are you listening to me?
Giuseppe Conlon:
I'm not talking to you.
Gerry Conlon:
Now who's being childish?
Giuseppe Conlon:
I've not heard a sensible word out of you in two weeks. That stuff will kill you.
[talking about drugs]
Gerry Conlon:
Sure I'm dead anyway. Look I'm sorry. I'll not take it again as long as you live. Are you happy now?
Giuseppe Conlon:
No.
Gerry Conlon:
Why not?
Giuseppe Conlon:
I don't want you to take it whether I live or die.
Gerry Conlon:
Oh, give me strength. Ok, I'll do nothing to annoy you in your grave. Now are you happy?
Giuseppe Conlon:
Is that a promise?
Gerry Conlon:
Ay, maybe.
Gareth Peirce:
It's not the stairs that are killing your father Jerry.
Gerry Conlon:
Ay, what is it then?
Gareth Peirce:
It's your lack of faith.
Gerry Conlon:
Lack of faith? Faith in what?
Gareth Peirce:
In yourself.
Gerry Conlon:
I have faith in myself. Gerry Conlon. Lifer. 30 years sentence and I know how to survive it. No problem.
Gareth Peirce:
At what price?
Gerry Conlon:
I'll pay the full price. Don't you worry about it.
Gareth Peirce:
It's not the stairs that are killing your father.
Gerry Conlon:
Aye, what is it then?
Gareth Peirce:
It's your lack of faith.
Gerry Conlon:
Lack of faith? Faith in what?
Gareth Peirce:
In yourself.
Gerry Conlon:
No. I have faith in myself. Gerry Conlon. Lifer. 30-year sentence. And I know how to survive it, no problem.
Gareth Peirce:
At what price?
Gerry Conlon:
I'll pay the fuckin' price, don't you worry about it.
Gareth Peirce:
The price for what?
Gerry Conlon:
Aye. You're very good at the English, aren't you? You see, I don't understand your language. "Justice." "Mercy." "Clemency." I literally don't understand what those words mean. I'd like to put in an application to get all my teeth extracted. That way I could put my fist in my mouth and never speak another word of fuckin' English so long as I live. Do you see what I'm saying... Mrs. Peirce is it?
Gareth Peirce:
Are you trying to impress me?
Gerry Conlon:
Was I always bad, was I?
Giuseppe Conlon:
Not always.
Gerry Conlon:
I don't deserve to spend the rest of my life in here do I?
Giuseppe Conlon:
All they done was block out the light.
[points to his head]
Giuseppe Conlon:
They can't block out the light in here.
Gerry Conlon:
What I remember most about my childhood is holding your hand. My wee hand in your big hand, and the smell of tobacco. I remember, I could smell the tobacco in the palm of your hand. When I want to feel happy, I try to remember the smell of tobacco.
Giuseppe Conlon:
Oh, my heart.
Giuseppe Conlon:
I'm going to die.
Gerry Conlon:
Don't be saying that.
Giuseppe Conlon:
I'm scared.
Gerry Conlon:
There's no reason to be scared. You have nothing to be scared about.
Giuseppe Conlon:
Don't you be comforting me when I can see the truth staring me in the face. I'm scared I'm gonna die here.
Gerry Conlon:
You're not dying alright?
Giuseppe Conlon:
Can I not say a thing without you contradicting me? I'm scared to leave your mother behind.
Gerry Conlon:
Look, you are not going to die alright? If you do, sure I can look after Ma alright.
Giuseppe Conlon:
You think I'd leave Sara in your care?
Gerry Conlon:
What do you mean?
Giuseppe Conlon:
You haven't the maturity to take care of yourself, let alone your mother.
Anachronisms: The poster of Jimi Hendrix in the jail cell is a 1993 MCA reissue.
Crew or equipment visible: In an interior prison scene, an entire sound "dolly" with technician is in full frame, left side, for a few seconds.
Continuity: At the end, Gerry's shirt changes color between when he walks out of the courtroom and when he talks to reporters outside.
Continuity: The clip from The Godfather (1972), which the inmates are watching just before they murder the prison guard, is out of sequence.
Continuity: In the final court scene, Paul Hill is clearly shown with long hair and a ponytail. However, soon after he is shown as having short hair.
Continuity: When Gerry is released from prison, policemen standing behind him on the steps disappear and reappear between shots.
Anachronisms: Gareth Peirce, a solicitor, is seen addressing the court. At the time of the trial, solicitors did not have "rights of audience" and could not, therefore, address the court. At that time, only barristers could do this.
Anachronisms: When Gerry is arriving in London in 1974 we see an early-'80s Ford Transit van and a similarly dated Ford Fiesta.
Audio/visual unsynchronized: During the riot, Gerry's sister and her friend are on the swings, she says, "Oh, my God," but clearly that is not what she is saying.
Continuity: In the relatively short scene where Gerry is speaking with their Atty., the guard behind Gerry alternates position and stance in each shot - head down (and looking asleep) and then moved to the side and alert in other shots.
Features
The Godfather (1972)
Featured in
The 66th Annual Academy Awards (1994) (TV)
A Personal History of British Cinema by Stephen Frears (1997) (TV)