Pat O'Connor

Despite the fine acting of the ensembles, O'Connor's next three features proved disappointing. "Stars and Bars" (1988), a fish-out-of-water story with Daniel Day-Lewis as a art expert who encounters a clan of Southern Gothics, proved not as amusing as it could have been. "The January Man" (1989) was a Hollywood comedy thriller that lost the backing of its studio. While it had a strong cast (Kevin Kline, Susan Sarandon, Harvey Keitel, Rod Steiger and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio), the final version veered between offbeat romance and cop thriller and proved a critical and commercial disappointment. "Fools of Fortune" (1990) teamed Mastrantonio (whom O'Connor married) and Julie Christie in a period drama set during the Irish war of independence and again failed to spark much interest. The director bounced back at the helm of the hit "Circle of Friends" (1995), an ensemble drama about a group of Irish university students that was dominated by a star-making turn by Minnie Driver. "Inventing the Abbotts" (1997), although little more than a superior soap opera exploring the power of gossip in a small community, featured strong acting from a group of rising stars (e.g., Billy Crudup, Joanna Going, Liv Tyler, Joaquin Phoenix). Returning to his Irish roots, O'Connor scored again with the film adaptation of Brian Friel's award-winning play "Dancing at Lughnasa" (1998). The story of five unmarried sisters in rural Eire, the film functioned as a mood piece, examining the hopes and failures of the women. Meticulously directed, it was a triumph for both the director and his powerhouse cast which included Meryl Streep (adding a brogue to her accents), Kathy Burke, Catherine McCormack, Sophie Thompson and Brid Brennan, recreating her stage role.