Major Analysis of "The Crying Game"

The Crying Game starts out with a unit of IRA soldiers kidnapping a British soldier, Jody. The IRA soldiers demand that the British release the other IRA members or they were going to execute Jody if their demands weren’t met within three days. A foot soldier, Fergus guards Jody during those three days and they quickly develop a bond. They share many stories and Jody tells him a particular story about a scorpion and a frog. The scorpion wanted to cross the stream and asked a frog to carry him to the other side. The frog then asked the frog “how do I know you wont sting me” and the scorpion tells him that if he does sting the frog it would mean both of them would drown. The frog agrees to take him across the stream and before they even reached the other side the scorpion stung the frog. The frog asked why he stung him, now they’re both going to drown. The scorpion replied “I can’t help it, it’s in my nature.” Jody also persuades Fergus to meet his girlfriend, Dil, after his execution. When time comes for Jody to be executed, Fergus takes him out in the woods but can’t follow through with the plan. Jody attempts to flee across the road and is accidentally run over by British armored personnel and dies instantly. Fergus feels terrible for Jody’s death and hides from his IRA companions and takes a job as a day laborer with the alias, Jimmy. While he is in London, Fergus meets, Dil, Jody’s very attractive girlfriend at a bar where she is singing “The Crying Game”. He pushes his guilt aside and continues to pursue Dil, and protects her from an obsessive suitor. Fergus gradually falls in love with Dil, but when he later is about to make love to her he discovers that she is a transwoman and has a penis. He rushes to the bathroom to throw up and accidently hits Dil in the face, leaving her on the floor with a bruise on her face.
Jude comes in Fergus’ apartment and tells him that they have to go follow an assassination and tells Fergus to forget about the girl and that she knows all about Fergus and Dil. Fergus can’t forget about Dil so he cuts her hair and gives her a male disguise. The night before the assassination Dil gets drunk and Fergus has to walk her home. Dil tells Fergus to stay and while he is there he admits to her that he had a hand in Jodys death. The next morning when Fergus wakes up he is tied up and at gunpoint by Dil. Dil then forces Fergus to tell her that he loves her and will never leave her to the tune of “The Crying Game”. Dil unties Fergus and Jude comes in the room looking to kill Fergus for missing the assassination. Dil kills Jude and Fergus takes the fall for it.
This film explored race, gender inequality, nationalism and sexuality. It was a very interesting movie to watch and sympathize with the characters of subcultures that are presented as very complex. It had a lot of thrill but also almost a forbidden romance. The main character deals with being attracted to a woman with a penis, but eventually overcomes it and sees the greater good in her.


"Summer Movie Guide." Movie Database. amazon, n.d. Web. 28 Apr 2010.