Elijah Wood

Performer for Our Time

Ash Wednesday
(2002)

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Ash Wednesday (2002)
Synopsis

Edward C. Patterson, site owner
Annie Graham, copy editor

It’s Ash Wednesday, 1980 New York City’s Hell’s Kitchen at night in a bar. The prolog has members of the Moran Gang planning to hit Francis Sullivan, son of John Sullivan, the right hand exterminator for Whitey, the neighborhood’s Irish godfather. Unknown to them, Francis’ younger brother, Sean, overhears the plot while he’s tending bar. When the hit men retire to the toilet, Sean takes a revolver from behind the bar and assassinates them. We next see Sean in the confessional—"Bless me father for I have sinned."

Three years later, Ash Wednesday 1983, Francis Sullivan begins his day at his neighborhood bar. He’s paid a visit from Whitey, who wants him to look into the rumors that Sean has been seen in the neighborhood. How could that be? Sean is dead, killed by the Moran gang. Francis traces the rumor back to his ex-girl-friend Maggie Shea who claims to have served him a drink the previous night. Francis pokes around, first at his Uncle Jim’s then at Red Kelly’s bar, where the alleged sighting occurred. He then confronts Maggie Shea, who holds to her story.

Fran picks up his sister-in-law, Grace (Sean’s widow) for church to get their ashes. At church, Father Mahoney, who has also heard the rumors, prods Fran for an explanation. Even the local detective (Pulaski) is sniffing around. Finally, and worst of all, Moran has gotten wind of it and is asking questions. He wants his gang to poke around and see what they can find.

At Fran’s apartment the truth is revealed. Sean was never killed. Fran and Father Mahoney had packed him off to Texas (with Whitey’s help). Now, Sean has returned to get his wife, Grace and take her out west with him. Fran and Sean have an argument over Sean’s stupidity to leave the hiding place and go out for a drink. Sean said he’s been lonely and wanted to see the old neighborhood. He also learns that Grace (his wife) doesn’t know he’s still alive. He guesses that his brother has been sleeping with her and they argue again. But Fran manages to back away from the question. He decides to take Sean to Brooklyn to an old girlfriend’s house to hide him.

Meanwhile, as the heat increases, Father Mahoney suspects the truth and confronts Fran. Father Mahoney tells Grace that Sean is alive and has come to take her away. Sean does not know he’s a father. A powder keg is building as Moran hires an out of town hit man (cousin to one of the assassinated gang members). Fran takes Sean to Brooklyn, but the friend is not there. As they wait outside the apartment they reminisce. We discover that the two brothers are as different as night from day, that Sean was sheltered from the gangland life, was scheduled to go to college, was a bit of a mama’s boy; while Francis helped his father with killing. Moran’s gang tracks them down in Brooklyn and they narrowly escape.

While Fran hides Sean with their Uncle Jim, Grace and little Sean have gone to the church with Father Mahoney. Sean gets to the church and is reunited with Grace, who is still torn between the two brothers. Fran returns to the bar, where Moran and his gang confront him. A surprise twist lets him get the upper hand. Moran is killed. All appears resolved. Ash Wednesday is over and the sign of the cross is removed from the forehead. But, while opening the bar the next morning, Fran is gunned down by the lone hitman Moran had paid to shoot Sean. Fran was wearing his brother’s peacoat and Knick’s sock cap on the morning after; an irony, which fulfills the saying, "We pay for the sins of the father."