Captain Boycott Reviews

Irish historical drama concerning the little-known Captain Boycott, whose surname became part of the English language. Action takes place in 1880 and concerns Boycott (Parker), who is in charge of rent collecting for the Earl of Erne. Parker is brutal to the tenants and evicts those who can't pay up. The citizens finally become fed up with the rent collector and decide to unite and banish him. Parker learns of the plan and spends all his money trying to drum up popular support by waging a newspaper campaign extolling his own virtues. Desperate to recover his financial losses, Parker spends his last $20 on a racehorse and enters it in the big derby. He bets on the horse heavily to win and just as the animal is about to cross the finish line, the citizens invade the track (stopping the race) and throw the bum out. Totally demoralized, Parker leaves Ireland as the local priest advises the community to "boycott" whoever else tries to do it harm.