Where to Watch Song for a Raggy Boy (2003) in the US

What it's about

In 1939 William Franklin, an anti-Franco veteran of the bloody Spanish Civil War, arrives as first-ever lay teacher in a strict Catholic Reformatory and Industrial School for wayward boys. He soon learns the academic challenge is formidable, many boys being still illiterate, but gradually earns their trust, respect, in time almost devotion, with 'paternal' kindness, making the layman the opposite of the cruel prefect, brother John, who frequently administers painful and humiliating punishments, even the gentle, old superior Father Damian has no authority against his disciplinary mandate from the grim bishop Conlon. Slowly even class rebel Liam Mercier is turned around, trough his gift for literature. After Franklin dares stop the sadist's penny-weighted strap severely striking 'sinful scum' for a futility, the whole dorm is treated to an icy night outdoors, arms outstretched wearing only shorts. Brother Mac's mind may mean to educate well, his flesh is too weak for celibacy, so the coy, pretty new boy becomes his latest pederastic lust-object, sworn to suffer sodomy in silence- even devoutly confessing to Father O'Driscoll his fear to have lost his innocence during painful rape costs him an endless cold shower, shivering stark-naked before his tormentor. Constructing a nativity stall for the village church allows Franklin's class to grow close, have fun and earn praise, but after the Peters brothers cross the forbidden red lines to hug each-other on Christmas night across the wall separating the age sections, John punishes their 'blasphemous abomination' (?!) by publicly flogging their bare backs to bloody pulp till Franklin arrives. Still the prefect is capable of viler abuse: Liam, who sent a boy to get Franklin and received a book with dedication from that 'communist', privately gets the sturdy strap in the face till even secret-blackmailed brother Mac can't watch the orgy of child-abuse any more, but now Franklin arrives so late...

Cast and crew

Director

Aisling Walsh

Writer

Patrick Galvin, Aisling Walsh, Kevin Byron Murphy

Starring

Aidan Quinn, Iain Glen, Marc Warren

Details

Release date

Aug 22, 2003

Language

English

Country

Ireland, Denmark, United Kingdom, Spain

Awards

14 wins & 6 nominations

Where to Watch Song for a Raggy Boy (2003) in the US — common questions

Where to watch Song for a Raggy Boy in the United States?

Song for a Raggy Boy is available with a subscription, free with ads, free with a participating library card, or to rent in the United States. Watch the movie with a subscription on Dox and Prime Video (HD). Watch the movie free with ads on DistroTV (HD), Fandango at Home, Prime Video (HD), Tubi TV, and Xumo Play (HD). Watch the movie free with a participating library card on hoopla. Rent the movie on Fandango at Home and Prime Video.

Can I stream Song for a Raggy Boy or do I have to rent it in the United States?

Watch the movie with a subscription on Dox and Prime Video (HD). Rent the movie on Fandango at Home and Prime Video.

Can I watch Song for a Raggy Boy for free in the United States?

Watch the movie free with ads on DistroTV (HD), Fandango at Home, Prime Video (HD), Tubi TV, and Xumo Play (HD). Watch the movie free with a participating library card on hoopla.