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Shake Hands with the Devil (2007) movie poster

Timeline

Shake Hands with the Devil (2007) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Release, runtime and language
2007 · 112 mins · English
Directed by
Roger Spottiswoode
Starring
Deborah Kara Unger, James Gallanders, Akin Omotoso, John Matshikiza, Patrice Faye, Jean-Hugues Anglade

In 1993 the UN sent Canadian Lieutenant General Roméo Dallaire to command UNAMIR, the peacekeeping force in Rwanda tasked with enforcing a cease‑fire. Facing underfunded resources, bureaucratic inertia and a many‑nation force with conflicting mandates, Dallaire fights to halt the genocide despite the indifference of his superiors and global community.

On this page (6)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 Events in order (14)
  3. 3 Timeline questions answered
  4. 4 Movie threads
  5. 5 Movies like Shake Hands with the Devil
  6. 6 Every angle

Where to watch

Where to Watch Shake Hands with the Devil (2007)

Where can you watch Shake Hands with the Devil? Stream, rent or buy it in the US, including on Fawesome, Plex and Tubi TV: current JustWatch availability with up-to-date prices.

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14 events in order · contains spoilers

Shake Hands with the Devil Timeline: Events in Chronological Order

Every key event of Shake Hands with the Devil (2007) in order, scene by scene, with when and where it takes place. Use it to untangle flashbacks, time jumps and parallel storylines, to refresh your memory before the sequel or to find the exact scene you are thinking of.

  1. Kerry begins his path into the conflict

    In 1921 Dublin, Kerry O'Shea is a medical student studying during the guerrilla war. He is apolitical and reluctant to kill, even after fighting in World War I. The conflict's violence begins to touch his life as the IRA and Black and Tans clash around the city.

    When
    1921
    Where
    College of Surgeons, Dublin
  2. Ambush disrupts Kerry's world

    Kerry and his friend Paddy Nolan are caught in an IRA ambush. Nolan is shot by the British while trying to protect his companions. This deadly moment draws Kerry into the dangerous world of the IRA and the war.

    When
    1921
    Where
    Dublin (ambush site)
  3. The Commandant and the summons

    Lenihan, the IRA's Commandant, removes the bullet from Nolan's wound, but Nolan dies anyway. Kerry is told to fetch Sean Lenihan, an old comrade and the IRA leader. This request marks Kerry's first direct entanglement with IRA leadership.

    When
    1921
    Where
    Ambush site
  4. Meeting the General

    Lenihan takes Kerry to meet the General, the IRA's senior leader and an old comrade-in-arms of Kerry's father. Kerry refuses to join the IRA at this point, and the General arranges for a boat passage out of Ireland. The encounter sets Kerry on the path toward deeper involvement.

    When
    1921
    Where
    Meeting with the General
  5. Sea hideout and Kitty's trouble

    Lenihan leads Kerry to a sea hideout where an IRA unit operates under Chris Noonan. The harsh coastal living underscores the strain of guerrilla warfare. Lenihan is furious to find Kitty Brady, a barmaid, consorting with the men.

    When
    1921
    Where
    Sea hideout, by the coast
  6. A wound leads to a mission

    Liam O'Sullivan, a top IRA leader, is wounded escaping from prison. Kerry agrees to accompany the unit to the rendezvous point to treat him. This medical mercy deepens Kerry's involvement in the IRA's perilous mission.

    When
    1921
    Where
    Road to rendezvous point
  7. O'Sullivan's death and the escalation

    O'Sullivan is discovered in the boot of Lady Fitzhugh's car and is killed in a shootout by the British. The incident heightens the stakes for everyone connected to the mission. Kerry watches as the violence closes in on his circle.

    When
    1921
    Where
    Lady Fitzhugh's car
  8. Capture and the beating

    When soldiers check the people in the nearby pub, Terence O'Brien tries to hide a pistol against Noonan's orders. Kerry O'Shea is taken away and brutally beaten by Colonel Smithson, but he refuses to talk. The interrogation demonstrates the peril of speaking or aiding the IRA.

    When
    1921
    Where
    Nearby pub
  9. Rescue and resolve

    Lenihan leads a raid to rescue Kerry from captivity. The attempt strengthens Kerry's resolve, and he decides to join the IRA. The line between doctor and fighter grows increasingly blurred.

    When
    1921
    Where
    IRA operation area
  10. Lady Fitzhugh's hunger strike

    Lady Fitzhugh is sentenced to prison and goes on a hunger strike. The protest becomes a symbol of resistance within the escalating conflict. The political dimension of the war deepens as more civilians become entangled.

    When
    1921
    Where
    Prison
  11. Kidnapping for leverage

    Lenihan kidnaps Jennifer Curtis, the widowed daughter of a top British adviser, to try to force a prisoner exchange. Complications ensue when Kerry falls for her, complicating loyalties under the pressure of wartime negotiations. The romance strains alliances and decisions.

    When
    1921
    Where
    Dublin (exchange negotiations)
  12. Kitty's decision to leave

    Kitty Brady gets into trouble, and the mounting danger fuels her decision to leave Ireland. Her departure marks a personal cost of the conflict and the strain it places on those connected to the IRA. The war's reach touches all walks of life.

    When
    1921
    Where
    Ireland
  13. Dockside betrayal and death

    Lenihan prepares to assassinate Colonel Smithson at the dock. Kitty, purely by coincidence, tries to board a ship there, and Lenihan shoots Kitty dead in cold blood. The moment underscores the brutal calculus of loyalty and power under occupation.

    When
    1921
    Where
    Dock
  14. Climax at the lighthouse

    At the lighthouse, the unit learns that Lady Fitzhugh has died and that the British have offered a peace treaty. The General is satisfied with the peace, but Lenihan is not. Kerry intervenes as Lenihan attempts to execute Mrs. Curtis; they exchange shots, and Lenihan is killed.

    When
    1921
    Where
    Lighthouse

Last updated: October 09, 2025 at 16:27

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Timeline questions answered

Shake Hands with the Devil Timeline Explained: Your Questions Answered

When does it happen, and why in that order? The questions people ask about the chronology of Shake Hands with the Devil (2007): time jumps, flashbacks, cause and effect between scenes and the correct order of events, each answered with spoilers.

Q1

Why does Kerry decide to join the IRA after being rescued?

Kerry decides to join the IRA after Lenihan rescues him from captivity. During his brutal beating by Colonel Smithson of the Black and Tans, Kerry refused to speak or betray the IRA's location. This act of loyalty, combined with witnessing the IRA's willingness to risk everything to save him, transforms Kerry from a reluctant observer into a willing participant in the fight.

Foreshadowing: Earlier, Kerry had refused the General's invitation to join, showing his initial reluctance to take sides.

  • Kerry O'Shea
  • IRA membership
  • decision to fight
  • Colonel Smithson
  • rescue raid
Q2

Why does Lenihan shoot Kitty Brady at the dock?

Lenihan shoots Kitty Brady at the dock believing she has betrayed the IRA. When Kitty coincidentally tries to board a ship at the same location where Lenihan is preparing to assassinate Colonel Smithson, he suspects she is an informant. In the brutal calculus of guerrilla warfare, Lenihan makes the deadly decision to eliminate her rather than risk the mission's exposure, even though her presence was purely accidental.

Foreshadowing: Lenihan had previously shown suspicion and disapproval when he found Kitty at the sea hideout, foreshadowing his willingness to view her as a potential threat.

  • Lenihan
  • Kitty Brady
  • dock shooting
  • IRA betrayal
  • suspicion
Q3

Why does Kerry kill Lenihan at the lighthouse?

Kerry kills Lenihan to prevent him from executing Mrs. Curtis, the kidnapped British adviser's wife. When Lenihan refuses to accept the British peace treaty and prepares to murder Mrs. Curtis in cold blood, Kerry intervenes. They exchange shots, and Lenihan is killed. This moment marks Kerry's full transformation from a medical student trying to avoid conflict to someone willing to kill his own mentor to stop an unjust execution.

Foreshadowing: Lenihan had already ordered the killing of O'Sullivan and arranged Kitty's death, showing a pattern of lethal decision-making that Kerry had witnessed.

  • Kerry Lenihan lighthouse confrontation
  • peace treaty
  • Mrs Curtis execution
  • mentor killing
Q4

Why does Lenihan kidnap Jennifer Curtis?

Lenihan kidnaps Jennifer Curtis, the daughter of a prominent British adviser, to use her as leverage for a prisoner exchange. The IRA hopes to secure the release of imprisoned Irish fighters by holding a high-value British civilian hostage. This desperate tactic reflects the IRA's increasingly hardline approach as the conflict escalates.

Foreshadowing: Earlier, Lady Fitzhugh's imprisonment and hunger strike already established the political theater of prisoner negotiations.

  • Jennifer Curtis kidnapping
  • prisoner exchange
  • IRA tactics
  • British adviser
Q5

What happens to Lady Fitzhugh and why does it matter?

Lady Fitzhugh is imprisoned for her involvement with the IRA and dies during her hunger strike. Her death becomes a powerful symbol of resistance and the human cost of the conflict. The news of her death reaches the characters at the lighthouse just as the British offer a peace treaty, intensifying the moral debate between accepting peace or continuing the fight.

Foreshadowing: Her hunger strike was introduced earlier as a political protest, making her death a foregone conclusion to the characters.

  • Lady Fitzhugh
  • hunger strike death
  • political protest
  • R Irish cause
Q6

Why does Kerry develop feelings for Jennifer Curtis?

Kerry falls for Jennifer Curtis despite their opposing sides because their circumstances force prolonged close contact during her captivity. As a doctor, Kerry is likely assigned to care for her, and the human connection develops through this intimate and vulnerable situation. Their relationship illustrates how war creates impossible loyalties that blur enemy lines.

Foreshadowing: Kerry had already shown reluctance to participate in violence, suggesting his capacity for empathy regardless of allegiance.

  • Kerry Jennifer romance
  • forbidden love
  • opposite sides
  • warcrime
Q7

Why does Kerry refuse to speak during his interrogation?

Kerry refuses to speak when captured and beaten by Colonel Smithson because doing so would betray the IRA's location and compromise the fighters. His silence is an act of moral resistance that cements his de facto allegiance to the IRA in the eyes of his captors, even though he hasn't formally joined yet. It demonstrates his transformation from an apolitical bystander to someone willing to suffer for the cause.

Foreshadowing: Kerry had already been marked as a suspect because he left his textbook at the ambush site, making his silence even more critical.

  • Kerry interrogation
  • refusal to talk
  • Black and Tans
  • beating
  • torture
Q8

Why does Kerry become a wanted man after the ambush?

Kerry becomes a wanted man because he left his textbook, inscribed with his name, at the ambush site where Paddy Nolan was shot. Both the British and the IRA can use him as leverage, the British see him as a potential IRA sympathizer, while the IRA sees him as someone who could identify their fighters. His medical textbook becomes deadly evidence linking him to the conflict.

Foreshadowing: The ambush itself was unexpected, catching Kerry and Nolan in crossfire they didn't choose.

  • textbook evidence
  • ambush site
  • wanted man
  • British IRA pursuit
Q9

Why does Lenihan refuse to accept the peace treaty?

Lenihan refuses to accept the peace treaty because he believes it would betray the IRA's ultimate goal of full Irish independence. To Lenihan, any treaty that leaves British influence in Ireland is insufficient. His hardline stance represents the radical faction that views negotiation as capitulation, contrasting with the General's willingness to accept limited peace.

Foreshadowing: Throughout the story, Lenihan consistently takes the most extreme positions, ordering executions, kidnappings, and rejecting compromise.

  • Lenihan peace treaty rejection
  • IRA hardliner
  • independence cause
  • treaty terms
Q10

Why does Kitty Brady decide to leave Ireland?

Kitty Brady decides to leave Ireland because the situation becomes too dangerous for her. As a woman consorting with IRA fighters at their hideout, she faces capture, imprisonment, or worse from British forces. Her departure represents the personal costs of the conflict on ordinary civilians who become entangled in the war between the IRA and British forces.

Foreshadowing: Lenihan had already expressed disapproval of her presence at the hideout, indicating the precariousness of her situation.

  • Kitty Brady departure
  • civilian danger
  • IRA hideout
  • female characters
Q11

Why does Kerry agree to accompany the IRA unit to treat O'Sullivan?

Kerry agrees to accompany the IRA unit to treat Liam O'Sullivan because his medical skills are desperately needed. As a medical student, Kerry is the only qualified person available to provide care for the wounded IRA leader. This mission marks the first time Kerry actively aids the IRA beyond passive involvement, deepening his entanglement in their cause.

Foreshadowing: Kerry had already been drawn into the conflict through his friend's death and his own near-miss at the ambush site.

  • medical aid
  • O'Sullivan treatment
  • IRA wounded
  • doctor role
Q12

Why does Kerry step in to save Mrs. Curtis from execution?

Kerry steps in to save Mrs. Curtis because he cannot stand by while Lenihan executes an unarmed woman in cold blood. By this point in the story, Kerry has witnessed enough violence to distinguish between legitimate resistance and murder. His intervention represents his moral breaking point, the line he cannot cross even after everything he has endured.

Foreshadowing: Kerry had shown reluctance to kill throughout the film, even refusing to carry a weapon initially.

  • Mrs Curtis execution prevention
  • moral底线
  • stopping murder
  • intervention

Movie threads

More Movies Like Shake Hands with the Devil, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes Shake Hands with the Devil tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Futile Peacekeeping Missions like Shake Hands with the Devil

When good intentions are crushed by indifference and systemic failure. If you were moved by the moral struggle in Shake Hands with the Devil, this thread features movies about peacekeepers and aid workers caught in impossible situations. These similar drama and history films explore the heavy toll of trying to do good when the world seems indifferent.

  • somber
  • frustrating
  • tense
  • hopeless
  • gritty
  • anxious
  • Tone: tense, somber, frustrating
  • Pacing: steady, relentless
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative follows a principled protagonist attempting to prevent a catastrophe, armed with limited resources and a fragile mandate. The central conflict arises not just from the external threat, but from the indifference or obstruction of their own superiors and the international community, leading to a race against time where failure is a grim certainty.

Why they belong together: These films are grouped by their shared focus on the crushing weight of responsibility in the face of systemic failure. They create a specific, tense, and somber mood where the enemy is often as much red tape and political cowardice as it is overt violence.

War Movies with Heavy Moral Dilemmas like Shake Hands with the Devil

Characters forced into impossible decisions that leave lasting scars. For viewers who appreciated the complex moral choices in Shake Hands with the Devil, this thread highlights similar military and political dramas. Discover movies like it that explore betrayal, forced allegiance, and the bittersweet cost of survival in morally complex war settings.

  • somber
  • gritty
  • anxious
  • brutal
  • hopeless
  • moral dilemma
  • Tone: gritty, tense, bittersweet
  • Pacing: steady, character-driven
Why these movies?

The story pattern: Stories in this thread typically follow a character's journey into the ethical ambiguities of conflict. The plot forces them to compromise their ideals, confront betrayal from within their own ranks, or make a devastating personal sacrifice. The arc is less about winning and more about the pyrrhic cost of survival, leading to a bittersweet or bleak resolution.

Why they belong together: These films share a core thematic focus on the erosion of morality during war. They are united by a heavy emotional weight, a tense and gritty atmosphere, and a narrative structure that prioritizes the psychological cost of violence over simple heroism.

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Every angle

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