Hennessy is a 1975 British thriller film directed by Don Sharp and starring Rod Steiger, Trevor Howard, Lee Remick, Richard Johnson, Peter Egan, Stanley Lebor, Patrick Stewart and a young Patsy Kensit, the last two in their film debuts.

[2][3] After the death of his family during a riot in Belfast, Niall Hennessy comes up with a plan to blow up the British Houses of Parliament.

The original director was John Guillermin and Gay says development involved three trips to London to confer with British Lion, who were co-producers, before the script was approved.

Guillermin and Gay then flew to Italy to pitch the project to Rod Steiger, who was making a film about Mussolini.

"[11] The film contained footage of Queen Elizabeth II speaking at the State Opening of Parliament and apparently reacting to something happening in the House of Lords, taken in 1970.

[12] The Rank Organisation then refused to screen the film in its Odeon Cinemas, citing commercial reasons.

EMI also refused to distribute it, with Chairman Sir Bernard Delfont claiming it was too sympathetic to the IRA to be shown at that time.

[6] Richard Johnson said "people are going to see it, and I think that proves my point: controversy is the stuff of entertainment and there are enough moral watchdogs around already without everybody jumping in.