The year is 1967. Until now, the Browne family has always scraped by in its busy central Dublin home. But after the death of her husband, Agnes Browne finds it a struggle to raise her seven children alone. To raise the money to pay for her husband's funeral, Agnes borrows cash from hard-hearted local loan shark Mr Billy, which further depletes her resources. Selling fruit and vegetables at a crowded street market, Agnes battles furiously against poverty and in the meantime finds that a French baker has taken quite a shine to her. But trying to start a relationship with seven mouths to feed is never going to be easy.

After Huston's feature debut, the gruelling child-abuse drama Bastard Out Of Carolina, Agnes Browne is more concerned with the full spectrum of human emotions. Even though she wrangles with the sinister Mr Billy, facing financial ruin, Agnes retains her dignity and spirit - shown in a fantasy scene where her dreams of meeting Welsh singing stud Tom Jones (playing himself) come true. Says Jones: "As the film is set over 3C years ago, I was slightly nervous, having to look as I did in 1967. But Anjelica told me not to worry as it was 'a surreal situation,." Steve Grayson