Were The Characters In The Movie Based On Anybody At Mount Cashel

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The disclaimer at the beginning of the film tries to dispel that they based any of the characters in the film on real people, but Superintendant Brother Peter Lavin was most definitely based on Superintendant Brother Douglas Kenny of Mount Cashel, and I think Brother James Glackin on Brother Edward English and Brother Glynn on Brother Joesph Burke. The social worker was I think named Mary Noonan, who like in the movie tried to visit the boys but was rarely allowed in, the boys in the film were fictionalized quite a bit more (perhaps as further a way of protecting their identities) but were based on some of the real youngsters who lived at the orphanage. Jerome Ward, the Deputy Minister of Justice in the film who sent Glackin and Glynn away for treatment without pressing criminal charges was named Vincent McCarthy in real life, I forget the name of the police detective who was the basis for Detective Noseworthy. And also, the truth did come out years later as it was portrayed in the movie, there was a big public hearing, etc. It's been a long time since I read the book but I may have to dig out again.

Obviously, those behind the film did try to fictionalize it as much as possible, made up characters, along with some situations and took dramatic lisence so that they couldn't be accused of exploiting the case or the real people involved, but there still are enough similarities for those who know about the Mount Cashel scandal to make the connection to "The Boys Of St. Vincent".