|
Barry Lyndon (1975, UK)
In director Stanley Kubrick's three-hour visually-stunning
costume period-drama (with astonishing, gorgeous candlelit cinematography
by John Alcott, oil painting-like tableauxs, and superb costuming)
adapted from William Makepeace Thackeray's 1844 novel with stately
voice-over narration by Michael Hordern - about the rise and fall
of an opportunistic rogue:
- the opening duel scene was set in 1750s Ireland
- with the film's opening line: "Gentlemen, cock your pistols.
Gentlemen. Aim your pistols. One! Two! Three!" - resulting
in the death of 'Barry Lyndon's father Redmond Barry over a horse
sale altercation: (Narrator: "Barry's father had been bred,
like many sons of genteel families to the profession of the law.
There is no doubt he would've made an eminent figure in his profession
had he not been killed in a duel which arose over the purchase
of some horses")
- in the film's second fateful dueling scene, impetuous
and jealous young Irish rogue son Redmond Barry (Ryan O'Neal) was
competing against suitor Captain John Quin (Leonard Rossiter) for
the affection of his pretty cousin Nora Brady (Gay Hamilton) -
with Barry's stubborn assertion: ("I'm not sorry and I'll
not apologize")
- afterwards, Barry joined the British Army, where
he engaged in a bare fist-fight with a burly fellow soldier Poole
(Pat Roach)
- during the battle scene (of the Seven Years' War),
British soldiers marched toward the French troops in rows and
were mowed down in the Battle of Minden - Barry's
friend Captain Grogan (Godfrey Quigley) died in a muddy ditch
Barry In the British Army During Seven Years'
War
|
|
|
|
- after deserting the Army, Barry had a brief affair
with a young, pretty Prussian-German war bride and peasant mother
Lieschen (Diana Korner) whose husband was away at war; the lonely
woman served him a candlelight dinner while also feeding her one
year-old baby boy Peter, and asked him: "You are sometimes
lonely?...Would you like to stay with me?"; at their sad farewell
the next morning after they professed their love for each other,
the sardonic off-screen voice-over stated: "This heart of
Lieschen's was like many a neighboring town that had been stormed
and occupied several times before Barry came to invest it"
- Barry admitted to nobleman
Chevalier de Balibari (Patrick Magee) that he had spied for
Prussian Captain Potzdorf (Hardy Krüger): ("I have a confession
to make to you. I'm an Irishman...")
- Barry noticed the beautiful Lady Lyndon (Marisa
Berenson), the Countess of Lyndon - who was married to aging and
terminally-sick Sir Charles Lyndon (Frank Middlemass); a
seduction scene occurred in his first flirtatious meeting with
her in a gamester session, lit only with candlelight casting a
reddish glow; he continued to pursue Lady Lyndon in a stately courtship
and ultimately married into her wealth - becoming Barry Lyndon
Barry's Encounters and
Subsequent Romance & Marriage With Countess of Lyndon (Marisa
Berenson)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
- their marriage turned out to be very unhappy: ("Lady
Lyndon tended to a melancholy and maudlin temper, and, left alone
by her husband, was rarely happy or in good humor. Now, she must
add jealousy to her other complaints and find rivals even among
her maids"); their state of marriage was
exemplified by the scene of Lady Lyndon witnessing Barry's unfaithfulness
in the garden with a maid; he subsequently gave her a sincere apology while she sat motionless and passive in
her bath, but then kissed him
- Barry's detestable teenaged step-son
Lord Bullingdon (Leon Vitali) accused his father of years of physical
abuse toward him and the Lyndon family during an afternoon concert
in the drawing room: ("...his brutal and ungentlemen-like behavior,
his open infidelity, his shameless robberies and swindling of my
property, and yours"); Barry retaliated by brawling
against his step-son for defaming him in front of an
audience
- in a sad death scene, Barry's 9 year-old son Bryan
(David Morley) was thrown from a horse (given as a birthday
present) and paralyzed three days earlier - his parents were at
his bedside when he expired
- the film's lengthy third duel scene was between Barry
and his stepson Lord Bullingdon ("I have not received satisfaction")
with pistols in a barn - Lord Bullingdon fired first but misfired,
then Barry shot his pistol into the ground to avoid confrontation;
during the second round of firing, Barry was hit in the left leg
(he required amputation)
- in the final shot of the film, aging, sad and gray-haired
Lady Lyndon reacted sorrowfully and wistfully to Barry's name as
she signed his yearly annuity/bribe (to stay away from her and England)
of 500 guineas, to be sent to him in Ireland
|
Dueling Death of Redmond Barry's Father
Second Duel Involving Son Redmond Barry
Deserter Barry's Brief Affair with German Peasant Woman
and Farewell
Melancholy Lady Lyndon in Bath and Barry's Apology
for Unfaithfulness
Barry's Step-Son Lord Bullingdon
Third Duel With Step-Son
Lady Lyndon Signing Barry's Yearly Annuity
|