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One You May Not Have Considered
This film is reserved for the end of the holiday season - around the New Year. Often we view it on New Year's Eve, if no party is in the offing.
John Huston's last film, The Dead. (1987) (aka The Dubliners)
Set in Dublin at a New Year party at the turn of the 20th century, The Dead offers a raft of beautifully crafted characters. The story is based on a collection of short stories by James Joyce published as Dubliners. The backstory is the political side-taking of the Irish at the time. But the story unfolds in the glorious Victorian Dublin row house of two spinster sisters, Aunt Kate and Aunt Julia (Helena Carroll and Cathleen Delaney). The film features one of Angelica Huston's best, most subtle performances, as well as a not-to-be-missed turn by the magnificent Irish tenor Frank Patterson.
It is a beautiful film for costumes, for sets, for lighting, for extraordinary performances. I cannot recommend this film highly enough. Though a warning - it is not an upper. As a career cap for director John Huston, it is, though lightened by plenty of small comedic moments, a somber film with a solemn message spoken by one of the characters:
"One by one we are all becoming shades..."
Note that outside the USA, this film is known by the title of the Joyce story, The Dubliners.
This film is reserved for the end of the holiday season - around the New Year. Often we view it on New Year's Eve, if no party is in the offing.
John Huston's last film, The Dead. (1987) (aka The Dubliners)
Set in Dublin at a New Year party at the turn of the 20th century, The Dead offers a raft of beautifully crafted characters. The story is based on a collection of short stories by James Joyce published as Dubliners. The backstory is the political side-taking of the Irish at the time. But the story unfolds in the glorious Victorian Dublin row house of two spinster sisters, Aunt Kate and Aunt Julia (Helena Carroll and Cathleen Delaney). The film features one of Angelica Huston's best, most subtle performances, as well as a not-to-be-missed turn by the magnificent Irish tenor Frank Patterson.
It is a beautiful film for costumes, for sets, for lighting, for extraordinary performances. I cannot recommend this film highly enough. Though a warning - it is not an upper. As a career cap for director John Huston, it is, though lightened by plenty of small comedic moments, a somber film with a solemn message spoken by one of the characters:
"One by one we are all becoming shades..."
Note that outside the USA, this film is known by the title of the Joyce story, The Dubliners.
Forgot it was New Year's. Good movie, about the chance singing of a song.
