BARRY LYNDON (1975) - ♦♦♦♦♦
Directed by - Stanley Kubrick
Written by - Stanley Kubrick (based on the novel by William Makepeace Thackeray)
Starring - Ryan O'Neal, Marisa Bereson
"A glorious show of decadence, both narratively and visually. Stanley Kubrick based his adapted screenplay on a serial novel by William Makepeace Thackeray, which offers a rather unorthodox and almost openly comic view on the culture of the gentleman. Such vibes are retained in Barry Lyndon, now known and praised as one of the finest works in Kubrick's filmography, but much more subtle and openly deceived by a coating of seriousness, that often time leans towards tragedy.
Barry Lyndon chronicles the life of the titular character, an eighteenth century Irish adventurer, or rogue depending on perspective, from young adulthood to later in life, as he eventually assumes an aristocratic position after he wins the heart of a rich English widow.
There is great interest in the psychological nature of the leading character and his development. Particulat attention is given in his dramatic leniance towards a life of vice and excesses, far from the aristocratic etiquette that is bestowed upon him. The ambiguous nature of the titular character - mysteriously attractive and selfish to the point of being morally deranged - makes him one of the greatest anti heroes of all time. Ryan O'Neal in his performance of the character, is often quiet and soft spoken; this intensifies the character's enigmatic nature and an overall sexual charge that is one of Barry Lyndon's main driving force.
As in all of the films by Stanley Kubrick, the cinematography is excellent. Here, it shows how wildly experimental and ambitious he could be in his drastic stylistic choices. A drastic change from his previous 2001: A Space Odyssey, a film praised for its innovative and ground breaking special effects. But here, he opted for the complete opposite, with cinematographer John Alcott making use of no electrical light for his scenes, sometimes in fact only using candlelight.
This decision provides a sensual chiaroscuro baroque atmsophere to the film, often lustful and enchanting, adding a haunting stillness and setting it aside from all the other period drama that were being made at the time. This meticulousness does not, however, get in the way of the scale of the narrative spectacle, that remains quite gripping from start to finish with its succession of events that also recall the structure of the novels of the eighteenth century quite closely."
Period Drama, UK/USA
