Director: John Huston
Screenplay: Tony Huston
Based on a Short Story by: James Joyce
Starring: Anjelica Huston, Donal McCann, Helena Carroll, Cathleen Delany, Rachael Dowling, Kate O’Toole, Colm Meaney, Dan O’Herlihy, Donal Donnelly, Sean McClory, Ingrid Craigie, Marie Kean, Cormac O’Herlihy
Country: Ireland, UK, Germany, USA
Running Time: 83 min
Year: 1987
BBFC Certificate: TBC
James Joyce’s collection of short stories, ‘The Dubliners’, was considered “unfilmable” by many, despite the great acclaim bestowed upon the book over the years. However, this didn’t stop the great John Huston from tackling the material in what he likely knew would be his final film.
Based on ‘The Dead’, which is the last and longest story in The Dubliners, the film was scripted by Huston’s son, Tony Huston. To make the production even more of a family affair, John asked his daughter, Anjelica Huston, to join the cast. Whether intentional or not, having the two involved in what would be the director’s final work adds an extra air of poignancy to the film.
Huston was gravely ill during production, in fact, directing while hooked up to an oxygen tank, and he died shortly before the film’s release. There was even an alternative director arranged (Karel Reisz) in case Huston became too unwell to continue or passed away mid-shoot. This makes it remarkable that the film was finished at all, let alone that it would result in probably John Huston’s most sensitive and delicately crafted film.
The Criterion Collection obviously hold the film in high regard, as they’re releasing it on UHD and Blu-ray. I got hold of a copy and my thoughts follow.
To quote the synopsis from Criterion’s blurb – “During a snowy winter in turn-of-the-twentieth-century Dublin, the members of an extended family convene for a night of wine, song, and celebration—but it’s not until after the festivities that Gretta (Anjelica Huston) reveals a secret to her husband, Gabriel (Donal McCann) that casts the entire evening in a new light.”
The film is set on the evening of 6 January 1904, during a party celebrating the Feast of the Epiphany (incidentally, that annual event takes place today, at the time of writing this review). The film itself builds toward a pair of epiphanies, both quietly devastating, that force its two central characters to confront uncomfortable truths about themselves. What we think we are, and what we actually are, are not always the same thing.
This idea is explored subtly elsewhere through the performances of the whole cast, as their characters put on public personas during the party, but cracks and unspoken truths can be viewed almost imperceptibly beneath the surface.
Most of the cast came from the theatre, often working in Ireland itself. Colm Meaney was among this group, making an early screen appearance. Although much of the film plays as an ensemble piece, it’s Anjelica Huston and Donal McCann who grow to become the stars and, indeed, they do a stellar job.
Anjelica Huston is particularly good, delivering an achingly restrained performance. She was suffering from Epstein-Barr syndrome during production, making her very tired. She might have been using this to her advantage, adding to the fragility and distance of her character.
The characters, on the whole, are subtly interesting, with a hidden depth. For example, everyone is desperate for the arrival of Gabriel, but we later find he isn’t the perfect specimen he is touted to be. He’s nervous, dismissive of his wife and sometimes a little full of himself. The final revelation further belittles this much heralded figure.
Like the source material, The Dead also looks at the Irish national identity. Traditions, stereotypes and the country’s musical heritage are all explored, as well as some of its politics. Many of the key Irish cultural details are not explained or laboured upon though. Nothing is dumbed down for the audience. This means non-Irish viewers might miss some aspects, but this never detracts from the beauty of the film.
The Dead is elegantly produced from a visual perspective. Though originally intended to be shot in Ireland, John Huston was too frail to travel. Instead, the film was shot in a warehouse in Los Angeles, painstakingly recreating Edwardian Dublin interiors. That this artificial setting never feels false is a testament to the production design and to Huston’s restraint.
There is an air of melancholy that hangs over The Dead, but it is not without humour or levity. On top of the musical interludes and accompaniment during the celebrations, there are some amusing moments, largely concerning the drunkenness of the Freddy character (played by Donal Donnelly). This prevents the film from getting dour and injects life into the story.
In the end, The Dead is an elegant, perfectly pitched adaptation of a story often thought to be too challenging to put on screen. It may lack a strong narrative, but it’s captivating and thought-provoking, nonetheless.
Film: 
The Dead is out on 26th January on 4K UHD & Blu-Ray in the UK, released by The Criterion Collection. I watched the Blu-ray disc, and thought it looked gorgeous, with a clean, detailed image, natural grain and pleasingly earthy colours. The 4.0 soundtrack was faultless too – rich and clear.
4K UHD + BLU-RAY SPECIAL EDITION FEATURES
– New 4K digital restoration, supervised and approved by director of photography Fred Murphy, with 4.0 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack
– One 4K UHD disc of the film presented in Dolby Vision HDR and one Blu-ray with the film and special features
– New interview with author Colum McCann on the James Joyce short story and its adaptation for the film
– New 2K restoration of John Huston and the Dubliners (1987), a behind-the-scenes documentary by Lilyan Sievernich
– Audio excerpts from actor Anjelica Huston’s 2014 memoir, Watch Me
– English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
– PLUS: An essay by author and film critic Michael Koresky and a 1987 piece by screenwriter Tony Huston about the making of the film
– New cover by Leanne Shapton
‘John Huston and the Dubliners’ is an hour-long documentary about the making of the film. It’s a beautifully made, intimate, fly-on-the-wall affair that lets you see the production unfold with the occasional interview soundbite interspersed. The shoot appears to have been relatively relaxed, with Huston aiming to keep the atmosphere comfortable during what he likely knew would be his final production.
There’s also an excerpt from Anjelica Huston’s autobiography, read by herself. This is open and heartfelt, describing her experiences working with her father on the film.
Finally, there’s an interview with Colum McCann. He talks about the original short story and how he feels Tony Huston adapted it, and how John Huston captured it on screen. It’s a thoughtful and informative piece.
I didn’t receive a copy of the booklet, unfortunately.
So, Criterion have compiled an excellent trio of extras to supplement this handsome release. I give it a very warm recommendation.
Disc/Package: