Barry Lyndon (1975)
Director: Stanley Kubrick
Writers: Stanley Kubrick (written for the screen by), William Makepeace Thackeray (novel)
Stars: Ryan O’Neal, Marisa Berenson, Patrick Magee
An Irish rogue wins the heart of a rich widow and assumes her dead husband’s aristocratic position in 18th-century England.
***
Barry Lyndon is the story of a poor man who loses his father at a young age in 18th century Ireland. He joins the army, deserts, travels a bit and ends up marrying a rich woman.
I have a great deal of respect for Stanley Kubrick as a creative genius, but I just couldn’t get the hang of this movie. What was he thinking when he made this movie? A three hour long movie set in the 18th century? It gets dark and sad and boring really fast. So much so that by the end you’re quite happy it’s over.
I liked Kubrick as a director. I thought Spartacus, Paths of Glory, Dr. Strangelove, 2001 and Clockwork Orange were fantastic films.
But Barry Lyndon was beautiful to look out, and about as exciting as watching a faucet drip. All I can say is thank God I wasn’t being paid to watch it.
That’s the sad part. I’m not being paid either.
But I do agree with you. The movies you mentioned are all wonderful works of art.
I “saw” this movie at the theater when it first came out with some of my high school friends. I use the word “saw” loosely because about a quarter of the way in we were so bored that when we saw the guy with the birthmark we started laughing so hard we couldn’t stop. Literally could not stop. We had to separate to different corners of the theater (it was nearly empty). So I never actually watched the movie, and frankly most likely never will. The best thing I got out of that movie was that memory. I’m loving your reviews by the way. 🙂