The Dead (1987 film)

Infobox_Film
name = The Dead


caption = Theatrical release poster
imdb_id = 0092843
writer = Tony Huston
James Joyce (original story)
starring = Anjelica Huston
Donal McCann
Dan O'Herlihy
Donal Donnelly
Helena Carroll
Cathleen Delany
director = John Huston
producer = Chris Sievernich
Wieland Schulz-Keil
distributor =
released = December 17, 1987
runtime = 83 min
language = English
budget =

"The Dead" is a 1987 film directed by John Huston, starring his daughter Anjelica Huston. "The Dead" was the last film that Huston directed, and it was released posthumously.

It was adapted from the short story of the same name by James Joyce (from his book "Dubliners"), and nominated for an Academy Award for Writing Adapted Screenplay. It was also nominated for an Academy Award for Costume Design.

The film takes place in early twentieth century Dublin at an Epiphany party held by two elderly sisters. The story focuses our attention on the academic Gabriel Conroy (Donal McCann), and his discovery of his wife Gretta's (Anjelica Huston) memory of a deceased lover.

Film Adaptation

The film adaptation is largely faithful to Joyce's short story, with minor concessions made to alter the dialogue to aid the narrative for cinema audiences.

The most significant change to the story was scriptwriter Tony Huston's inclusion of a new character, a Mr Grace, who recites an eighth-century Irish poem, "Donal Og": ”I Think he died for me”, Nick Laird, The Guardian, December 2 2006, [http://books.guardian.co.uk/departments/artsandentertainment/story/0,,1961751,00.html] ] .

::You have taken the east from me; you have taken the west from me;

::you have taken what is before me and what is behind me;

::you have taken the moon, you have taken the sun from me;

::and my fear is great that you have taken God from me!

The effect of this is to act as catalyst for the "Distant Music" which provokes the confrontation between Gabriel and Gretta towards the end of the film.

Cast

*Gretta Conroy - Anjelica Huston
*Gabriel Conroy - Donal McCann
*Mr. Browne - Dan O'Herlihy
*Freddy Malins - Donal Donnelly
*Mrs. Malins - Marie Kean
*Aunt Kate - Helena Carroll
*Aunt Julia - Cathleen Delany
*Mary Jane - Ingrid Craigie
*Lily - Rachael Dowling
*Mr. Grace - Sean McClory
*Miss Furlong - Kate O'Toole
*Bartell D'Arcy - Frank Patterson
*Mr. Bergin - Colm Meaney

Awards

Academy Awards - 1988

Nominations:

*Best Costume Design - Rachael Dowling and Dorothy Jeakins
*Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium - Tony Huston

Other Awards

Winner

*1987 Tokyo International Film Festival - Special Achievement Award, John Huston
*1988 National Society of Film Critics Awards (USA) - Best Film

*1988 Independent Spirit Awards (US Independent Film Awards) - Best Director, John Huston
*1988 Independent Spirit Awards (US Independent Film Awards) - Best Supporting Female, Anjelica Huston

*1989 Bodil Awards, (Danish Film Critics) - Best Non-European Film
*1989 Fotogramas de Plata (Spain) - Best Foreign Film

*1989 London Critics Circle Film Awards - Director of the Year, John Huston

Nominated
*1988 Independent Spirit Awards (US Independent Film Awards) - Best Cinematography, Fred Murphy
*1988 Independent Spirit Awards (US Independent Film Awards) - Best Screenplay, Tony Huston

References

External links

*imdb title|id=0092843|title=The Dead
* [http://movies2.nytimes.com/gst/movies/movie.html?v_id=12679 New York Times review]