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The Dead

7.3

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Related Documentary:

John Huston and the Dubliners

Original title

The Dead

Year

1987

Running time

81 min.

Country

United Kingdom

Director

John Huston

Screenwriter

Tony Huston. Tale: James Joyce

Cast

Music

Alex North

Cinematography

Fred Murphy

Producer

Co-production United Kingdom-Ireland-United States;

Channel 4, Delta Film, Liffey Films, Vestron Pictures, Zenith Productions

Genre

Drama | 1900s. Christmas. Costume Drama

Movie Groups

James Joyce Adaptations

Synopsis

John Huston's last film is a labor of love at several levels: an adaptation of perhaps one of the greatest pieces of English-language literature by one of Huston's favorite authors, James Joyce; a love letter to the land of his ancestors and the country where his children grew up; and the chance to work with his screenwriter son Tony and his actress daughter Anjelica. The film is delicate and unhurried, detailing a Christmas dinner at the house of two spinster musician sisters and their niece in turn-of-the-century Ireland, attended by friends and family. Among the visiting attendees are the sisters' nephew Gabriel Conroy and his wife Gretta. The evening's reminiscences bring up melancholy memories for Gretta concerning her first, long-lost love when she was a girl in rural Galway. Her recounting of this tragic love to Gabriel brings him to an epiphany: he learns the difference between mere existence and living. The all-Irish cast and careful period detail give the piece richness and gravity, and Donal McCann and Anjelica Huston are unforgettable as the Conroys.

Rankings Position

#76 Best British Movies

Awards: 1987: 2 Nominations for Oscar: Best Costume Design, Adapted Screenplay

1987: New York Film Critics Circle: 5 Nominations, including Best Film

1987: Independent Spirit Awards: Best Director & Best Supp. Actress (Huston). 4 Nominations

1987: David di Donatello Awards: 2 Nominations, incl. Best Foreign Director (Huston)

1987: National Society of Film Critics (NSFC): Best Picture. 3 nominations

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The Dead

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