Barry Lyndon, Ryan O’Neal, Stanley Kubrick
No controversy for this film there was however a threat from the IRA when production was started in Ireland and the initial shots involved scenes with the English army. Production was moved to England and would last a long 300 days.
Part 1
Barry Lyndon was raised on an Irish farm and his first love and seductress was his cousin, she would latter see a better opportunity with an English Captain ( Leonard Rossiter ) after a duel which Lyndon wins he is forced to flee. While on the run he runs into a highway man who robs him of everything apart from his boots and leaves him with no choice but to enlist in the English army. While in barracks Lyndon discovers he has been tricked and the English Captain lives and has indeed married his cousin. Sent to fight in the 7 years war the loss of his friend in battle would have a profound effect on Lyndon and would be the catalyst for finding a way out of the army. Overhearing an officer talking about the important dispatch’s he had to carry Lyndon plotted to take his place desert. Finding a struggling Prussian war widow Lyndon finds shelter for a while.
After 10 months he parts ways with the widow and sets out for Holland a neutral country but runs into a Prussian patrol on the way. Thinking he can bluff his way out of the situation he’s discovered and forced to join the Prussian army. Lyndon would become a hero in the Prussian army rescuing his Captain and being recognised for it he’s chosen to try an uncover a traitor in the Prussian aristocrat. Conspiring with the aristocrat to form an escape plan he is escorted to the boarder shortly after his target escapes too. The pair would become professional card players (cheats) across the continent. While at a stately home he bumps into a beautiful heiress by the Name of Lyndon for whom he will go on gain his name from. Lyndon goes to talk to the old count and he suffers a massive heart attack leading to the intermission.
Part 2
Countess Lyndon marries our hero and the go on to start a family but they soon lead separate lives and the heir of the true count insults him and suffers the consequences. The true heir Lord Bullingdon grows and as he does so does his hatred of Lyndon and his little brother Bryan Lyndon’s child. Watching Lyndon’s child grow up weighs on his older half brother. The now Count Lyndon finds it hard to manage his funds and spends his fortune without care. Barry’s mother comes to stay a warms him that if he dies everything passes to Lord Bullingdon and his own son would be outcast.
Lord Bullingdon accuses Barry of infidelity, abuse and financial mismanagement and is brutally assaulted by Barry and this leads to him being ostracised by society. Bryan’s his father for a horse and being a doting father he duly obliges, young Bryan is so excited he sneaks on to the horse before it’s fully broken and is killed. Barry struggles with the loss and slips into alcoholism as a result. Lady Lyndon seeks advice from her clergyman, Barry’s mother sees that her son is losing control and dismisses the clergyman in order to keep control. Lady Lyndon tries to commit suicide and her Steward informs the now adult lord Bullingdon who returns to the estate and challenges Barry to a duel.
The two take their places for the duel and Lord Bullingdon accidentally misfires his gun, Barry refuses to take advantage and fires into the ground. Bullingdon refuses to accept satisfaction and fires again shooting Barry in the leg. Barry has to have his leg amputated and Bullingdon takes control of the estate. Through an intermediary Barry is informed that his credit has run out but is offered 500 guineas a year to leave which he duely accepts and goes back to his gambling career. In 1789 Lady Lyndon signs the cheque as her son looks on.
Although the film would go on to win four Oscars for costume, cinematography, music and set design. It was a financial flop recouping only £280,000 on its £11,000,000 budget.
It’s claimed that there was no artificial light used on this film by Kubrick, which is nearly true ! When Bryan learns he’s getting a horse this indoor shot is artificial lighting. The scenes shot with candles are entirely light by the candles which had triple wicks and fast burning wax to produce extra light. When combined with a specially made 50mm lens that had an aperture that could open to f/0.7 it produced the effect Kubrick was after.
Ryan O’Neal the star of the film was only chosen because he was in the top ten box office star. In order to finance the film Warner Bros insisted that there be a top ten box office star cast in the main role. Only Robert Redford and Ryan O’Neal were in the right age group and gender for the role.
Being a cinema flop there’s not a lot of information available, it seems to have a line drawn underneath it. There were some technical aspects of the shoot that would become Kubrick trademarks latter the panning shot with a cut back was first used in this film for example. Kubrick came to this film via research into his ideal project Napoleon, however with the masterpiece Waterloo being a flop for fellow director Sergey Bondarcuk this was soon abandoned.
The costumes where reported to be originals but this has turned out to be a falsehood and although there were some original costumes purchased for the film the rest are made by the costume department based on these.
Would I recommend the film, only if you were studying Kubrick or cinematography. It’s a good story well presented but but there’s no pay off for three hours. Look to Kubrick’s other work instead and gloss over this one
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Have fun stay safe ๐๐ผ
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