Barry Lyndon (1975)

Cast: Ryan O'Neal (Barry Lyndon), Marisa Berenson (Lady Lyndon), Patrick Magee (The Chevalier de Balibari)

Director: Stanley Kubrick

Genre: Drama


For a film that won 4 Oscars with another 10 wins and 11 nominations, I think this movie didn't add up to such praise. Adapted from the book Barry Lyndon by W. M. Thackery, this one is about a young Irish rogue who is driven by jealousy at the love between his cousin and her fiancé. He escapes to England when he kills her fiancé in a duel- or so he believes. In England, he wins the heart of a rich widow and takes up her dead husband’s financial position- all during 18th century aristocracy. The most notable but undesirable aspect about this film was its boring dryness due to the actors (Ryan O’ Neal and Marisa Berenson in particular) lack of any expression. O’ Neal does portray a snobbish, self important, aristocrat who is manipulative enough to always get his way very well. He deserts the British army to join a foreign army. He seduces a married woman during his tenure. Later, after he’s married, he constantly acts unfaithful towards his wife. His only enemy, it seems, is his oldest stepson who sees right through him- particularly because of Barry’s unfaithfulness to the boy’s mother. Lyndon’s false appearance seems to be a cover up for his snobbish and cowardly ways. Yet despite this excellent portrayal of such a character, O’ Neal doesn’t show any expression or emotion in the film. It’s as though the actor either isn’t trying very hard or is trying to prove that acting is merely second nature to him. The only real emotion and expression comes from Lyndon’s bitter stepson. I can’t see how such a film did so well. Perhaps it was the sophisticated setting of English aristocracy and the weird story line (or lack thereof as is common with W.M. Thackary’s books) that film critics considered it worthy of awards. Maybe it was merely because Stanley Kubrick directed it. To me, it seemed to have a mellow dramatic sense about it. It was dry!! Unless you read the book and what to see how the movie compares, I wouldn’t recommend this film. It included some weird, unfitting parts such as two obviously homosexual British officers bathing in a river and discussing their relationship. That just didn’t fit. It also included one or two scenes with partial nudity.