Under the Volcano (1984)

User Rating:

6.9/10   

Director:

John Huston

Writers:

Guy Gallo (writer)
Malcolm Lowry (novel)

Release Date:

13 June 1984 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

No se puede vivir sin amar. (One cannot live without love.)

Plot:

Against a background of war breaking out in Europe and the Mexican fiesta Day of Death, we are taken through one day in the life of Geoffrey Firmin...

Plot Keywords:

Half Brother | One Day | Diplomat | Self Destruction | 1930s

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 2 wins & 3 nominations

Cast

Albert Finney	...	Geoffrey Firmin
Jacqueline Bisset	...	Yvonne Firmin
Anthony Andrews	...	Hugh Firmin
Ignacio López Tarso	...	Dr. Vigil (as Ignacio Lopez Tarzo)
Katy Jurado	...	Senora Gregoria
James Villiers	...	Brit
Dawson Bray	...	Quincey
Carlos Riquelme	...	Bustamante
Jim McCarthy	...	Gringo
José René Ruiz	...	Dwarf (as Rene Ruiz 'Tun-Tun')
Eleazar Garcia Jr.	...	Chief of Gardens
Salvador Sánchez	...	Chief of Stockyards (as Salvador Sanchez)
Sergio Calderón	...	Chief of Municipality (as Sergio Calderon)
Araceli Ladewuen Castelun	...	Maria
Emilio Fernández	...	Diosdado (as Emilio Fernandez)

Runtime:

112 min

Country:

USA | Mexico

Language:

English | Spanish

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:M | Iceland:12 | West Germany:12 (f) | South Korea:18 | Argentina:16 | Chile:18 | Finland:K-16 | Netherlands:12 | Sweden:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Acapantzingo, Morelos, Mexico

Company:

Conacite Uno

Trivia:

John Huston initially wanted to cast Richard Burton as the British consul. Huston and Burton had had a great success with a previous movie about an alcoholic set in Mexico, The Night of the Iguana (1964). Much to his regret, Burton had to decline the offer, as he was appearing in a touring production of Noel Coward's "Private Lives" with Elizabeth Taylor.

Quotes:

Geoffrey Firmin: Hell is my natural habitat.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Wanderlust (2006) (TV)

dignified drunk and very convincing

This is one of those movies that made an unerasable impression in my memory. I've never seen a total drunk remaining his dignity and (remains of) aristocracy the way Finney is able to pull off so convincingly. The scene that stands out in portraying this (imho) is when he's flat out unconscious on a dusty road, almost being run over by a car and still somehow saves his face.

The way this man's life is being placed against the background of the fading European colonial system with the upcoming of fascist movements on the colorful and dreadful Mexican day of the dead celebrations is almost delirious in itself. The slow evolving of the why's and how's of the story and the questions and discrepancies in it complete the dream/drunken-like atmosphere. I had the feeling I never knew whether the story was being told as was or whether it all was just coming from within Firmin's mind.

As Dr-Bob stated in his comment, Under the Volcano doesn't leave you with a light-hearted feeling. However dignified, Firmin is a sad character. He knows it, he just doesn't seem to care.