Keswick Film Festival

Synopsis

With a pre-film talk by Neil Sinyard, Emeritus Professor of Film Studies at Hull University.

Adapted from Thackeray’s novel, the story begins in a small village in Eighteenth Century Ireland: young, unscrupulous Redmond Barry is determined to make a life for himself as a wealthy nobleman, and after enlisting in the British Army he lies, dupes, duels and seduces his way up the social ladder. It is one of Kubrick's most gripping pictures, with a strong narrative and extraordinarily lush images, presenting a more sympathetic hero than does Thackeray; but Barry is still the rogue who introduces us to a fascinating world of beautifullyplayed characters who people the writers’ imagination, helped by a suave third-person narration from Michael Hordern.

We are grateful to the Stanley Kubrick Estate and Warner Brothers for special permission to borrow this rare print of Barry Lyndon.