FILMS. 4th EDItION THE DEAD The sound track is as creatively textured as are the images, and is Cast: Anjelica Huston( Gretta Conroy): Donal McCann(Gabriel every bit as demanding of the audience. The film sets up a tension Conroy); Helena Carroll (Aunt Kate): Cathleen Delany(Aunt julia) between the classical documentary and its omniscient narrator, cine- Dan O'Herlihy (Mr. Browne ): Donal Donnelly(Freddy Malins); ma-verite interviews, and fictional cinema. The omniscient documen Marie Kean(Mrs Malins); Frank Patterson(Bartell D'Arcy): Rachael tary provides sociological data on different facets of marginality. Dowling (Lily); Ingrid Craigie(Mary Jane): Maria McDernottroe Although this data establishes one framework for the'fictional"core of the film, its deliberately pompous tone warms us that we must Furlong): Maria Hayden (Miss O Callaghan); Bairbre Dowling critically question even such"official"pronouncements. (Miss Higgins); Lyda Anderson(Miss Daly ): Colm Meaney(Mr. This omniscient narrator is juxtaposed to the conversations which Bergin): Cormac O'Herlihy(Mr. Kerrigan); Paul Grant (Mr. Duty); take place around different aspects of marginalism. The manifesta- Paul Carroll(Young Gentleman); Patrick Gallagher(Mr. Egan);Dara ons of the culture of marginality are seen to be manifold-work Clarke(Miss Power): Brendan Dillon(Cabman); Redmond Gleeson absenteeism, machismo, delinquency-and the problem is hotl (Nightporter): Amanda baird (Young Lady) debated by everyone. Humberto is criticized for taking off from work on an unauthorized four-day jaunt with a girlfriend, while lying about Awards: National Society Critics award for Best film his''sick mother. Mario is criticized for denouncing Humberto, not 987: Special Achievement (ohn Huston), Tokyo Intema- because his attitude was counterproductive, but because Humberto tional Film Festival, 1987; Independent Spirit Awards for Best accused him of being an informer-a violation of male-bonding rules Director and Best Actress(Angelica Huston), 1988: Best American Yolanda criticizes the mothers of children who misbehave in school Film award. Bodil Festival. 1989 and is in turn criticized by her co-workers for her inability to empathize with women whose background is so different from hers though trenchant and acute, these critiques are also loving and constructive. Just as individuals in the film leave these confrontations with a clearer understanding of the revolutionary process to which Books. they are committed, so too does the audience leave the film with a more precise notion of dialectical filr McCarty, John, The Films of John Huston, Secaucus, New Jer At the end of the film, the factory workers meet where the fictional ey,1987 confrontation of Mario and Humberto took place and enter into Grobel. Lawrence. The Hustons. New York. 1989. a discussion of the case. They seem to rise up and incorporate Studlar, Gaylyn, editor, Reflections in a Male Eye: John Huston and themselves into the actual production of the film itself. This is as it he American Experience, Washington, D. C, 1993. should be, for this film demands the participation of all: real people Brill, Lesley, John Huston's Filmmaking, New York, 1997 and actors workers and marginal elements. teachers and housewives audience and filmmaker. The wrecking ball (in a sequence repeated Cohen, Allen, John Huston: A Guide to References and Resources, several times during the film) is not only destroying the slums and New York, 1997. etaphorically) the slum mentality, it may also be demolishing some of the more cherished assumptions of moviegoers in bourgeois Articles Zenith and Huston to Team on The Dead, in Variety(New York). vol. 325. 17 December 1986 John Mraz Harmetz, A. "Patient: John Huston: Rx: Film, "in The New York Times. 8 March 1987. Huston, T,"Family Ties, in American Film, voL. 12, Septem- THE DEAD ber 1987 Cart, T. McCarthy, "Film Legend John Huston Dead at 81: Final Pic Bows at Venice, in Variery(New York), vol. 328, 2 Septem- UK/US/West Germany, 1987 ber 1987 wiener, DJ,"The Dead: A Study in Light and Shadow, in Director: John Huston American Cinematographer(Hollywood), vol 68, November 1987 Sante, L,"The Last Chapter: The Dead, in Premiere(Boulder) vol. 1 December 1987. Production: Liffey; color; running time: 83 minutes. Filmed in Cargin, P,""Hustons Finale, in Film(London), no. 10. Decem- Dublin. ireland. and valencia. California Kael P. "The current cinema: Irish voices. in New yorker. vol Producer: Wieland Schulz-Keil, Chris Sievernich, William J. Quigley 63. 14 December 1987 (executive); screenplay: Tony Huston, from a story by James Joyce, O'Brien, T, ""Screen: Ethnic Colorings--Emperor, The Dead,and cinematographer: Fred Murphy: editor: Roberto Silvi; music: Alex Wannsee. in Commonweal. vol. 114. 18 December 198 North; casting: Nuala Moiselle; production design: Stephen Kauffman, S, ""Stanley Kauffmann on Films: Last Rites, in The Grimes, J. Dennis Washington; set decoration: Josie MacAvin; New Republic, vol. 197, 21 December 1987 costume design: Dorothy Jeakins: production manager: Tom Shaw, Baxter, B, in Films and Filming(London), no 399, December 1987 makeup: Fem Buchner, Keis Maes, Anthony Cortino, Louise Dowling, Pulleine, T,"A Memory of Galway, in Sight Sound (London), vol.5,no.1,1987/1988FILMS, 4 THE DEAD th EDITION 295 The sound track is as creatively textured as are the images, and is every bit as demanding of the audience. The film sets up a tension between the classical documentary and its omniscient narrator, cine￾ma-verité interviews, and fictional cinema. The omniscient documen￾tary provides sociological data on different facets of marginality. Although this data establishes one framework for the ‘‘fictional’’ core of the film, its deliberately pompous tone warns us that we must critically question even such ‘‘official’’ pronouncements. This omniscient narrator is juxtaposed to the conversations which take place around different aspects of marginalism. The manifesta￾tions of the culture of marginality are seen to be manifold—work absenteeism, machismo, delinquency—and the problem is hotly debated by everyone. Humberto is criticized for taking off from work on an unauthorized four-day jaunt with a girlfriend, while lying about his ‘‘sick mother.’’ Mario is criticized for denouncing Humberto, not because his attitude was counterproductive, but because Humberto accused him of being an informer—a violation of male-bonding rules. Yolanda criticizes the mothers of children who misbehave in school, and is in turn criticized by her co-workers for her inability to empathize with women whose background is so different from hers. Although trenchant and acute, these critiques are also loving and constructive. Just as individuals in the film leave these confrontations with a clearer understanding of the revolutionary process to which they are committed, so too does the audience leave the film with a more precise notion of dialectical film. At the end of the film, the factory workers meet where the fictional confrontation of Mario and Humberto took place and enter into a discussion of the case. They seem to rise up and incorporate themselves into the actual production of the film itself. This is as it should be, for this film demands the participation of all: real people and actors, workers and marginal elements, teachers and housewives, audience and filmmaker. The wrecking ball (in a sequence repeated several times during the film) is not only destroying the slums and (metaphorically) the slum mentality, it may also be demolishing some of the more cherished assumptions of moviegoers in bourgeois cultures. —John Mraz THE DEAD UK/US/West Germany, 1987 Director: John Huston Production: Liffey; color; running time: 83 minutes. Filmed in Dublin, Ireland, and Valencia, California. Producer: Wieland Schulz-Keil, Chris Sievernich, William J. Quigley (executive); screenplay: Tony Huston, from a story by James Joyce; cinematographer: Fred Murphy; editor: Roberto Silvi; music: Alex North; casting: Nuala Moiselle; production design: Stephen B. Grimes, J. Dennis Washington; set decoration: Josie MacAvin; costume design: Dorothy Jeakins; production manager: Tom Shaw; makeup: Fern Buchner, Keis Maes, Anthony Cortino, Louise Dowling, Anne Dunne, Christopher Shihar. Cast: Anjelica Huston (Gretta Conroy); Donal McCann (Gabriel Conroy); Helena Carroll (Aunt Kate); Cathleen Delany (Aunt Julia); Dan O’Herlihy (Mr. Browne); Donal Donnelly (Freddy Malins); Marie Kean (Mrs. Malins); Frank Patterson (Bartell D’Arcy); Rachael Dowling (Lily); Ingrid Craigie (Mary Jane); Maria McDernottroe (Molly Ivors); Sean McGlory (Mr. Grace); Kate O’Toole (Miss Furlong); Maria Hayden (Miss O’Callaghan); Bairbre Dowling (Miss Higgins); Lyda Anderson (Miss Daly); Colm Meaney (Mr. Bergin); Cormac O’Herlihy (Mr. Kerrigan); Paul Grant (Mr. Duffy); Paul Carroll (Young Gentleman); Patrick Gallagher (Mr. Egan); Dara Clarke (Miss Power); Brendan Dillon (Cabman); Redmond Gleeson (Nightporter); Amanda Baird (Young Lady). Awards: National Society of Films Critics Award for Best Film, 1987; Special Achievement Award (John Huston), Tokyo Interna￾tional Film Festival, 1987; Independent Spirit Awards for Best Director and Best Actress (Angelica Huston), 1988; Best American Film Award, Bodil Festival, 1989. Publications: Books: McCarty, John, The Films of John Huston, Secaucus, New Jer￾sey, 1987. Grobel, Lawrence, The Hustons, New York, 1989. Studlar, Gaylyn, editor, Reflections in a Male Eye: John Huston and the American Experience, Washington, D.C., 1993. Cooper, Stephen, Perspectives on John Huston, New York, 1994. Brill, Lesley, John Huston’s Filmmaking, New York, 1997. Cohen, Allen, John Huston: A Guide to References and Resources, New York, 1997. Articles: ‘‘Zenith and Huston to Team on The Dead,’’ in Variety (New York), vol. 325, 17 December 1986. Harmetz, A., ‘‘Patient: John Huston; Rx: Film,’’ in The New York Times, 8 March 1987. Huston, T., ‘‘Family Ties,’’ in American Film, vol. 12, Septem￾ber 1987. Cart, T. McCarthy, ‘‘Film Legend John Huston Dead at 81: Final Pic Bows at Venice,’’ in Variety (New York), vol. 328, 2 Septem￾ber 1987. Wiener, D.J., ‘‘The Dead: A Study in Light and Shadow,’’ in American Cinematographer (Hollywood), vol. 68, November 1987. Sante, L., ‘‘The Last Chapter: The Dead,’’ in Premiere (Boulder), vol. 1, December 1987. Cargin, P., ‘‘Huston’s Finale,’’ in Film (London), no. 10, Decem￾ber 1987. Kael, P., ‘‘The Current Cinema: Irish Voices,’’ in New Yorker, vol. 63, 14 December 1987. O’Brien, T., ‘‘Screen: Ethnic Colorings—Emperor, The Dead, and Wannsee,’’ in Commonweal, vol. 114, 18 December 1987. Kauffman, S., ‘‘Stanley Kauffmann on Films: Last Rites,’’ in The New Republic, vol. 197, 21 December 1987. Baxter, B., in Films and Filming (London), no. 399, December 1987. Pulleine, T., ‘‘A Memory of Galway,’’ in Sight & Sound (London), vol. 5, no. 1, 1987/1988