Barry Lyndon, released in 1975, is Stanley Kubrick’s follow-up to his highly controversial film adaptation of the novel A Clockwork Orange released three years previously. That film was, in turn, his follow-up to the mammoth event that was 2001: A Space Odyssey. Kubrick had hoped to travel from the future back into the past following the success of his science fiction epic. Plans for a film about Napoleon equally epic in scope to 2001 fell through, however, following the box office disaster of the film Waterloo in the process. With plans for his long-cherished desire to bring the life of Napoleon to the screen placed on hold, Kubrick directed A Clockwork Orange with a desire still burning to make a film set in that era.
The result was Barry Lyndon, based on a novel by William Makepeace Thackeray which takes during the reign of England’s King George III. The timeline is not quite coincident with the rise and fall of Napoleon, but it is close enough to satisfy Kubrick’s urges. The storyline, on the other hand, is quite different. Barry Lyndon is the ironic tale of the title character’s rise and fall in society and his accumulation and loss of wealth, respect, and a wife.
The film is often pointed to as the one post-Paths of Glory film in the Kubrick canon that most people have never seen. Although generally well-received by critics and the winner of four Academy Awards in the decorative arts categories to go along with nominations for Best Picture, Screenplay, and Direction for Kubrick, Barry Lyndon suffers from a reputation stamped upon it almost immediately upon release: it moves too slow and nothing much happens when it things do happen.
Barry Lyndon is arguably Kubrick’s most literate movie, despite its innovative use of lighting and sound to provide a visual punctuation to its reliance on more literary techniques to mark its distinctiveness. Nevertheless, what seemed laborious and unnecessarily time-consuming in 1975 could quite possibly seem like a Ken Burns documentary using still pictures to modern audiences. Kubrick never did get to realize his dream of making that movie about Napoleon and, indeed, would only make three more movies before he died in 1999.
"Barry Lyndon," directed by Stanley Kubrick and released in 1975, is a visually stunning period drama that adapts William Makepeace Thackeray's novel "The Luck of Barry Lyndon." Set in the 18th century, the film follows the life of Redmond Barry, played by Ryan O'Neal, a young Irishman whose journey takes him from a rural upbringing to the aristocratic courts of Europe. The film meticulously captures the aesthetics of the time, showcasing Kubrick's meticulous attention to detail and mastery of cinematography.
Stanley Kubrick's "Barry Lyndon" is celebrated for its sumptuous visuals, achieved through the use of natural light, candlelit interiors, and meticulously recreated historical settings. The film's deliberate pacing, combined with its lush cinematography, creates an immersive experience that transports viewers to the elegant but often brutal world of 18th-century Europe. The narrative unfolds as a series of chapters in Barry's life, exploring themes of ambition, love, and the capricious nature of fortune.
"Barry Lyndon" is considered a cinematic achievement, not only for its technical brilliance but also for its exploration of the human condition within the rigid structures of societal hierarchy. The film's cinematography, art direction, and costume design contribute to its status as a visual masterpiece, while Kubrick's storytelling invites contemplation on the nature of fate and the consequences of one's choices. "Barry Lyndon" remains a testament to Kubrick's ability to transcend genres and periods, creating a film that is both a historical epic and a timeless meditation on the complexities of the human experience.
