The Dead (1987)

Synopsis

A ballad sung at a Twelfth Night party in Ireland reminds one of the guests of the young boy she loved years before.

This film adaptation by John Huston's son Tony Huston can be considered a close adaptation of Joyce's short story, with some alterations made to the dialogue to aid the narrative for cinema audiences.

The most significant change to the story was the inclusion of a new character, a Mr. Grace, who recites an eighth-century Middle Irish poem, "Donal Óg".

The effect of this is to act as catalyst for the "Distant Music" that provokes the memories Gretta and Gabriel discuss at the end of the film.

Cast: Anjelica Huston, Donal McCann, Helena Carroll, Cathleen Delaney, Rachael Dowling, Ingrid Craigie, Dan O'Herlihy, Marie Kean, Donal Donnelly, Sean McClory, Frank Patterson

Read about this film

Country: United States
Language: English
Color: Color
Runtime: 83 min.