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      Under the Volcano

      R Released Jun 13, 1984 1h 49m Drama List
      74% 19 Reviews Tomatometer 71% 1,000+ Ratings Audience Score Geoffrey Firmin (Albert Finney) is a heavy-drinking British diplomat living in a Mexican town. As the local Day of the Dead celebration gets underway, Geoffrey drowns himself in the bottle, having cut himself off from his family, friends and job. When Geoffrey goes missing, his wife Yvonne (Jacqueline Bisset) convinces his half-brother Hugh (Anthony Andrews) to conduct a last-ditch search for the drunk, hoping that Hugh might be able to rescue her self-destructing husband. Read More Read Less Watch on Max Stream Now

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      Audience Reviews

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      Alec B Somewhat undercooked but Finney gives one of the all time great drunk performances. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/21/24 Full Review Ken R Under The Volcano – A Dramatic Excursion What might we have experienced if the demon drink hadn't taken hold of brilliant English wordsmith Malcolm Lowry? What might his planned epic: ‘The Voyage That Never Ends' have yielded to modern literature, had he lived beyond his short 47yrs? Veteran director John Huston's 1984 treatment gives us a chance to examine some of the literary genius (via a good adaption) that the world's been sadly left wanting for more. Under the Volcano is not exactly an easily accessed work in either availability or ease of entering its character's sometimes debauched world - after all, the story follows the final days in the life of an alcoholic. Lowry's writing style could be described as reminiscent of Eugene O'Neil, with touches of Shakespeare, and performances here do it full justice. Set and produced on location in Mexico around their celebration of the Day of the Dead this tends to set us up for the interesting, but tawdry journey in our central character's last few days. The year is 1938, and members of the Synarchrist Union (NRS) are murdering and robbing locals - within the approaching tide of Nazism. This sets off a series of dramatic events leading to conflict involving our protagonist and his wife. This would be Huston's third last film. Photographed by highly respected cinematographer Gabriel Figueroa (Night of the Iguana '64) with a music score by Alex North (Spartacus'60) There's a creatively designed main title sequence (By Huston's son Danny) that introduces us to the eerie setting - leading the viewer into a challenging watch that might well please serious lovers of art-house cinema. A nicely transferred DVD is available. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 06/05/23 Full Review TheFilmReviewer 1 Albert Finney is brilliant in John Huston's return to Southern America (after The Treasure of the Sierra Madre). Jacqueline Bisset and Anthony Andrews provide exceptional supporting performances, but the film is nearly controlled by Finney's tour de force. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 03/02/23 Full Review Audience Member Somewhat undercooked but Finney gives one of the all time great drunk performances. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/13/23 Full Review Isaiah Y Good direction by John Huston, but a great performance by Albert Finney Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/01/21 Full Review steve d This approach to the material makes it drag no matter how good the actors. Rated 2 out of 5 stars 03/30/23 Full Review Read all reviews Post a rating

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      Critics Reviews

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      Variety Staff Variety Although this voyage into self-destruction won't be to the taste of many, there will be few unmoved by Finney's towering performance as the tragic Britisher. Oct 23, 2007 Full Review Time Out Not for the purists, maybe, but the last half-hour, as Firmin plunges ever deeper into his self-created hell, leaves one shell-shocked. Jun 24, 2006 Full Review Roger Ebert Chicago Sun-Times The movie belongs to Finney, but mention must be made of Jacqueline Bisset as his wife and Anthony Andrews as his half-brother. Rated: 4/4 Oct 23, 2004 Full Review Matt Brunson Film Frenzy Malcolm Lowry’s cult novel had long been deemed “unfilmable,” yet that didn’t stop director John Huston from filming it anyway. Rated: 3.5/4 Jul 15, 2023 Full Review Joe Baltake Philadelphia Daily News Finney, on screen at all times, plays what amounts to a prolonged drunk scene. It Is a very studied, tightly drawn performance, full of self-revulsion. May 3, 2022 Full Review David Elliott Copley News Service There are nips of beauty and terror, but the movie starts small and then shrinks. Jan 30, 2019 Full Review Read all reviews

      Movie Info

      Synopsis Geoffrey Firmin (Albert Finney) is a heavy-drinking British diplomat living in a Mexican town. As the local Day of the Dead celebration gets underway, Geoffrey drowns himself in the bottle, having cut himself off from his family, friends and job. When Geoffrey goes missing, his wife Yvonne (Jacqueline Bisset) convinces his half-brother Hugh (Anthony Andrews) to conduct a last-ditch search for the drunk, hoping that Hugh might be able to rescue her self-destructing husband.
      Director
      John Huston
      Distributor
      Universal Pictures
      Rating
      R
      Genre
      Drama
      Original Language
      English
      Release Date (Theaters)
      Jun 13, 1984, Original
      Release Date (Streaming)
      Oct 15, 2020
      Runtime
      1h 49m
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