Debaixo do Vulcão (1984)

A day in the life of a self-destructive British consul in Mexico on the eve of World War II.

Director:

John Huston

Writers:

Malcolm Lowry (novel), Guy Gallo (screenplay)

Stars:

Albert Finney, Jacqueline Bisset, Anthony Andrews

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 3 wins & 5 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Albert Finney	...	Geoffrey Firmin
Jacqueline Bisset	...	Yvonne Firmin
Anthony Andrews	...	Hugh Firmin
Ignacio López Tarso	...	Dr. Vigil (as Ignacio Lopez Tarzo)
Katy Jurado	...	Senora Gregoria
James Villiers	...	Brit
Dawson Bray	...	Quincey
Carlos Riquelme	...	Bustamante
Jim McCarthy	...	Gringo
José René Ruiz	...	Dwarf (as Rene Ruiz 'Tun-Tun')
Eleazar Garcia Jr.	...	Chief of Gardens
Salvador Sánchez	...	Chief of Stockyards (as Salvador Sanchez)
Sergio Calderón	...	Chief of Municipality (as Sergio Calderon)
Araceli Ladewuen Castelun	...	Maria
Emilio Fernández	...	Diosdado (as Emilio Fernandez)

Storyline

Against a background of war breaking out in Europe and the Mexican fiesta Day of Death, we are taken through one day in the life of Geoffrey Firmin, a British consul living in alcoholic disrepair and obscurity in a small southern Mexican town in 1939. The Consul's self-destructive behaviour, perhaps a metaphor for a menaced civilization, is a source of perplexity and sadness to his nomadic, idealistic half-brother, Hugh, and his ex-wife, Yvonne, who has returned with hopes of healing Geoffrey and their broken marriage.

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Plot Keywords:

one day time span | self destructiveness | male frontal nudity | male nudity | pubic hair | 

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Taglines:

No se puede vivir sin amar. (One cannot live without love.)

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

M/12

Did You Know?

Trivia

This film is part of the Criterion Collection, spine #410.

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Goofs

As the film opens, Finney is walking through a cemetery where villagers are decorating graves on the Day of The Dead. He passes a dark-haired man with a mustache reaching for a bottle of tequila being handed to him by another villager. Several yards farther on, Finney passes the same man again, who is now drinking from the bottle.

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Quotes

Geoffrey Firmin: Hugh! Where are you? Where can the young pup be? Hugh! An emissary calls! The Consul of Cuckold's Haven! Come and give the wife a welcome back kiss!

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Connections

Referenced in Wogan: Episode #3.2 (1984)

User Reviews

It does something

An ex-colleague of mine once recommended this movie to me. When it was released in the cinemas he watched it several times, and he said that if i really was a movie freak, this was something i had to see. So, when a few weeks ago this movie was shown on TV in The Netherlands, i did. When i watched it i didn't know where the story was going, but when it ended and a week after it, it didn't get out of my head. After that week when i was doubting about it was a good or an average movie i ended up with the idea that it really is something special. Albert Finney is really great in this picture as an alcoholic (better than Nicolas Cage in "Leaving Las Vegas") and i totally agree with my ex-colleague that he is one of his favourite actors. It is not a movie for the masses, but when you are a movie-fanatic it is a must.

Details

Official Sites:

Criterion [United States] Official site

Country:

Mexico USA

Language:

English Spanish

Release Date:

31 August 1984 (Portugal)

Also Known As:

Debaixo do Vulcão

Filming Locations:

Acapantzingo, Morelos, Mexico

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$31,000, 17 June 1984

Gross USA:

$2,556,800

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$2,556,800

Company Credits

Production Co:

Conacite Uno, Ithaca

Technical Specs

Runtime:

112 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1