About Under the Volcano

'Under the Volcano' is a 1984 film directed by John Huston. The screenplay, by Guy Gallo, is based on the semi-autobiographical novel of the same name by Malcolm Lowry.

The plot focuses on the final day, Day of the Dead, in the life of British consul Geoffrey Firmin, a disgraced diplomat living in a small Mexican town in 1939. Struggling with alcoholism and a tormented past, he obsessively seeks to maintain dignity in the midst of personal crisis and political turmoil. This poignant narrative unfolds against the backdrop of growing global tension on the eve of World War II.

Making / Production

Huston was drawn to Lowry's novel, believing it intimately depicted the human condition's despair. Despite its reputation as a "unfilmable" novel, Huston and Gallo managed to transfer its literary essence successfully onto screen. Mexican locations were precisely chosen to create the era's realistic atmosphere.

Actors

• Albert Finney as Geoffrey Firmin - An intense, captivating performance by Finney, embodying the tormented alcoholic consul.
• Jacqueline Bisset as Yvonne Firmin - Bisset delivers a sensitive portrayal of Geoffrey's estranged ex-wife desperate to save him.
• Anthony Andrews as Hugh Firmin - Andrews plays Geoffrey's half-brother, a journalist who has complicated relationships with his brother and Yvonne.

Trivia / Interesting Facts

• The novel upon which the film is based is considered one of the greatest 20th-century English novels.
• The screenplay was written in just six weeks.
• Director John Huston was 77 years old when he made this film.

Awards

The film got significant recognition. Albert Finney's powerful performance won him a nomination for Best Actor at the Academy Awards and BAFTA awards.

Quotes

• "How, unless you drink as I do, could you hope to understand the beauty of an old Indian woman playing dominoes with a chicken?"
• "Just don’t forget me entirely, that’s all I ask."
  

Music, Soundtrack

• The hauntingly beautiful score for 'Under the Volcano' was composed by Alex North.
• North utilised traditional Mexican folk music to underscore the film’s setting and tone.