dir. John Huston
writ. Guy Gallo (screenplay), Malcolm Lowry (novel)
feat. Albert Finney, Jacqueline Bisset, Anthony Andrews
It's a wonder that Geoffrey Firmin (Finney) has survived as long as he has, rambling about Mexico, never far from a consoling bottle. As we find him, he has lost his position as British Consul to Mexico, a result more than a cause of his incessant drinking. As Geoffrey drifts drunkenly into his past, recounting military tales of heroics (and potential disgraces) to anyone within earshot, we never discover when he decided to drink himself under in this little corner of the world. We do find that an unfaithful wife, Yvonne (Bisset), has at least something to do with his condition, though her return and subsequent promises to rekindle the relationship doesn't remedy his situation.
While Geoffrey shows a glimmer of hope at the prospect of running away to a new land to restore the marriage, the booze and his embittered state bury him back again. Finney plays the perpetual drunk fluidly- clumsy, embarrassing, inept and dangerous both to himself and his companions - without turning morose, his severe moments coming with levity and a show of teeth paired with verbal wit. Geoffrey has given up and has no reason to mourn in advance.
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