Under the Volcano (Criterion): Finney erupts

Reviewer: Walt Opie
Rating (out of 5): ***

The Criterion Collection recently released a double-disc special edition set of the 1984 John Huston film Under the Volcano, starring Albert Finney as an alcoholic ex-British consul named Geoffrey Firmin. Firmin loses his official post in Mexico and is drowning himself in alcohol as he laments the loss of his straying wife Yvonne (Jacqueline Bisset), who suddenly reappears before him at a Mexican cafe to witness what will be his last day--on the Day of the Dead, no less. Finney was nominated for an Academy Award for his portrayal of writer Malcolm Lowry's tragic figure (the film is based on Lowry's novel of the same title), and legendary director Huston (The Maltese Falcon, Treasure of the Sierra Madre) remarked of Finney here, "I think it's the finest performance I've ever witnessed, let alone directed."

The other star of this newly restored print is Mexico itself, beautifully captured by director of photography Gabriel Figueroa, a native of Mexico City who also worked with such directors as John Ford and Luis Bunuel. Figuerosa had worked with Huston previously as well, on his 1964 film The Night of the Iguana, which was also shot in Mexico. The vivid colors and ample sunlight of the country add a rich backdrop to this rather morose tale of incurable alcoholic obsession and what appears to be the final ruination of a once-formidable man.

Under the Volcano was Huston's 34th feature film, and he would only make two more before his death (including The Dead, based on a story by James Joyce). Ultimately, this is a fairly coherent film about a nearly incoherent man living a rather incoherent life who will soon die an entirely incoherent death (late one night in the rain). His half-brother Hugh (Anthony Andrews) has at some point apparently slept with the consul's wife, and her ex-husband knows about this, but her love apparently remains with the consul. We find ourselves hoping they will somehow repair their broken marriage and this hope provides the film's only real suspense. There is a lovely scene where the former husband and wife climb into bed together in a last attempt to reignite the passion that once held them together, to less than triumphant results.

The main disc also provides some short but noteworthy audio commentary by Huston's actor son Danny Huston, who was allowed to direct the title sequence at a young age, as well as (only for selected scenes) by screenwriter Guy Gallo and several of the producers. The valuable bonus disc includes a recent video interview with Bisset, an hour-long documentary by Gary Conklin on the making of the film with vintage footage of Huston in the director's chair, and a rather exhaustive 99-minute 1976 documentary on writer Lowry narrated by none other than Richard Burton.