Luck o’ the Irish

One of Stanley Kubrick's most underrated films, Barry Lyndon remains one of his least-seen works, despite being (of course) a technically brilliant achievement. Based on the novel by William Makepeace Thackeray, Barry Lyndon tells the story of an Irish rogue, Redmond Berry (played by Ryan O'Neal), who, through a series of exciting adventures, assumes the role of an English nobleman and proceeds to weasel his way up the social ladder. By the end, his lying and trickery have left him worse off than he started. Kubrick's attention to period detail and storytelling is extraordinary, and for those with the patience to sit through its three-hour running time, the film contains many rewards.
Wed., May 7, 7 p.m., 2008