Stanley Kubrick's 'Barry Lyndon'
Title 1 (3) (2:25-10:52) (8:32) Stop after Barry leaves Nora in the forest
Summary
Barry becomes infatuated with his cousin, Nora Brady, who is herself attracted to a British Army captain named John Quin. She upsets Barry by dancing with the captain 5 times. She considers Barry a boy and the Capt. a man. Therefore, in order to earn the hand of Nora, Barry vows to challenge him for it.
Analysis
In this scene, Barry learns that in order to get the things he wants—in this case, love— he has to earn respect by challenging those who have it in the honorable fashion at that time which is to a duel. His father died in a duel over horses, but his death was honorable.
footnote (s): from wikipedia
Title 2 (7) (19:26-30:44) (11:18) Stop after Barry shoots John Quin
Summary
To earn honor and respect and the exclusive right to his cousin, Nora Brady, Barry challenges Capt. John Quin to a pistol duel and wins.
Analysis
In challenging Capt. Quin to a duel, and doing so honorably, Barry earns the respect of his second, Jack Grogan.
footnote (s): from Howstuffworks at http://people.howstuffworks.com/duel1.htm
A second was a friend who came along to help prepare your weapons, make sure the other duelist wasn't going to ambush you and make sure the rules of the duel were being followed. Seconds were also supposed to try to defuse the situation that led to the duel by getting an apology from one party or another.
Title 3 (11) (33:46-43:39) (9:53) Stop after Jack Grogan offers Barry money (shillings)
Summary
Barry turns to Army service to earn distinction. Once again, he is reunited with Jack Grogan, his 2nd in his duel with Capt. John Quin who tells him that he didn’t kill Capt. Quin who went on to marry Nora Brady with whom he has children. Being that there was so much to be gained from their sister marrying the wealthy captain, Nora’s brothers loaded tow in Barry’s pistol which knocked Capt. Quin out but didn’t kill him. In other words, the duel was set up to get Barry to leave
Analysis
With Nora Brady marrying John Quin, a coward, Barry learns that money means more than courage and honor when it comes to love. This experience plays significantly in his decision to marry Countess Lyndon later in the film.
Title 4 (15) (47:39-58:06) (10:27) Stop after Barry leaves woman’s house
Summary
Barry’s friend, Captain Jack Grogan, is killed in a skirmish with a rearguard of the French army and Barry decides that military service is not for him and deserts, stealing the uniform, identity papers, and horse of a British officer.
Enroute to Holland, a neutral zone in the war, Barry stays with a woman for several days. She has a small boy named Peter and her husband is away serving in the war. She and Barry have a love affair, both very lonely.
Analysis
Barry taking the name, uniform, and horse of the gay officer foreshadows him taking the name and property of Charles Lyndon later in the film. Staying with the wife of the soldier foreshadows Barry taking the wife of Charles Lyndon, also.
Title 5 (20) (1:07:15-1:22:46) (15:31) Stop after Barry tells Potzdorf he believes Chevalier won the money fairly
Summary
Once again, Barry earns distinction. After deserting the British Army, he is detained by and forced to serve as a spy for the Prussian Army who sends him to Austria to get information on Chevalier Balibari who is suspected of being an Irishman impersonating as a Frenchman.
Analysis
Again, the idea of pretending to be someone else foretells Barry taking on the name of Lyndon. In this scene, he takes on a false identity to go into the service of Chevalier Balibari, who himself, is pretending to be someone he isn’t. Also, Barry continues to earn honor with his own name by saving Potzdorf’s life.
Gambling is used to describe the role chance and opportunity has played in Barry’s success. Chance and opportunity can work out for the worse or the better and so far it has worked out for the better with Barry and will continue to do so. However, luck at the tables, as in life, changes if you stay long enough.
footnote (s): from wikipedia
Frederick the Great (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederick_the_Great#Sexuality)
Recent major biographers of Frederick, including Alings, Blanning, Burgdorf and Hahn, are unequivocal that he was predominantly homosexual, and that his sexuality was central to his life and character.
Title 6 (24) (1:24:22-1:33:43) (9:21) Stop after narrator introduces Bullingdon
Summary
Barry, disguised as Chevalier Balibari, is kicked out of Austria after Balibari refuses to forgive a gambling debt of the prince of Tubingen who is involved in a love affair with Frederick the Great. The prince had refused to pay his gambling bill and Potzdorf feared that the Chevalier might challenge the prince to a duel to force repayment. Therefore, to preclude the possibility of the king losing his lover, Potzdorf decides to exile Chevalier. Barry sets sights on Countess Lyndon.
Analysis
Again, Barry profits from chance and pretending to be somebody else as the Prussians unknowingly escort him to Saxony and freedom. Chance, or gambling, sets the tone for the 2nd act of this film and how Barry chooses to get a name for himself unlike the 1st act of the film where he does things to earn that good name.
footnote (s): from wikipedia
The Friedrich d'or (French doré "goldener Friedrich (II.)") was a Prussian gold coin (pistole) nominally worth 5 silver Prussian Reichsthalers. It was used from 1741 to 1855 and since it was a silver standard regular issue coin and trade coin at this time, it had a different purpose to domestic silver coinage or Kurantgeld, the so-called window on the stock exchanges.
Title 7 (27) (1:39:01-1:46:04) (7:03) Stop after Barry blows smoke in the countess’ face
Summary
Barry sets his sights on a wealthy countess married to Charles Lyndon. Barry and the countess fall in love and begin a courtship. Charles, her husband, is aware of the courtship and suffers a heart attack. Barry marries the countess and takes the name of her late husband.
Analysis
footnote: Wikipedia
Title 8 (32) (1:50:17-1:56:29) (6:12) Stop after Barry whips Bullingdon
Summary
Barry enjoying married life and the name of Lyndon after marrying the countess. The countess’ son doesn’t like Barry and tells his mother that she is insulting his father’s name. Barry gives the boy 6 lashes
Analysis
Success is having a negative effect on Barry. He has the name of an honorable man but not the respect of this name’s former owner. Burlington sees Barry as a faker and Barry’s methods for earring respect have been corrupted by gambling. In the beginning, he looked for great deeds as a way to make his name but now he is an opportunist
footnote: Wikipedia
Title 9 (35) (2:00:11-2:07:39) (7:28) Stop after “Decorators and cooks” as Barry is paying the bills
Summary
Barry’s mother tells him to get a title to protect himself in case something happens to the countess and everything goes to her son Charles who won’t give Barry a cent. Barry consults a Barrister who is close to the monarchy and who promises to help Barry get a title. From this point, Barry mingles in the proper circles, accompanies this barrister to all the important parties, lavishes his wife’s wealth on land, paying 10 times its value, purchases for large sums worthless paintings and other articles at ruinous prices.
Analysis
The means he takes to get a title in this half of the film are the opposite of the means he sets forth to make a name for himself in the 1st half of the film. The foreshadowing of this scene takes place when Barry deserts the British Army and inadvertently crosses Paths with the Prussian company led by Captain Potzdorf. Then, Barry—hoping to make his way to Holland, a neutral territory—lies to Potzdorf about his identity and his destination which he claims is Bremen. Potzdorf, then, informs Barry—whose stolen identity was Fakeham—that he is heading in the WRONG DIRECTION. This statement by Potzdorf foreshadows Barry’s downfall in seeking to buy a good name, something that can’t be purchased but that he was on the road to earning rightfully until his meeting with Chevalier Balibari and marrying the widow of the man whose name he’d stolen
Title 10 (36) (2:07:55-2:19:39) (11:46) Stop at Barry and dog in boat
Summary
Barry gives Charles Lyndon Jr. 6 lashes for spanking Bryan, Barry’s own son, who takes advantage of the fact that he is favored by his father. Barry invites a large number of his influential friends over to hear his wife play the piano with Reverend Runt accompanying her on the flute. Charles interrupts this performance walking in barefoot and holding the hand of his stepbrother wearing his older brother’s large shoes. Charles asks his mother if Bryan fits his shoes better. Then, he addresses Barry, accusing him of infidelity and squandering his dead father’s wealth. Barry loses his temper and beats Charles in front of everyone. The brutal attack alienates all of Barry’s guests who have nothing to do with him anymore
Analysis
With all of the work put into getting a title, it takes just 1 mistake to ruin his name. Now, instead of honor there is only dishonor. All of the creditors bill him at once—this means that he is reaping everything he has sown from cheating on his wife, dating her while she was still with her husband,etc.
Title 11 (42) (2:38:02-2:50:56) (12:54) Stop after Bullingdon shoots Barry
Summary
Bullingdon returns to the Hackton Estate after running away following his horrible beating at the hands of his stepfather. Through Reverend Runt and Graham, the family accountant, Bullindon knows that the estate is in shambles. He seeks to avenge the beating by Barry and challenges him to a pistol duel. But when Bullingdon’s gun goes off accidentally and fires the shot into the ground, he has to accept Barry’s shot. Barry, however, deliberately fires his gun towards the ground, unable to shoot Bullingdon who gets another try, this time shooting Barry’s leg. Barry is taken to a nearby Inn where a doctor tells him that he has to get the leg amputated
Analysis
Having ruined his reputation by beating his stepson, Barry rediscovers his sense of honor by sparing the life of his stepson who, in the faces of those witnessing the duel between he and Barry, loses his own chance at honor by not reciprocating the mercy Barry shows him. Barry loses his leg, his wife, and claim to the Hackton estate but, in a sense, he has regained the honor he lost.
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