"The Dead" is above all a film about transience, made by a director who was by that time very much aware of his own transience. It would be the last film of John Huston.
It is also a film with a striking opposition. In the first 80% we see a traditional Christmas celebration in which all the guests know everything about all the other guests. In the last 20% Gabriel Conroy (Donal McCann) returns with his wife Gretta (Anjelica Huston) from the celebration to their hotel. In the hotelroom Gretta makes a confession to Gabriel about her first boyfriend. Gabriel comes to the conclusion that in fact he knows nothing about the person that is the most near and dear to him.
The film ends with a beautiful quote from the novel by James Joyce on which it is based.
"One by one, we're all becoming shades. Better to pass boldly into that other world, in the full glory of some passion, than fade and wither dismally with age".
And so we are back to transience again.
It is also a film with a striking opposition. In the first 80% we see a traditional Christmas celebration in which all the guests know everything about all the other guests. In the last 20% Gabriel Conroy (Donal McCann) returns with his wife Gretta (Anjelica Huston) from the celebration to their hotel. In the hotelroom Gretta makes a confession to Gabriel about her first boyfriend. Gabriel comes to the conclusion that in fact he knows nothing about the person that is the most near and dear to him.
The film ends with a beautiful quote from the novel by James Joyce on which it is based.
"One by one, we're all becoming shades. Better to pass boldly into that other world, in the full glory of some passion, than fade and wither dismally with age".
And so we are back to transience again.