John Huston and the Dubliners

My review was written in August 1987 after watching the film in a Midtown Manhattan screening room.

"John Huston & the Dubliners" is a perceptive documentary on legendary director John Huston and his working methods, shot on the set of his latest film "The Dead" early this year.

Documaker Lilyan Sievenich (whose husband Chris Sievernich is an executive producer of "The Dead") succeeds in revealing, by interviews with Huston, his cast and crew members, plus verite footage of scenes being filmed and rehearsed, how huston gets exactly what he wants by gentle suggestions, cajoling and simply doing thing till they come out right. As one of the Irish actresses comments: "I've heard he's a tough director. When you're pleasing him, he's lovely".

At first looking frail and tired, fitted with tubes to a respirator throughout the filming, Huston is shown by Sievernich to be in absolute control of his set and material. He knows the James Joyce story and screenplay by his son (Tony Huston) backwards and forwards and watches his tv monitor like a hawk looking for improvements on the blocking, timing and readings of each take that's filmed. An actress notes: He expects you to come prepared. You're allowed to contribute. Obviously he's getting exactly what he wants, but you feel you're doing it". Huston comments: "I don't do storyboards. I very often let a scene develop. Each scene, within the emotional frame of the picture, is allowed to breathe.

When Sievernich presses Huston with a leading question or threatens to become overly analytical towards his work, he smoothly scoffs at uch notions and sets the discussion back on track in self-effacing fashion. As his film editor Roberto Silvi says: "He's one of the last gentlemen in this industry".

Docu gives glimpses of some moving scenes from "The Dead", including 78-year-old actress Cathleen Delaney singing a song, coached by Irish tenor Frank Patterson, who's also in the cast. Huston and others joke that the breaking of a wishbone after the film's centerpiece dinner constitutes the most action that occurs in "The Dead", but Huston points out: "My idea of action isn't the conventional car chase. Action can be in people's minds and thoughts -as long as they race, that constitutes action.

Pic would have benefited from superimposed titles identifying the interviewees. As is, it is an effective portrait of Huston at work, with0non theatrical and tv use indicated, as well as in conjunction with retrospective s of Huston's films.