Under the Volcano

"One cannot live without love."

1984 1h 52m EN

👍

6.6

SOLID

★6.6TMDB · 108

Drama

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Against a background of war breaking out in Europe and the Mexican fiesta Day of Death, we are taken through one day in the life of Geoffrey Firmin, a British consul living in alcoholic disrepair and obscurity in a small southern Mexican town in 1939. The consul's self-destructive behaviour, perhaps a metaphor for a menaced civilization, is a source of perplexity and sadness to his nomadic, idealistic half-brother, Hugh, and his ex-wife, Yvonne, who has returned with hopes of healing Geoffrey and their broken marriage.

“One cannot live without love.”

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Cast

Albert Finney
Geoffrey Firmin
Jacqueline Bisset
Yvonne Firmin
Anthony Andrews
Hugh Firmin
Ignacio López Tarso
Dr. Vigil
Katy Jurado
Senora Gregoria
James Villiers
Brit
Dawson Bray
Quincey
Carlos Riquelme
Bustamante

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: John Huston
Writers: Guy Gallo
Languages: Spanish, English
Countries: United States of America, Mexico

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

ERA

Did you know

42 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

Dialogue crosses 2 languages: Spanish, English.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

International production across 2 countries: United States of America, Mexico.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by John Huston, shot by Gabriel Figueroa. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Alex North. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Roberto Silvi shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Albert Finney and Jacqueline Bisset and Anthony Andrews carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "One cannot live without love.".

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

John Huston directs. Gabriel Figueroa behind the camera. Alex North scores. Roberto Silvi cuts. Produced in United States of America, Mexico. Dialogue in Spanish, English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

142 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
2Dialogue crosses 2 languages: Spanish, English.
3International production across 2 countries: United States of America, Mexico.
4Directed by John Huston, shot by Gabriel Figueroa. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
5Original score by Alex North. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
6Editor Roberto Silvi shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
7Albert Finney and Jacqueline Bisset and Anthony Andrews carry the top of the cast.
8Marketing tagline: "One cannot live without love.".
9IMDB entry: tt0088322 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
10Classified under 15 themes, including "depression", "mexico", "husband wife relationship", "bullfighting".