Redmond Barry and Barry Lyndon, the Ecstacy and the Agony.

Rating: Null/10 (19 April 2013)

I had never seen this 1975 movie until now, as part of the 9-movie Kubrick DVD set recently released. It was made about 5 years after Ryan O'Neal achieved fame in "Love Story". It is a long movie, even by Kubrick standards, right at 3 hours, originally with an intermission. With narration throughout the movie, it is more like having the book read to you, with visual images and sufficient dialog added. And at the beginning we are told Redmond Barry will become Barry Lyndon, so as the movie unfolds I found myself watching and wondering when and how.
Overall I found I very enjoyable. It is mostly a serious subject but done with much humor and whimsy.
The story is set in the 18th century, and includes the Seven Years' War years of 1756 through 1763. It ends in 1789. The star is Ryan O'Neal as Irish teenager Redmond Barry, probably in the early 1750s, when his dad died in a duel. Young Redmond unfortunately was infatuated with his slightly older cousin and, to keep her from marrying an English officer, challenged the man to a duel with pistols. Redmond apparently killed the officer and, for his protection was given a horse and some money and told to disappear to Dublin. Only much later did he find out it was a ruse, his pistol did not have a lead ball, and the officer lived and married his cousin.
But all of this set Redmond onto a whole new trajectory, becoming enlisted in the British army to fight France, then as a deserter became part of the Prussian army. All the while learning the ways of the world. Unfortunately he learned to survive by trickery and gambling.
As he grew older he had few options for leading a successful life but became attracted to the young wife of an older, crippled nobleman. When he died, Redmond married the Lady Lyndon and he took the name Barry Lyndon. This never set well with the son of the deceased man, something which would eventually cause Barry his own demise.