Barry Lyndon

BARRY LYNDON:

A:

Screenplay

by

Stanley Kubrick

Based on the novel by

William Makepeace Thackeray

February 18, 1973

FADE IN:

EXT. PARK - DAY

Brief shot of duel.

RODERICK (V.O.)

My father, who was well-known to the

best circles in this kingdom under

the name of roaring Harry James, was

killed in a duel, when I was fifteen

years old.

EXT. GARDEN - DAY

Mrs. James, talking with a suitor; Roderick, at a

distance.

RODERICK (V.O.)

My mother, after her husband's

death, and her retirement, lived in

such a way as to defy slander. She

refused all offers of marriage,

declaring that she lived now for her

son only, and for the memory of her

departed saint.

EXT. STREET - DAY

Mother and son walking together.

RODERICK (V.O.)

My mother was the most beautiful

women of her day. But if she was

proud of her beauty, to do her

justice, she was still more proud of

her son, and has said a thousand

times to me that I was the

handsomest fellow in the world.

EXT. CHURCH - DAY

Mother and son entering church.

RODERICK (V.O.)

The good soul's pleasure was to

dress me; and on Sundays and

Holidays, I turned out in a velvet

coat with a silver-hilted sword by

my side, and a gold garter at my

knee as fine as any lord in the

land. As we walked to church on

Sundays, even the most envious souls

would allow that there was not a

prettier pair in the kingdom.

EXT. FIELD - DAY

A picnic. The Dugan family. Roderick.

RODERICK (V.O.)

My uncle's family consisted of ten

children, and one of them was the

cause of all my early troubles; this

was the belle of the family, my

cousin, Miss Dorothy Dugan, by name.

EXT. DUGAN MANOR HOUSE - DAY

A sprawling run-down Irish manor house with large garden,

stables, barn and farm.

Idealized images of Dorothy.

RODERICK (V.O.)

Ah! That first affair, how well one

remembers it! What a noble

discovery it is that the boy makes

when he finds himself actually and

truly in love with some one! A lady

who is skilled in dancing or singing

never can perfect herself without a

deal of study in private. So it is

with the dear creatures who are

skilled in coquetting. Dorothy, for

instance, was always practicing, and

she would take poor me to rehearse

her accomplishments upon...

Dorothy talking with the exciseman.

RODERICK (V.O.)

... or the exciseman, when he came

his rounds.

Dorothy talking to the steward.

RODERICK (V.O.)

... or the steward.

Dorothy sitting under a tree with the curate, reading a

book.

RODERICK (V.O.)

... or the poor curate.

Dorothy talking to the apothecary's lad.

RODERICK (V.O.)

... or the young apothecary's lad

from Dugan's Town whom I recollect

beating once for that very reason.

Roderick, fighting with apothecary's lad.

RODERICK (V.O.)

The torments of jealousy she made me

endure were horrible.

EXT. FIELD - DAY

Dorothy, like a greyhound released from days of

confinement, and given the freedom of the fields at last,

runs at top-speed, left and right, back and forth,

returning every moment to Roderick.

She runs and runs until she is out of breath, and then

laughs at the astonishment which keeps Roderick motionless

and staring at her.

After catching her breath, and wiping her forehead, she

challenges Roderick to a race.

RODERICK:

I accept, but I insist on a wager.

The loser must do whatever the

winner pleases.

DOROTHY:

Agreed.

RODERICK:

Do you see the gate at the end of

the field? The first to touch it

will be the winner.

They line up together and start on a count of three.

Dorothy uses all her strength, but Roderick holds back,

and Dorothy touches the gate five or six paces ahead of

him.

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