Chichester Cinema at New Park
Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man
Stephen Dedalus (Bosco Hogan) is a young man growing up in Dublin in the early part of the 20th Century. His search for knowledge and understanding, and the decline of his family's circumstances, lead him to revelations on the nature of art and politics. His personal renaissance makes him feel unwelcome in his own nation, and forces him to decide whether to leave and accept exile, or to stay and fight. Stephen has to overcome poverty, snobbery and a crushing religious culture to find some freedom for his literary and sexual expression.
A delicate, brooding adaptation of Joyce's slim novel, the well-chosen cast succeeds with the dialogue, largely taken directly from Joyce's words. Standouts include Stephen's father (T.P. McKeena) and a rousing interpretation of the famous description of Hell from John Gielgud. Many of the shots, superbly photographed in colour on location in Ireland, are suggested directly from the text as if it were a screenplay in code, creating a faithful if episodic structure.
USA · 
Ireland · 1977 · Joseph Strick · 92min
