DESCRIPTION

Based on Herman Melville’s celebrated short story ‘Bartleby, the Scrivener: A Story of Wall Street’, Anthony Friedmann’s unduly neglected film relocates the action to 1970s London and stars Oscar-winner Paul Scofield (A Man for All Seasons), John McEnery (Franco Zeffirelli’s Romeo and Juliet), and Thorley Walters (Hammer’s The Phantom of the Opera).

 

When a young office clerk, Bartleby (McEnery), becomes increasingly defeated by the pressures of modern life, he gradually opts out of all forms of social engagement and his frustrated employer (Scofield) does all he can to stop him from withdrawing entirely into his own world.

 

Superbly acted and exquisitely photographed, Bartleby is a rare gem of 1970s British cinema. Presented in a brand new restoration from a 4K scan of the original negative, this wry and complex drama makes its worldwide debut on Blu-ray accompanied by a range of new and archival extra features.

 

INDICATOR LIMITED EDITION BLU-RAY SPECIAL FEATURES:

 

New restoration from a 4K scan of the original negative by Powerhouse Films

Original mono audio

Interview with writer-director Anthony Friedmann (2022)

Beat the Bomber (1975): anti-terrorism documentary short directed by Friedmann

Bartleby’s London (2022): an exploration of Bartleby’s locations

Bartleby (2017): stop-motion animation version of the Melville story, directed by Kristen Kee and Laura Naylor

Behind-the-scenes footage from the making of Bartleby (2017)

Trailers for Bartleby (2017)

Image galleries: promotional and publicity material

English subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing

Limited edition exclusive booklet featuring a new essay by Jeff Billington, archival interviews with star Paul Scofield and director Anthony Friedmann, an overview of contemporary critical responses, and film credits

World premiere on Blu-ray