Adapted by French playwright Jean Anouilh from the Sophocles original, Antigone was originally produced onstage in 1942, while France was under German occupation, and the production is set in modern times. As the film begins, we discover that after the death of Oedipus, king of Thebes, his sons Polynices and Eteocles had agreed to share the responsibility of ruling Thebes. Unfortunately, this situation did not work out, resulting in a war that left both brothers dead and the throne being grabbed by their uncle, Creon (played by Fritz Weaver). Creon has buried Eteocles but has refused a burial for Polynices, ordering that his body be left as carrion for the birds; he further issues an order that anyone burying Polynices will be put to death. Antigone (Genevieve Bujold), sister of the two dead brothers, defies this order, and is brought before Creon. The bulk of the film consist of a long confrontation between the uncle and his niece, during which Creon tries to find why Antigone willingly and knowingly disobeyed him, and revealing that her brothers has unbeknownst to her spent years trying to kill her beloved father. Although stunned by these revelations, Antigone does not renounce her actions and is led to her death, though she no longer knows what she is dying for.
by Craig Butler
synopsis
