Bartleby (Limited Edition) (Blu-ray)

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
• World premiere on Blu-ray
• World premiere on Blu-ray

Starring: Christine Dingle, Colin Jeavons, Hope Jackman, Raymond Mason, Robin Asquith, Thorley Walters, Tony Parkin, John McEnery, Paul Scofield, John Watson, Neville Barber, Rosalind Elliot

Director: Rodney Carr-Smith

Rating: PG13