The Dance of Death Reviews

Artillery captain Olivier and wife McEwan live on a small island off the coast of Sweden that is almost a fortress. Olivier is angry at everything: at never making major, at his wife, at the world. McEwan and Olivier argue and bicker. He is very ill but will not admit it to his wife or even to himself. Lang, McEwan's cousin, arrives on the island as quarantine officer for the encampment, and Olivier systematically seeks to ruin him financially, professionally and socially. Lang's son falls in love with Olivier's daughter, and the two youngsters see how sick the relationship is between their fathers. The daughter berates Olivier, and he suffers a stroke, falls to the floor, foaming at the mouth, and dies. Everyone hams it up under Giles's direction but guiltiest of all is Sir Laurence.