Herakles

Intoxicated by his new Nobel Prize, the renowned American physicist Hoadley pays a visit to Athens, the remnants of his dysfunctional family in tow. Hoadley’s arrogance towards his absent, estranged son eerily mirrors that of the ancient Greek hero Herakles (Hercules) staggering home from his famous Twelve Labors. As Hoadley’s wife, daughter and her nanny venture out to explore the nearby antiquities, the parallels between the great myths of the past and the truths of the Hoadleys’ lives manifest themselves in strange ways. Written forty years ago and now nearly forgotten, Archibald MacLeish’s cautionary tale has lost none of its lyricism, topicality, power, or magic.