The 1984 film "Under the Volcano" is based on the 1947 novel by Malcolm Lowry about an alcoholic former British diplomat living in Cuernavaca in 1938 and how he spends one day, November 1, 1938, the Mexican holiday "Day of the Dead." Geoffrey Firmin (Albert Finney) is the ex-diplomat, Yvonne Firmin (Jacqueline Bisset) is his ex-wife who visits him, and Hugh Firmin (Anthony Andrews) is his younger half-brother who also visits him. At a local amusement park Geoffrey takes a ride in an aerial "dive bomber" ride where he loses some silver peso coins onto the ground. Later Geoffrey, Yvonne, and Hugh take a bus trip to the country where they encounter the body of a man and some loose silver peso coins. On the bus they see a man handling the same coins.

The titular volcano is Popocatepetl which is located around 40 miles southeast of Mexico City and around 40 miles east of Cuernavaca, the setting for the film. Popocatepetl is an active volcano with an elevation around 17,700 feet (5,400 meters). The name means "smoking mountain." Geoffrey Firmin walks around the town of Cuernavaca which is decorated with skulls and skeletons for the "Day of the Dead" holiday. He is constantly drinking throughout the day.

He is accompanied by a stray dog for whom he buys a piece of meat. A bus arrives in Cuernavaca.

Yvonne Firmin steps off the bus and goes to Geoffrey's apartment. She immediately picks up a cat.

The cat is a Burmese domestic cat named "Oedipuss." Geoffrey attempts to have relations with his ex-wife but can't succeed. Geoffrey's younger brother Hugh arrives.

Hugh is Geoffrey's younger half brother and a close friend of Yvonne. He has returned from the Spanish Civil War where he was a reporter accompanying soldiers fighting for the leftist Spanish Republic. Geoffrey leaves a cantina and falls down on the street.

A fancy sports car almost runs over Geoffrey and the driver first gives him a lecture and then offers him some whiskey. The volcano appears, this time covered with snow and clouds.

Geoffrey, Yvonne, and Hugh visit a local amusement park.

The ride turns him upside down causing loose change to fall out of his pocket.

The coins are silver Mexico peso coins of the type in circulation from 1920 to 1945.

Silver, 34 mm, 16.68 gm

Some children pick up the money and give it to Geoffrey when he gets off the ride.

He gives some of the change back to the children. Geoffrey, Yvonne, and Hugh take a bus trip to the mountains.

The three spot a man on the bus wearing a pin with the logo of the National Synarchist Union.

The National Synarchist Union was a right-wing pro-Nazi group active in Mexico at the time. The name Synarchist meant "joint rule" and members were called "Sinarquistas." The bus passes a man lying on the ground and stops. The passengers get out and see that the man is dying.

Someone comments that the man was probably thrown by his horse.

The coins are also silver Mexico peso coins of the type in circulation from 1920 to 1945. The police arrive and the passengers return to the bus except for the Sinarquista who talks to a policeman and then returns to the bus holding some money, presumably taken from the dead man.

The Sinarquista man is handling money with bloody hands.

The man wipes off the coins with a handkerchief. Geoffrey separates from Yvonne and Hugh and walks up to a small building.

The El Farolito is a brothel and the name means "Little Lighthouse." The manager sends Geoffrey a girl and afterwards the manager demands more money.

Geoffrey picks up a machete lying on a table and threatens the men. A local policeman shoots Geoffrey who falls to the ground outside.

Geoffrey dies and the impassive volcano appears.

Albert Finney as Geoffrey Firmin
Jacqueline Bisset as Yvonne Firmin
Anthony Andrews as Hugh Firmin
Director: John Huston
Writers: Guy Gallo
Based on the 1947 novel Under the Volcano by Malcolm Lowry