I've ran these combinations and it has always shifted flawlessly:

A) Shimano 105 8sp brifters + 53/39 crankset + 105 FD + XT M772 long cage (SGS) + 11-32 8sp cogs
B) Shimano Dura Ace 9sp downtube shifters + 44/36 crankset + the same 105 FD + the same XT M772 + 11-32 9sp cogs

It was the late great Sheldon Brown that told me the brifters would work with the XT RD and large cassette. The 53/39 with a 12-23 cassette was killing me before the switch to A)