Party of Five Season 6

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1990's, 2000's, Jacob Smith, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Jeremy London, Lacey Chabert, Matthew Fox, Neve Campbell, Party of Five, Party of Five Season 6, Paula Devicq, Scott Grimes, Scott Wolf, Wilson Cruz

And here it is, my review of the final season of Party of Five. I must say its been quite an experience watching this family drama and observing the ups and downs of the Salinger Family. Here I am at the final stage, bidding farewell to the moving drama and characters I’ve come to feel for and enjoy the company of. Be warned, spoilers will follow in this take on the last season of Party of Five.

We rejoin the Salinger’s as Charlie(Matthew Fox) and Kirsten( Paula Devicq)are about to tie the knot. After numerous slip ups and hiccups, they finally marry, overcoming much adversity and obstacles that have stood in their way. Though Kirsten never thought she could have kids, with advances in research she decides it is time to start looking into IVF. It will be a trying time for them especially with young Owen(Jacob Smith) and baby Diana to look after, but they are willing to ride it out in the hopes of a positive outcome. Daphne is still around and has employed the help of nanny Victor(Wilson Cruz)to help with Diana when needed, he soon becomes a close family friend to the Salinger’s. Griffin(Jeremy London) is also very much a presence in their lives, particularly when he is involved in a motorbike accident and they cover his insurance to help him out. Bailey(Scott Wolf) is busying himself with things and not communicating with Sarah(Jennifer Love Hewitt). The strain on their relationship since she turned down his marriage proposal in Season 5 grows bigger and ultimately Sarah breaks off their romance. She decides that she wants to find herself and promptly leaves behind their relationship once and for all. As he feels he’s got no one to rely on or something to fix( plus an intense and ill advised rebound relationship), Bailey’s desire for alcohol comes back. Thankfully he is aware of it and decides to sort himself out rather than spiralling out of control like the last time. 
Julia(Neve Campbell) is offered a book deal that puts pressure on her to dig into her life and examine the painful times. She’s determined to do it, though it will prove difficult to assess all she has been through in such a short space of time. Claudia(Lacey Chabert) continues to grow into a mature young woman faced with the beckoning responsibilities and confusion of adulthood. She is nearly forced upon by a drunken classmate and it forces her to retreat into herself. It’s only with Julia’s help that she opens up again and tries to get back to her usual searching self again. In the end, the Salinger’s must decide how to move on with their lives and in what direction it is best to go in.

The main theme running through everything in this last season is moving on. Each of the Salinger’s has to contend with the possibilities of the future and what may lie ahead. More issues and moving moments ensue in this final season, rounding out the impressive arcs of the characters. There’s the peer pressure for Claudia, Bailey’s lapse into alcohol again and Julia’s journey of writing a memoir. Some story lines don’t quite add up or work(anything to really do with Daphne and Bailey’s relationship with a girl name Holly drags), but the vast majority of things compensate for that. Certain ones are hard to ignore, though we can still watch and be entertained by the various events the characters find themselves going through and their choices. What’s made the show one that I have enjoyed is the relatability. Every character is flawed and yet likeable in their own way and that’s been a consistent strength in Party of Fve during its run.

Major episodes that stand out are Griffin’s accident bringing everyone together, showing Party of Five at what it does best; emotional drama. The following episode gamely explores how the Salinger’s banding together to help Griffin in a way we are accustomed to seeing. One of the finest is titled What if and is a look at what life may have been like for the Salinger’s if their parents hadn’t died. It occurs following Bailey crashing his car and it examines the way in which lives can play out not according to plan or sometimes go another way. It’s a very strong episode that really reflects on how much they’ve all grown up in the years since their parent’s death and it’s neat seeing various ways that characters may have interacted if not for that one critical event. Season 6 may not be the best season of Party of Five( that honour goes to Season 3), but it signs off very credibly and emotionally in a way befitting of what’s come before it. What’s best about it is how it ties everything together and concludes the journeys of the Salinger’s in heartfelt fashion. The best episode is the last one that shows all of the characters letting go of the past, keeping their memories of good times and finally moving on with their lives. It’s a pleasing, emotional episode as Bailey, Julia and Claudia all accept scholarships, internships and a chance at college while Charlie, after reluctance, gives his blessing. What’s most moving is the selling of the Salinger home, which has experienced just about every event known to man. The episode finishes with the characters saying goodbye to the house and finally letting their wings fly. And if you don’t have tears in your eyes, there is seriously something wrong with you.

By this point, the main cast is completely in tune with the characters they’ve played for years and still doing a hell of a good job at. Matthew Fox is ace as the oldest Charlie, whose life has been eventful and a complete roller coaster just like his siblings. Fox has grown into the part and has shown the progression from slacker and selfish to mature and authoritative. He’s finally become someone selfless, hard-working, dependable and happy about it. Scott Wolf is fine once more, alternating between cheeky and fun loving and desperate to stay afloat. Bailey has beaten his demons before and with Wolf understanding it, that makes his recovery all the more well played and realistic. Neve Campbell’s mix of assurance and vulnerability is wisely kept intact with Julia as she matures and has to dig deep for some inspiration of what to do next in her life. In a similar vein, Lacey Chabert, with her combination of innocence and attitude, gets to the emotionally confused centre of Claudia in a time where she is confronting things she doesn’t want to, yet planning her future at the same time. Paula Devicq is supportive and caring as Charlie’s wife Kirsten, who more than anything would love a child of her own. It’s very nice seeing her and Charlie finally together for good. It’s been an extremely rough road for the pair along the way, but thankfully they have come through as they belong to each other and always have. Jeremy London appears as Griffin who is also looking to the future and grateful to the Salinger’s for everything they’ve done for him. Jennifer Love Hewitt, who appears only briefly before leaving is still effective as the conflicted Sarah, who needs some answers and assurance in her life. Scott Grimes returns again, playing Bailey’s best bud Will with a real enthusiasm and supportive nature in times of need for Bailey. Wilson Cruz is fine as the new addition of Victor, someone who is both fair and loyal to the family and little Jacob Smith is growing fast as the youngest sibling Owen.

A fine send off to a quality show that brought emotion and honesty to the issues faced by young people, Season 6 of Party of Five rounds things off in respectable and excellent fashion. I hope everyone has enjoyed my reviews of this show, as it’s been a ride of emotions for me and I’m happy I discovered Party of Five. I will definitely miss this show now that I’ve finished it, but I can bid farewell happily too.

Suddenly, Last Summer

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1950's, Elizabeth Taylor, Joseph L. Mankiewicz, Katharine Hepburn, Melodrama, Montgomery Clift, Suddenly Last Summer

The quite wonderful Crystal asked me to take part in a blogathon that paid tribute to the iconic Elizabeth Taylor. I jumped at the chance to do so and will review Suddenly, Last Summer.

Film Title

Suddenly, Last Summer

Director

Joseph L. Mankiewicz

Starring

• Elizabeth Taylor as Catherine Holly
• Katharine Hepburn as Violet Venable
• Montgomery Clift as Dr. John Cukrowicz

A typically heated and startling play by Tennessee Williams provide the basis for this shocking and highly dramatic movie. Suddenly, Last Summer is a go to for great dialogue, taboo subjects being brought up and fine acting from a starry cast.

1937 New Orleans; Dr. John Cukrowicz is a young surgeon who works at an asylum for the insane. He is growing restless with the crumbling building and conditions not being up to scratch for his work. The answer to securing more funds and much more accessible ways of doing his work comes one day with a letter. It is from Violet Venable, a wealthy widow who offers to help fund a new wing for the hospital. That is if he meets her to discuss something she wants in return. Encountering the ageing matriarch, he learns that her son Sebastian died suspiciously on a holiday last summer. Violet has a young, beautiful niece called Catherine Holly who is institutionalised following a trip to Europe the previous summer. On that trip was when the shocking death of Sebastian occurred and Catherine suffered a breakdown. Violet wants Cukrowicz to perform a lobotomy on Catherine, as she is secretly worried that Catherine has sinister information about her son that she was utterly devoted too. In return, she would supply him with the necessary things he requires for his practice. Cukrowicz is naturally skeptical about all of this, so he decides to meet Catherine himself.  Catherine, though emotionally disturbed by her cousin’s death, is not insane and Cukrowicz comes to see that she has blocked out the painful memories of the past but not completely forgotten it. He is determined to help her reveal what occurred with Sebastian on that fateful trip abroad. Due to her hysteria and in between sedation , it makes it difficult for him to push further with his investigation. But he is not going to stop and along with a determined Catherine, both want to get to the bottom of Catherine’s fragile mind and discover just what really happened to Sebastian last summer.

The talented Joseph L. Mankiewicz is the man behind the camera. He makes it a daring movie that isn’t scared to get close to taboo subject matter and high drama of a high factor. And on a stylistic level, the production design and cinematography conjure up the unusualness of this most startling tale, with many scenes tension filled and like something shocking is about to be revealed. Now I do believe that some of the subject matter covered is more alluded to than shown, probably because of the threat of censorship back in the day. But the issues that it mentions and hints at are there for us all to glean and be shocked by, which for me says that the movie still packs a punch. This is especially true in the emotions stakes, which is something that Tennessee Williams and his work often have. The stories are heated and button pushing with everything coming out in turns of torrid feeling. The Southern Gothic atmosphere and building tension are grand assets for Suddenly, Last Summer and ones it employs to bring out the melodrama of the piece to the highest order. The script isn’t afraid to push the boundaries of the time by focusing on latent homosexuality and attitudes towards mental health, ensuring that even a movie from the 50’s could tackle subjects(although a little watered down due to the powers that be) with dramatic prowess. Due to this we get some amazing monologues from characters, in particular Catherine as she has to dig into her subconscious and remember the shattering events of last summer. A flaw can be that the stage origins of the piece start to show in many instances. Yet the material and acting make up for that hiccup of not being expansive enough. And the mystery of what happened to Sebastian and whether or not Catherine will be able to put it together are brought out with the brass heavy and often very sinister score.

All the actors present get in touch with the overheated and highly dramatic stylings of the script, especially Taylor and Hepburn. Elizabeth Taylor is excellent as the traumatised and haunted Catherine, who is emotionally disturbed by the events of last summer. Taylor gets to be terrified and fearful of her own memory here, clearly tapping into the shock and horror of what the character has witnessed and just how much it has caused her to block out what really happened to her cousin. Catherine clearly knows something but it has been blocked out by her trauma. She’s many things from scared to often sensual to lucid and determined to uncover what’s being concealed. A lot is conveyed through darting eyes and body language to suggest the turmoil and terror Catherine feels, especially and most effectively in the stages in which everything comes out in the open. It’s a fine performance of shock, vulnerability, uncertainty and numerous angles from Taylor who really displays her sometimes overlooked talent here. Also fabulous is Katharine Hepburn’s sly and cracked Aunt. Hepburn’s marvellous voice and mannerisms are put to good use here; she’s like a broken piece of glass with her tremulous and fidgety switches in mood and behaviour. Aunt Violet is also very witty and acerbic, finding another side to a woman who is broken by her son’s death but intent on keeping what happened under wraps. The great Katharine Hepburn is another great entry to Suddenly, Last Summer’s strong acting bow. Montgomery Clift is the most subdued member of the cast but his sensitive doctor is still acted well. He is required to be the ears to both women’s stories and make up his own mind on what is the truth of the matter at hand. His role is not the most showy but it serves its purpose in a manner befitting the story.

A deliriously eye-opening slice of melodrama and Southern Gothic atmosphere, Suddenly, Last Summer is a very good adaptation of a Tennessee Williams play with grand acting and mystery.

What Are Your Favourite Olympic Movies?

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Blogging Questions, Olympics On Screen

With the Winter Olympics currently in swing, I thought I’d ask a movie question to do with the Olympics on screen. So which movies set around the Olympics and to do with sports pertaining to it? I have an inkling this post will garner some fine responses.

Victoria Season 1

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2010's, Adrian Schiller, Alex Jennings, Catherine Flemming, Daniela Holtz, David Oakes, Eve Myles, Ferdinand Kingsley, Jenna Coleman, Margaret Clunie, Nell Hudson, Nigel Lindsay, Paul Rhys, Peter Bowles, Rufus Sewell, Tom Hughes, Tommy Knight, Victoria, Victoria Season 1

The fabulous Maddy is doing a blogathon about the gems of the small screen and I just knew I had to take part. As I’m a sucker for historical dramas, I just knew I had to cover the first series of the elegant Victoria.

A lavish historical drama, depicting the ascension to the throne of Queen Victoria and the turbulence of her early reign, the first season of Victoria is a marvellous one that draws you in with its writing and acting.

England, 1837 and upon the death of William IV, his niece Victoria( Jenna Coleman) becomes Queen at the age of 18. She’s lead an extreme sheltered life up until this point, having grown up in Kensington Palace. Her time there has been almost that of a prisoner as her mother’s adviser Sir John Conroy(Paul Rhys) has attempted to dominate the young girl. He is an opportunistic man who has wrapped the Duchess( Catherine Flemming) around his little finger. With little in the way of guidance, Victoria is thrust into her role of Queen. While there are those who covet her position and think of her as a naive girl, with assistance and growing sense of strength, she succeeds at fulfilling her duties as monarch. There are difficulties along the way as she navigates power struggles, backbiting and doubts from courtiers and government. From this point on, she grows as a woman and ruler, destined to be remembered and revered. Still the path in front of her is a far from simple one as she takes residence in Buckingham Palace. There’s her dedication to Prime Minister Lord Melbourne(Rufus Sewell) that calls into question whether there is something improper going on. While there is some love that Victoria at one point thinks age feels( mainly one that resembles father and daughter approval), it’s a very platonic relationship between them. Her stubbornness to rearrange her ladies in waiting to make it seem she isn’t favouring one government over the other causes a scandal as well as other ways that she acts impulsively. Still trying to get a foothold into power is John Conroy, who employs dirty tactics to enable what he wants. Thankfully, Victoria manages to assert herself and banish him from her life as age gets more comfortable in her destiny. One of the biggest things is Victoria’s meeting and eventual marriage to Prince Albert(Tom Hughes). She chafes at first at the idea of wedding him as it is from the idea of her slippery uncle King Leopold of Belgium(Alex Jennings), but comes around and realises he is the man she loves. And downstairs contains just as much drama as upstairs in a highly entertaining historical series that will have you hooked.

Like most historical dramas, Victoria is a stunning feast for the eyes. The buildings and set design dazzle with colour and life, capturing the richness of palaces and country homes. Special mention must go to the costume department, who dress everyone in such finely designed clothes that you can’t take your eyes off. This is especially the case in what we see Victoria dressed in, which is nothing short of gorgeous. Just like in The Young Victoria, we are presented with a different perspective of the iconic Victoria. Here she is still very much a young woman who is alternately learning on the job and asserting her authority in the face of opposition. The writing, which covers the early years of her reign that aren’t quite as documented as the later ones, highlights the steps Victoria had to take to be seen as a strong and regal monarch. She was no ones puppet and slowly found her toughness to steel herself in a time that would bear her name. Many will say that Victoria is soapy and to an extent it is very eventful and dramatic, but that’s what makes it so compelling. There’s always something going on to keep the attention, both upstairs and downstairs. From humour and insight into palace life to the romance between Victoria and Albert, there’s no shortage of talking points here. In many aspects, Victoria resembles a mixture of Downton Abbey and Upstairs, Downstairs and is just as entertaining. It takes what made those shows great and runs with it, creating a series of fine drama and history. Not all of it may be historically accurate, but mind you what movies or television based on real events stick extremely loyally to what happened? A gloriously grand musical score backs up the pomp and ceremony of being a Queen and the romantic dramas experienced by the whole host of characters.

Jenna Coleman is an inspired choice to play the young monarch, taking her first steps as queen and learning quickly the responsibility of it. She has a playfulness and alternating will that showcases the often portrayed Victoria as full of life and passion, steel and vulnerability. Strength, girlishness and intelligence all come across in her work, twinned with sympathy for her as she adjusts to the sudden shift in her life. It’s safe to say Coleman makes for an ideal Victoria by making the role her own. There are plenty more stars in the big ensemble cast. Tom Hughes makes for a handsome and excellent Prince Albert. Our main knowledge of Albert is that his death completely devastated Victoria, so it’s nice to see a portrayal of the young man as one of many things. He’s smart yet awkward, reserved but very passionate and immensely forward-thinking. It is very good to witness more of an insight into Albert rather than just him as simply the Queen’s husband. He and Jenna Coleman share a very nice and gradually romantic chemistry that highlights the deep love that grows between Victoria and Albert. On hand for great charisma and understanding is Rufus Sewell as the skilled and supportive Lord Melbourne. Sewell plays him as a man who has been around for a long time and knows the score when it comes to the relationship between Crown and Parliament. His immense likability ensures we buy into the way he interacts with Victoria and steers her on her way to greatness.

A highly entertaining performance comes courtesy of Alex Jennings, who portrays Victoria’s uncle King Leopold of Belgium. He may be someone whose always finding ways to lurk about and influence matters to his own benefit, but damn if he doesn’t look like he’s having fun doing it. Catherine Flemming is easily influenced and distant from her daughter, hoping that it will be changed sometime in the future. David Oakes is on dashing ground as Albert’s womanizing brother Ernest, who enters into a flirtation with Harriett, Duchess of Sutherland (as played by the luscious Margaret Clunie )and close friend to the Queen. This beginning sows the seeds of more to come from these two. In roles of government, there is a disapproving Duke of Wellington and at the opposite end a slowly more respecting future Prime Minister Robert Peel. Both are played in style by Peter Bowles and Nigel Lindsay. In his short tenure in the show, Paul Rhys is appropriately slimy and scheming as John Conroy. So it is very satisfying when Victoria finally cuts him down to size and makes it possible for herself to be heard as a woman of power and influence. A lot of that is down to how well Paul Rhys plays the role that we dislike Conroy so intensely.

And the downstairs is well represented too. Daniela Holtz is endlessly severe but mainly well meaning playing the loyal Baroness. She’s often picky and constantly on the lookout for something to smooth over, but it’s often out of a desire to do well by Victoria. is a character who is both caring and staid, a balance that is well observed by Holtz. Nell Hudson is the pretty new dresser to the Queen named Skerrett, one hiding a secret and attempting to keep it fully under wraps. Eve Myles is effectively dowdy and reliable as the main ladies maid of the household who isn’t above a bit of grousing about conditions. With a flair and sense of amusement, Ferdinand Kingsley is the palace chef with an eye for Skerrett. One of my favourites characters is Penge, the Steward who is lazy and overly cynical. Portrayed by the watchable and fun Adrian Schiller displays of eye-rolling indignant and sarcastic comments add humour to the mix of things going on in Victoria. Tommy Knight plays his underling, who always has a smile on his face and impish charm to spare.

Sumptuous costume drama that effortlessly fills the Downton Abbey void in your life, Season 1 of Victoria delivers great historical drama goods with style that has me yearning for the second series.

Check Your Spam

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Comment Issue

It would appear that my comments are ending up in various people’s spam. So I will ask you all if you would check your spam sections to see whether my comments are there. Thanks for everything.

Viceroy’s House

Tags

2010's, Gillian Anderson, Gurinder Chadha, Historical Drama, Hugh Bonneville, Huma Qureshi, Manish Dayal, Michael Gambon, Om Puri, Simon Callow, Viceroy's House

Film Title

Viceroy’s House

Director

Gurinder Chadha

Starring

• Hugh Bonneville as Lord Louis Mountbatten
• Gillian Anderson as Lady Edwina Mountbatten
• Manish Dayal as Jeet
• Huma Qureshi as Aali
• Michael Gambon as Hastings Ismay
• Simon Callow as Cyril Radcliffe
• Om Puri as Ali

A bittersweet movie that takes on the final months of British rule in India and the following Partition, Viceroy’s House greatly finds complexity and emotion in what is undoubtedly a difficult part of history to present.

The year is 1947 and Lord Louis Mountbatten has been made Viceroy of India. He, along with his wife Edwina and daughter Pamela, make their way to the Viceroy’s House in Delhi where they will live. Mountbatten is to be the last Viceroy and is charged with overseeing the handing back of India from British rule. This is going to be far from a straightforward task as political issues and opposing stances on what should happen to India. The chief thing to  consider is whether India should be independent and still one nation or the move for Partition and the creation of Pakistan. Meanwhile, downstairs a star-crossed love story is developing between newly arrived valet Jeet and the pretty Aalia. Their union is complex due to the fact that he is Hindu and she is Muslim, though Jeet wants to overcome the odds and be with her. Aalia doesn’t want to disappoint her blind father who has already got a husband in mind for her, but she finds it difficult given her feelings. Back upstairs, and although he has to remain neutral over his opinion in what will happen, with oppositions appearing in what he sees, Mountbatten edges towards the idea of Partition. Yet with violence breaking out across India from different factions things come to a head as the prospect of Partition looms large.

At the helm of this movie is director Gurinder Chadha, who manages to tackle a very touchy subject and not make everything look all rosy. Viceroy’s House is obviously personal to Gurinder Chadha, as we find out in the credits that she had relatives who survived the events following Partition. Her greatest skill is how she presents how difficult and conflicted the process of change was; it was far from easy for anyone involved in it. There’s a refreshing bluntness to her movie that takes the time of the British Raj and views it through a more critical angle than most historical dramas. There’s no real romanticising of the time, instead it discovers more darkness and machinations than that. Yes it can seem like a more exotic version of Downton Abbey in the early stages( which to be honest isn’t a bad thing at all) but Viceroy’s House has much bigger fish to fry in its running time. The movie is careful not to demonize either the side that wanted to leave and form Pakistan and those who wanted Indpendent India. That’s what makes it interesting, there is no easy or straightforward answer to it all. The love story and various parts may have benefited from some expansion as the story it takes on is big and important on a lot of levels. The romance angle drags the film down somewhat, but there’s still some small virtues to be had despite the melodramatic treatment of this chapter. But by and large, Viceroy’s House succeeds in what it sets out to do. I’ve read some quibble that the film doesn’t quite play to the facts and simplifies events( I am no expert on the topic, so can’t really judge how soundly truthful the movie is), but even so it is very gripping viewing. On a visual level, this is a movie where the words sumptuous and gorgeous come out.

Hugh Bonneville is on familiar but fine ground as Lord Mountbatten. He has a way with projecting an air of dignity and class, tempered with uncertainty about the future. Mountbatten, in this incarnation is painted as a man attempting to make things as peaceful as possible but struggling with the inevitable fall out. Supporting him is a great Gillian Anderson as his open-minded wife, the strong woman behind the man. She exudes a witty yet caring demeanor that is a breath of fresh air in a time of unrest and Anderson rises to playing the part beautifully. Despite their story being the thing that sags in Viceroy’s House, Manish Dayal and Huma Qureshi still have a nice rapport with one another. Reliable British thespians Michael Gambon and Simon Callow are on hand for great supporting roles. Om Puri, in one of his last film appearances, projects a quiet sense of worth and heart despite having suffered in his life.

A movie that is deeply felt, despite a few shortcomings, Viceroy’s House dramatises it’s events in manner that thankfully doesn’t sweeten or brighten anything for the audience. Rather, it strives and largely succeeds at discovering depth in a time in history that has been somewhat ignored on screen and presented with both effectiveness and bluntness.

Blogs You Should Follow Part 19

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Blogs You Should Follow

Another round of delightful blogs you simply must follow and read.

John Rieber; This fun and adventurous site concerns itself with food and movies from all genres. John is an approachable and witty guy who is always great to converse with on most subjects.

Touch My Spine Book Reviews; Dani is an open book of information and lover of all things literature. Her blog is sure to get you in the reading habit. A truly unique individual. 

 

Who Are Your Movie and Television Crushes?

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Catherine Zeta-Jones, Crushes

I recently came across The Darling Buds of May airing again on television. And while I wasn’t born when the show was originally on, I remember as a kid upon seeing it developing a crush on a young Catherine Zeta-Jones. I mean just look at her;

And this got me thinking about movie and television crushes we have over the years. So who for you is a crush from movie or television? It can be a recent crush or one from years ago.

More of mine include;

• The four Charmed Ones in Charmed
• Buffy Summers
• Beyonce
• Jennifer Garner
• Jennifer Lopez
• Gemma Atkinson

R.I.P John Mahoney

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John Mahoney, Rest In Peace

I woke up this morning to the news that John Mahoney had passed away at the age of 77. For me he was a great actor, the role I’ll most remember him for is as Martin Crane in Frasier. As the blunt and sarcastic father of the title character, he would often steal the show with his witticisms. He will be dearly missed by so many and Frasier will live long in the hearts of fans everywhere.

Suffragette

Tags

2010's, Anne-Marie Duff, Ben Whishaw, Brendan Gleeson, Carey Mulligan, Drama, Helena Bonham Carter, Meryl Streep, Sarah Gavron, Suffragette

To celebrate 100 years of women getting the right to the vote in the UK, I decided to review the drama Suffragette.

Film Title

Suffragette

Director

Sarah Gavron

Starring

• Carey Mulligan as Maud Watts
• Helena Bonham Carter as Edith Ellyn
• Anne-Marie Duff as Violet Miller
• Brendan Gleeson as Steed
• Ben Whishaw as Sonny Watts
• Meryl Streep as Emmeline Pankhurst

A deftly done movie that blends fiction and truth, Suffragette charts the rise of the foot soldiers in the fight for women to receive the vote. Well acted and personal, it’s a movie that really strikes to the heart of the cause and what it meant for future generations.

The story begins in 1912, London. Women have for some time peacefully campaigned for the right to vote but their voices have gone unheard. We meet a working class laundress named Maud Watts. She’s had a tough life of abuse and turmoil from men , though she has some comfort at home with her husband Sonny and son George. One day, she is caught up in a demonstration by suffragettes who break all the windows in the West End. Although she doesn’t know it yet, this event and further ones will have a big impact on her. For more demonstrations and talk of women getting the vote takes place, also featuring brutality from the police and the authorities. Having been so downtrodden in her life, Maud gradually aligns herself with the local firebrand Edith Ellyn. After hearing a speech by Suffragette leader Emmeline Pankhurst, Maud is now fully involved with the cause. This in turn earns the scorn of those closest to her and her husband refuses to let her see their son, but these sacrifices stiffen Maud’s spine and further her desire to fight for the vote. For Maud and the women she marches with are determined to gain equality, no matter what the cost.

There’s a real urgency and immediacy to the direction of Sarah Gavron. She excellently showcases the shared strength of women and employs a camera that always seems to be moving. It captures the whirl of events and the gathering storm of demonstrations that the suffragettes take part in, from smashing windows to hunger strikes and blowing up postboxes. Abi Morgan’s script finely dramatizes the struggles of women at the time and how through actions, they were gearing up to have the same rights as men. The main story is fact-based here and is inspiring as well as important in what it depicts. Suffragette features fictional characters interspersed with real life figures in the movement, such as Emmeline Pankhurst and. The biggest message of Suffragette is how far these brave women were willing to go in order to get the vote and eventually equality. These were women from all walks of life who were united by a common goal and were prepared to go the extra mile to have their voices heard. What they went through was extraordinary and often brutal. We see women beaten, humiliated, force-fed and in the course of Suffragette. It’s not easy to watch, but that’s the idea. Women fighting for the right to vote went through a lot and this movie is a testament to them. This is an important story that needs to be told and in this very way. Alexandre Desplat is the person providing the building score that gains in momentum as events take flight and the fight begins to increase in steam and volume.

Carey Mulligan is the lead in Suffragette and boy does she deliver. She has this ability to be totally unaffected and filled with conviction without resorting to histrionics. Her face, that speaks so many volumes, is a marvel at depicting Maud’s shift from bystander to fighter and makes us feel every beat. Helena Bonham Carter shines as a leading member of the group and one of experience, while Anne-Marie Duff is fine as the forceful and agitator of the suffragettes. Then we have Brendan Gleeson as a police inspector caught in between sympathizing with the women and enforcing the law. Ben Whishaw, finding some depth and unpredictability than some parts he is given, displays both a caring attitude to his wife and then a deep coldness when he feels she has shamed him. It’s something I’m not used to seeing by Whishaw, but damn if he doesn’t do it well. Though I expected to see more of Meryl Streep as Emmeline Pankhurst, her cameo is satisfying and provides a rallying cry to Maud and a whole host of women.

An unflinching and inspiring movie that never sugar coats the brutality and resistance that was met by women campaigning for the right to vote, Suffragette has much to recommend in its reels.