A Room with a View

Tags

1980's, A Room with a View, Daniel Day-Lewis, Denholm Elliott, Helena Bonham Carter, James Ivory, Judi Dench, Julian Sands, Maggie Smith, Merchant Ivory, Period Drama, Romance, Rupert Graves, Simon Callow

Film Title

A Room with a View

Director

James Ivory

Starring

• Helena Bonham Carter as Lucy Honeychurch
• Julian Sands as George Emerson
• Maggie Smith as Charlotte Bartlett
• Daniel Day-Lewis as Cecil Vyse
• Denholm Elliott as Mr. Emerson
• Simon Callow as The Reverend Mr. Beebe
• Judi Dench as Eleanor Lavish
• Rupert Graves as Freddy Honeychurch

The film that established Merchant Ivory as excellent purveyors of the period drama and brought them to international acclaim, A Room with a View is a marvellously witty, engaging and romantic story of a young girl’s awakening in a restrictive society. Based on the novel by E.M. Forster, A Room with a View is a romantic period drama at its best, complete with wonderful scenery, cracking script and committed work from the cast.

The setting is the Edwardian Era, which is restrictive and stifling. Young and pretty Lucy Honeychurch is on holiday in Florence with her much older cousin Charlotte Bartlett, who acts as a chaperon. Charlotte is a fussy women who believes in abiding by rules to a strict degree and so keeps Lucy on a tight leash. Lucy herself is a repressed young girl who doesn’t know a lot about the world and is quite impressionable. While in Florence, the two meet a whole host of different characters; most prominently the free-thinking Mr Emerson and his quiet, thoughtful son George. There is an immediate spark between George and Lucy, but because of the conventions of the time, Lucy puts these feelings off, due to her naivety and the buttoned-up nature of the society she has been brought up in. Eventually, George expresses his love to her by passionately kissing her while everyone is exploring the Italian countryside. Uptight Charlotte witnesses this act and whisks Lucy back to England as quickly as she can; warning her that she shouldn’t speak about her actions to anyone. But reluctant Lucy finds it hard to forget her encounter with George, as it has left a deep mark on her. Later, back in England, Lucy has put the memory of Florence to the back of her mind and is engaged to the snobbish and priggish Cecil Vyse, who views most things and people with contempt. Although not passionately in love with the disagreeable Cecil, Lucy is engaged as it is deemed a socially acceptable match.  Things appear to be going swimmingly, until it is revealed that the new tenants moving into nearby house are Mr. Emerson and George, who carries a torch for Lucy still from Florence. Lucy is put into a tailspin over what to do and must choose between her upbringing and her heart. But which will Lucy choose as she begins to awaken to the fact that rules and stifling society aren’t everything in life?

The combination of director James Ivory, producer Ismail Merchant and screenwriter Ruth Prawer Jhabvala is an inspired one that brings Forster’s tale of buried passions beginning to surface and the stiff upper lip of the Edwardian Era to life. The direction from James Ivory is paced with a deliberate but effective pace, that charts Lucy’s blossoming into a woman and the decision that only she can make. I admired how Ivory was not in a rush to tell the story and made it thoroughly engaging throughout. He also makes stunning use of both the English countryside and the beauty and freedom of Florence, which if anything act as ends of the spectrum in terms of emotion on display. In England, emotions are kept carefully under wraps by a society that prides itself on rigid conventions(embodied the most by Charlotte), while the scenes in Florence have emotions reaching a crescendo of passion and expression. Adapting the story from the source, Prawer Jhabvala’s witty and insightful script(which garnered an Oscar) splendidly pokes fun at the stuffiness of Edwardian times, while balancing the romance at the heart of it that provides the catalyst for Lucy to open up and feel passion instead of forceful rules. Operatic arias and wistful strings on the score provide A Room with a View with a blithely enjoyable, romantic and delightful quality. The costume design is simply beautiful and authentic in equal measure, down to the last hem and frill that deservedly collected an Oscar. Also winning an Oscar was the art direction, which is also a marvel to behold for the splendour of it.

Assembled and all well provided for by the source material, the cast is utterly splendid down to the smallest role. In her breakthrough role, Helena Bonham Carter is simply lovely and wonderful as Lucy. Imbuing her with a girlish temperament and slowly evolving passion that is awoken by George, Bonham Carter succeeds in bringing about Lucy’s subtle change to life and she does it with graceful aplomb. As she is the beating heart of the story the character of Lucy needed someone to make an indelible image and boy did Helena Bonham Carter deliver it and then some. Julian Sands is quiet yet full of soulful passion as George, who serves as the intrusion into Lucy’s restricted world and the one who challenges her. The always excellent and dependable Maggie Smith has fun with the part of Charlotte, who is obstinate in her belief of following the rules society had for everyone. Making a huge impression is the ever versatile Daniel Day-Lewis, who essays the role of contemptible Cecil. With a smarmy accent, dissatisfaction with everything and sneering glances, Day-Lewis crafts an effortless portrait of a privileged individual, stuck on his high horse and unable to get off. Denholm Elliott as the garrulous Mr. Emerson, as well as Simon Callow as a gossipy Reverend are fine additions to a distinguished cast. Also there is the reliable Judi Dench; exuding imagination and gleeful intelligence as the romance author in Florence and Rupert Graves, all puppy eyes and enthusiasm as Lucy’s playful brother Freddy.

Wonderfully rendered with a feeling for the time in which it is set and the examination of both cultures clashing, following ones heart and archaic society, A Room with a View is a thoroughly delightful film.

 

Nine

Tags

2000's, Daniel Day-Lewis, Fergie, Judi Dench, Kate Hudson, Marion Cotillard, Musical, Nicole Kidman, Nine, Penélope Cruz, Rob Marshall, Sophia Loren

Film Title

Nine

Director

Rob Marshall

Starring

• Daniel Day-Lewis as Guido Contini
• Marion Cotillard as Luisa Contini
• Penélope Cruz as Carla Albanese
• Judi Dench as Lilli La Fleur
• Fergie as Saraghina
• Nicole Kidman as Claudia Jenssen
• Kate Hudson as Stephanie
• Sophia Loren as Mamma

Adapted from the musical play of the same name and inspired by Fellini’s 8 1/2, Nine is a visually lovely musical with some great sequences but the lack of emotional connection doesn’t involve. It is a flawed movie, but there are certain points to praise, even if it adds up to less than the sum of its parts.

In 1960’s Italy, Guido Contini is a well renowned  film director. As he approaches middle age, he is starting to develop writer’s block and his relationships with the women in his life further complicate the matter. With a script not written and producers hounding him to make a hit movie, he begins to struggle whilst juggling the many female influences on him and his own personal torment. The women include his neglected wife Luisa; his fiery yet unstable mistress Carla Albanese; his confidant and costume designer Lilli La Fleur; a prostitute who Guido met as a child named Saraghina; his muse and leading lady Claudia Jenssen; a Vogue reporter Stephanie and the memory of his Mamma. Through musical numbers that play out as fantasies in Guido’s head, we see the turmoil of both him and the many women who surround him, some of these numbers come off better than others.

The whole concept of the musical numbers being part of the tormented Guido’s imagination works in some cases, yet director Rob Marshall achieved this effect better in his last musical Chicago. The film should be praised visually for the way it conjures up the stylish 60’s in Italy in all its glory.  Special mention must go to the costumes which are ravishing to look and crafted with precision. Yet the script doesn’t have much of an emotional core and the results emerge as hollow.

The cast of the film is star-studded beyond belief but only three actors are given a chance to expand on their characters because of the flawed script. Daniel Day-Lewis is reliable as ever as the tormented director Guido, managing to imbue him with a melancholy the script sometimes overlooks. Penélope Cruz plays his feisty mistress Carla, who feels pushed away by Guido. Cruz has a very sexy song to perform “A Call from the Vatican” which she pulls off amazingly, it is a raunchy burlesque style number which will no doubt send pulses racing. Yet Cruz also manages to show the vulnerable side to Carla that is sometimes hidden by her passionate demeanor.  But the best performance of the bunch is Marion Cotillard. She beautifully and movingly plays Luisa, the neglected wife of Guido who is growing tired of his philandering and feeling the pain of his rejection. Cotillard has two numbers that are both stunning because of her. The first “My Husband makes Movies” an emotional ballad about her undying love for her husband is beautifully executed and her face expresses her emotions in a subtle yet stunning way. The second “Take it All” is her anguished and angry message to Guido that she won’t stand his treatment any longer. It is in this number that Cotillard really shines by combining sexy determination with a bruised anger whilst baring her body and soul.

Unfortunately for the rest of the cast, their roles are sketchily written. The delightful Judi Dench is not given enough time to be memorable as Guido’s costume designer and the one who gives him advice. Fergie, most famous as the girl from the Black Eyed Peas, does manage to have an excellent musical number in “Be Italian” despite her character of Saraghina, the beach dwelling prostitute who Guido meets as a child, not really calling for much in the way of acting. Nicole Kidman as Guido’s muse Claudia is a stunning actress to watch but the emotional connection with Guido is lacking and her character as a result is not very memorable. Like with Fergie, Kate Hudson has a strong musical number in “Cinema Italiano” which is stunningly cut between black and white with colour, but her character doesn’t really serve much of a purpose. Finally, the eternally beautiful and talented Sophia Loren portrays the lingering spirit of Guido’s mother but although she is moving in her delivery, the narrative doesn’t flesh out her character enough.

All in all, Nine is a very flawed picture that has a weak script and wastes the talents of some actors. But it is a visually arresting piece and it does have some brilliantly choreographed musical numbers.

The Crucible

Tags

1990's, Arthur Miller, Daniel Day-Lewis, Drama, Joan Allen, Nicholas Hytner, Paul Scofield, Salem Witch Trials, The Crucible, Winona Ryder

Film Title

The Crucible

Director

Nicholas Hytner

Cast

• Daniel Day-Lewis as John Proctor
• Winona Ryder as Abigail Williams
• Paul Scofield as Judge Thomas Danforth
• Joan Allen as Elizabeth Proctor
• Bruce Davison as Reverend Samuel Parris
• Rob Campbell as Reverend John Hale

Scripted by Arthur Miller from his acclaimed play and directed with fervent energy by Nicholas Hytner, The Crucible captures a palpable atmosphere of fear and hysteria during the Salem Witch Trials. Powerfully acted and emotionally intense, it makes for memorable viewing.

1692 Salem, Massachusetts. In the early hours of the morning a group of girls sneak into the woods for a strange ritual with a Barbadian slave, Tituba. The gathering appears innocent enough, with the girls wishing for various boys in the village to love them by scattering offerings into a pot. One of the girls, Abigail Williams, wishes her former employer who put an end to her affair with her husband,dead and kills a chicken. This causes the girls to whip up a frenzy by wildly dancing and chanting. They are then discovered by Abigail’s uncle, Reverend Samuel Parris. Then eerily, two of the girls involved fall into deep comas and gossip spreads like fire through the puritanical village that it is the devil’s work and that witchcraft is involved. Panicking, Abigail claims that Tituba was working with the devil and that it possessed the group. It is here that events take a sinister turn, as Abigail realises the power that she wields. She, influencing the other girls, begin to name member of the village they ‘saw’ practicing witchcraft. One of those named is Elizabeth Proctor, the good wife of John who had the affair with Abigail when she was a servant. Mass hysteria ensures as more names are accused and the village begins to tear itself apart with fear and uncertainty. Caught up in this commotion are John, who realises how much trouble is being caused as a result of Abigail’s lies, his saintly wife, the judge who has the difficult decision to make and Abigail, the instigator of this hysteria.

Nicholas Hytner should be praised for conjuring up an atmosphere of religious fear and panic as the residents turn on each other and the village takes on an almost mob mentality. What he excellently captures is the snowball effect of lies and how the word of one person, without a shred of proof, can have a corrupting influence on those around whose minds are clouded with uncertainty. Arthur Miller, writing from his own play, cleverly shows the parallels between the trials and the McCarthy era witch hunts in the time the play was written. The musical score is exceptionally used to highlight the divided and fearful emotions as the narrative plays out.

What really makes The Crucible compelling viewing is the cast assembled. Daniel Day-Lewis as John Proctor turns in a typically intense performance as his character begins to see the repercussions of his dalliance with the spiteful Abigail. As the catalyst of the story, Winona Ryder is manipulative, conniving and wounded as the vixen like Abigail, who is out for vengeance as she still carries a torch for John. Her feverish emotions are a particular highlight as we watch her manipulate the village and point the finger at the innocent people with a mendacious fervour. Paul Scofield is one of the highlights from the supporting cast, making his judge character a powerful and imposing presence as he debates what to make of the mass hysteria engulfing Salem. Embodying a quiet stoicism and sincerity, Joan Allen shines as the innocent Elizabeth, the one who incurred the wrath of Abigail and is now seeing what the lying girl is capable of. Bruce Davison and Rob Campbell appear as just some of the many caught up in this circular time of fear and blaming. The only quibble I had with The Crucible is that sometimes the pacing lulls and the narrative slows. But when the story hits the emotional heights it really soars as a dramatic study of fear, vengeance and unforseen consequences.

Powerfully, emotionally raw and at times disquieting, The Crucible is an excellent adaptation of an acclaimed play that boasts terrific performances and the right amount of period atmosphere.

The Age Of Innocence

Tags

1990's, Daniel Day-Lewis, Drama, Edith Wharton, Joanne Woodward, Martin Scorsese, Michelle Pfeiffer, Period Drama, Romance, The Age of Innocence, Winona Ryder

Film Title

The Age Of Innocence

Director

Martin Scorsese

Cast

• Daniel Day-Lewis as Newland Archer
• Michelle Pfeiffer as Countess Ellen Olenska
• Winona Ryder as May Welland
• Richard E. Grant as Larry Lefferts
• Miriam Margoyles as Mrs. Mingott
• Joanne Woodward as Narrator

Martin Scorsese once described his adaptation of Edith Wharton’s novel The Age of Innocence as the most violent film he has made. When I read about this and viewed the film, I was unsure of what he meant. But then I realised, he didn’t mean actual violence but internal violence arising from conflicting emotions. Bringing this to the period romance, Scorsese succeeds in showing the arcane machinations of higher class society, the rigorous attempts to uphold tradition and the consequences of trying to challenge it as the main love story is played out. Sumptuous, acute and scathing in equal measure, The Age of Innocence is a welcome departure for Scorsese that emphasises his versatility.

In 1870’s New York, Newland Archer is a respected lawyer.He is engaged to May Welland, the seemingly naive and innocent daughter of a prominent family. The marriage is socially acceptable as it joins two of the most prominent families in New York. Although he obeys the many rules of this close society, Newland secretly resents the pressure and many social standards that have to be obeyed.As there engagement is announced, May’s cousin Countess Ellen Olenska arrives from Europe. She is unconventional and independent for a woman of her time, and the society immediately takes a dislike towards her. Her reputation isn’t helped when it is announced that she is planning to divorce her husband after an unhappy courtship. Although shunned by many, Newland becomes enchanted by her as she lives by her own rules and doesn’t conform to the oppressive demands of society. The two eventually fall in love, but can this relationship last against the iron will of rules and regulations enforced upon them?

Firstly, the camerawork used in the film is absolutely marvellous in the way it shows the minute details of decor and finery, whilst emphasising the struggle to survive in a world of tradition. Costume design is stunning, really capturing the sumptuous and prosperous attitudes and styles of the 1870’s. The evocative screenplay delves deep into conflicted emotions and reflects on the state of affairs apparent. The use of Joanne Woodward as the narrator is a stroke of genius, her voice filled with reflection, humour and pathos as she tells the story of Newland and Ellen. The main reason for the movie’s success is the three central performances by Daniel Day-Lewis, Michelle Pfeiffer and Winona Ryder. As the confused and troubled Newland, Day-Lewis exudes a weariness and desire to escape from social standards and cantankerous rules imposed on him. Michelle Pfeiffer adds luminous poignancy as the scandalous Ellen, showing her unconventional behaviour as an act of defiance but subtly revealing the melancholy inflicted on her by her marriage. It is Ellen who drives the story along, awakening a hidden fire that burns within Newland, with the desire to escape and live free of controlling influences. Unlike many period romances that feature copious amounts of bodice-ripping, The Age of Innocence instead focuses on the passion between the two in an emotionally restrained and tender way. When Newland slowly removes Ellen’s glove and gently caresses her face, there is more passion in that moment than in any of the explicit bedroom antics of the usual period drama. Rounding out the excellent troika is Winona Ryder as Newland’s wife May Welland. At first glance she appears to be naive, clueless and unsuspecting, but as the story moves on and because of Ryder’s subtly expressive face, we begin to see a young woman who isn’t as lily-white and innocent as her outward exterior would have use believe. This in turn makes her an interesting character to observe as the film goes on.

The only gripe I can think of that may put off some audience members is the slow and reflective pace at which the film runs. But in actual fact, it is more effective as it satirically observes hypocrisy and the cloistered attempts to uphold tradition with a scathing eye. Whether viewing it as a scathing account of society or a romance doomed by conflicting attitudes, The Age of Innocence is excellent either way, filled with pathos, reflection and a unscrupulous melancholy that haunts the mind.