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.

Paddington

Tags

2010's, Adventure, Ben Whishaw, Comedy, Hugh Bonneville, Imelda Staunton, Jim Broadbent, Julie Walters, Madeleine Harris, Michael Gambon, Nicole Kidman, Paddington, Paul King, Peter Capaldi, Sally Hawkins, Samuel Joslin

Film Title

Paddington

Director

Paul King

Starring

• Ben Whishaw as Paddington Bear
• Hugh Bonneville as Henry Brown
• Sally Hawkins as Mary Brown
• Julie Walters as Mrs. Bird
• Nicole Kidman as Millicent
• Madeleine Harris as Judy Brown
• Samuel Joslin as Jonathan Brown
• Peter Capaldi as Mr. Curry
• Jim Broadbent as Mr. Gruber
• Michael Gambon as Uncle Pastuzo
• Imelda Staunton as Aunt Lucy

A sprightly, adventure-filled and heartwarming take on the classic stories of Michael Bond’s marmalade loving, eponymous bear, Paddington is one of those movies that it’s hard to find fault with. Primarily, this stems from the fact it’s so much fun and an utter delight of comedy, heart and wonder.

We begin in the jungles of Darkest Peru, where we discover an English explorer happening upon two very intelligent bears with a love of marmalade. In time, he teaches them about modern life and even gets them to talk. Before heading back to civilisation he promises them a home in London if they should ever need it. The two bears, named Pastuzo and Lucy, have a nephew with them many years later; a curious and fun-loving bear who shares their taste for marmalade. But their harmony is shattered when an earthquake hits and kills Uncle Pastuzo. Aunt Lucy is getting older and can’t take care of Paddington as she once could. she remembers the explorer’s words of promise about there always being a home in London. Stowing her nephew into a cargo ship, she bids him farewell in the hope he will find a happy, new home. Upon arrival in London, he is met with hostility and all hope for a lovely, caring family to take care of him seems lost. That is until he encounters the Brown Family at Paddington Station. The mother, Mary, gives him the name Paddington and being a kind, considerate person, she offers to house him in her home. Her fussy and killjoy husband Henry, who is obsessed with keeping things risk-free, is completely against the idea of Paddington living with them. The children Judy and Jonathan, are thrilled to have Paddington with them, despite their father’s trepidation. Paddington is most curious to know more about the professor who visited Darkest Peru all those years ago and roping the family into things, he gets them into a whirl of unintentional mischief and laughs. But there is an evil taxidermist by the name of Millicent who has discovered Paddington and will stop at nothing to make him part of her sinister collection, now on his tail. Cue much mayhem, thrills and adventure for the bear and the Brown Family.

Paul King directs with an enormous amount of heart, humour and deeply felt love that explodes from almost every frame. It will take someone with a real damp view of life to not smile or have fun with a movie such as this. King just pushes all the right buttons of raucous humour, heartfelt sentiment and just plain adventure in a way that is spellbinding and an utter delight throughout. sense of magic and feel good factor it has going for it. It’s adventure of the highest level that proves totally sprightly and accessible to all ages. The blending of CGI in the title character and the real-life surroundings, that are continuously colourful, is seamlessly done. On a visual level, Paddington scores major points. The bright as a button colour scheme and adventurous ways of showcasing this zany fable are here in a glorious pot of love. And speaking of love, the film truly gets across the message of accepting people and loving one another beautifully and with clarity. The humour covers a wide spectrum from the mischievous and playful(Paddington accidentally flooding the Brown’s bathroom for starters) to nods and winks to older members of the audience, without missing a beat or getting overstuffed. It’s rare to come across a film such as Paddington that can be a ball for everyone watching. It has a style and care to it that many movies that aim for every age can sometimes miss in the long run. The high-reaching and upbeat score are on full duty; bringing out the simply amazing story and film that it accompanies. Put quite simply, you couldn’t ask for a more enchanting movie than Paddington.

Ben Whishaw beautifully voices the title bear with a childlike adventure and sense of mischief. His relaxing tones and enthusiasm can be heard so well that it’s really difficult to imagine another person voicing Paddington with the same skill as Whishaw has. Hugh Bonneville and Sally Hawkins play well off one another as total opposite mum and dad. Bonneville is staid, careful and unwilling to entertain fancy notions, Hawkins is imaginative, lovely and slightly zany. Both consummate actors invest a lot into their respective roles(which also goes for pretty much the entire cast, who are finely assembled). The ever-dependable Julie Walters has a whole bundle of fun as the elderly relative of the Brown’s, whose quick wit and precision with cleaning ensures things are up to her tidy standards. Nicole Kidman is a dark delight as the villain of the piece; a Cruella like woman who wants to add Paddington to her collection. Kidman is both menacing and tongue in cheek funny, while also embodying something seductively devious too. It’s obvious that she had a really fun time playing this type of character just from the looks on her face. Child actors Madeleine Harris and Samuel Joslin are ideal for the roles of the Brown children who take the bear under their wing. Peter Capaldi is very amusing and slimy as the local nosy neighbour getting in trouble with the evil taxidermist, while Jim Broadbent provides sage as a man who helps point Paddington in the direction of what he seeks. Briefly found voicing Paddington’s relatives in Darkest Peru are Michael Gambon and Imelda Staunton, whose pathos and warmth are felt from the get go, despite only being on the screen for a short duration.

Hilarious, riotously entertaining and aimed at all ages, Paddington takes its place as a firm favourite that will pull you in with its message of family and its massive beating centre that is the lovable bear.