Brideshead Revisited
A couple of days ago I went to see Brideshead Revisited. I am pleased to report that the film is not quite so breathless as the trailer. With that said, anyone who has seen the ITV version will still be left out of breath as the film takes just five minutes to cover the same amount of territory that took all of episode one (ninety minutes).
Speaking of the television Brideshead, if you are acquainted with it, or indeed with Evelyn Waugh's book, then you may expect to be disappointed by the film. Taken on its own terms, the film works but pales anaemically whenever compared to the book or ITV production.
When I first read Brideshead Revisited, I have to admit that I did not at all realise the importance of Catholicism to the story. Being very subtly handled, the Catholic aspect just passed me by. No such mistake could be made with the film. Catholicism is to the film version of Brideshead Revisited what Gordon Brown is supposed to be to politics - the clunking great fist. It barges into the story through the dogmatic and loveless character of Lady Marchmain (Emma Thompson). It tramples its way through the story through its wholly negative effect on Lady Marchmain's children, Sebastian (Ben Whishaw) and Julia (Hayley Atwell). Finally, it achieves what will surely be to the audiance an inexplicable and - literally - grave victory over the sensible atheist Charles Ryder by winning Julia back to the faith (and away from living in sin with him) following the deathbed conversion of her father, Lord Marchmain (Michael Gambon).
Speaking of the television Brideshead, if you are acquainted with it, or indeed with Evelyn Waugh's book, then you may expect to be disappointed by the film. Taken on its own terms, the film works but pales anaemically whenever compared to the book or ITV production.
When I first read Brideshead Revisited, I have to admit that I did not at all realise the importance of Catholicism to the story. Being very subtly handled, the Catholic aspect just passed me by. No such mistake could be made with the film. Catholicism is to the film version of Brideshead Revisited what Gordon Brown is supposed to be to politics - the clunking great fist. It barges into the story through the dogmatic and loveless character of Lady Marchmain (Emma Thompson). It tramples its way through the story through its wholly negative effect on Lady Marchmain's children, Sebastian (Ben Whishaw) and Julia (Hayley Atwell). Finally, it achieves what will surely be to the audiance an inexplicable and - literally - grave victory over the sensible atheist Charles Ryder by winning Julia back to the faith (and away from living in sin with him) following the deathbed conversion of her father, Lord Marchmain (Michael Gambon).
The image of the clunking fist of Catholicism is reinforced by the fact that the only ever explanation of the faith that we are given is that it is about guilt. We see the Flytes (i.e. Lady Marchmain and her family) at prayer, but these are forced prayers spoken by a family that is under the thumb of the fundamentalist mother; we also see Catholic icons, but they are not allowed to speak. The sacraments make no real appearance. If this film is to be believed, Catholics have it easy - they can commit a sin if they like because they can just go to confession afterwards. Sorted.
There is a scene in The Phantom Menace where Qui Gon Jinn and Ben Kenobi approach a space ship being guarded by robot guards. There is a brief dialogue between them, the purpose of which I have never been able to work out the meaning or context of. What was George Lucas thinking when he wrote it? There is a scene late in Brideshead Revisited when a priest is brought to Lord Marchmain's bedside. The camera looks at him from Lord Marchmain's perspective. He (the priest) has the mot extraordinary stupid smile on his face. Why? He is approaching a dying man and looks obscenely happy to be doing so. Was the writer of the film deliberately trying to show the priest - and through him, the Church - in a bad light? Given the anti-Catholic tone of the film, it is probable. It certainly fits in with the clunking fist approach of the film.
The lack of balance in the interpretation of Catholicism in Brideshead Revisited will disappoint and / or anger Catholics. But while it is a shame that the screenwriter appears to have written a script that is more informed by a fear / loathing of (fundamentalist) religion than by what Evelyn Waugh thought of the matter, one can at least say that the film has the courage of its convictions. It has chosen a line and taken it. It is the kind of film that The Golden Compass should have been, but was to scared to be. Speaking as a Catholic, however, this is a cold comfort.
The acting performances in Brideshead are good. Matthew Goode, who plays Charles Ryder, carries the film well. Ben Whishaw improves through the picture as Sebastian Flyte, which is funny because films are not shot in sequence. In one of the early scenes, he appears as an actor trying to sound upper class before looking genuinly noble later on. Hayley Atwell is good in her role of Julia Flyte. A credit must go to the make-up people because she looks much younger than she did when she played Lady Elizabeth Foster in The Duchess. Emma Thompson is convincing as Lady Marchmain, although attempts to age her did not feel so successful. Her hair was completely silver but without her face being appropriately wrinkled!
The secret star of the show, however, was Michael Gambon. His was a star turn as Lord Marchmain. His deathbed scenes were wonderfully handled. Of the minor characters, Joseph Beattie was very amusing as the ridiculous Anthony Blanche and I think Ed Stoppard based his character of Bridey Flyte on Cecil Vyse from A Room With A View, such were the similarities between them.
Brideshead Revisited is a fundamentally flawed film. Its failure to get to grips with what Catholicism actually is as opposed to what the screenwriter thinks it is makes it a narrative failure; however, the picture is very watchable and worth a discussion afterwards. One also cannot fault the costuming and scenary. Oh, and most important of all, the inclusion after all of Aloysius the Bear.
There is a scene in The Phantom Menace where Qui Gon Jinn and Ben Kenobi approach a space ship being guarded by robot guards. There is a brief dialogue between them, the purpose of which I have never been able to work out the meaning or context of. What was George Lucas thinking when he wrote it? There is a scene late in Brideshead Revisited when a priest is brought to Lord Marchmain's bedside. The camera looks at him from Lord Marchmain's perspective. He (the priest) has the mot extraordinary stupid smile on his face. Why? He is approaching a dying man and looks obscenely happy to be doing so. Was the writer of the film deliberately trying to show the priest - and through him, the Church - in a bad light? Given the anti-Catholic tone of the film, it is probable. It certainly fits in with the clunking fist approach of the film.
The lack of balance in the interpretation of Catholicism in Brideshead Revisited will disappoint and / or anger Catholics. But while it is a shame that the screenwriter appears to have written a script that is more informed by a fear / loathing of (fundamentalist) religion than by what Evelyn Waugh thought of the matter, one can at least say that the film has the courage of its convictions. It has chosen a line and taken it. It is the kind of film that The Golden Compass should have been, but was to scared to be. Speaking as a Catholic, however, this is a cold comfort.
The acting performances in Brideshead are good. Matthew Goode, who plays Charles Ryder, carries the film well. Ben Whishaw improves through the picture as Sebastian Flyte, which is funny because films are not shot in sequence. In one of the early scenes, he appears as an actor trying to sound upper class before looking genuinly noble later on. Hayley Atwell is good in her role of Julia Flyte. A credit must go to the make-up people because she looks much younger than she did when she played Lady Elizabeth Foster in The Duchess. Emma Thompson is convincing as Lady Marchmain, although attempts to age her did not feel so successful. Her hair was completely silver but without her face being appropriately wrinkled!
The secret star of the show, however, was Michael Gambon. His was a star turn as Lord Marchmain. His deathbed scenes were wonderfully handled. Of the minor characters, Joseph Beattie was very amusing as the ridiculous Anthony Blanche and I think Ed Stoppard based his character of Bridey Flyte on Cecil Vyse from A Room With A View, such were the similarities between them.
Brideshead Revisited is a fundamentally flawed film. Its failure to get to grips with what Catholicism actually is as opposed to what the screenwriter thinks it is makes it a narrative failure; however, the picture is very watchable and worth a discussion afterwards. One also cannot fault the costuming and scenary. Oh, and most important of all, the inclusion after all of Aloysius the Bear.
1 have commented:
Oh, Dunadan - it sounds terrible. Thanks for your review. On a a different note - I asked my daughter if she wanted to be a Harlequin or a Wasp and she said 'Harlequin'. So there you go.
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