Next Sunday evening on TalkingPictures Tv is a rare showing of The Deep Blue Sea, the 1950s film of Terence Rattigan's stage play, with Vivien Leigh and Kenneth More. When I first saw it I was disappointed; I had high hopes for it with this cast, and it's one of my favourite plays. I think I was too influenced by repeated viewings of a TV version with Penelope Wilton, so I'm looking forward to giving it another chance. I think I'd say this is Rattigan's masterpiece, even finer than The Browning Version.
-
-
Penelope Wilton is always likely to be my first choice for any role she's ever played. The fact that Geraldine 'Panhandle' Sommerville is also in the 1995 version is an added bonus.Originally posted by smittims View PostComment
-
Even as Creepy Crawley in Downton Abbey?Originally posted by LMcD View Post
I guess she was a good foil to the dowager duchess though.Comment
-
Trying to keep the wonderful Maggie Smith in check was never going to be easy!Originally posted by Pulcinella View PostComment
-
We saw Conclave yesterday. I had been looking forward to it but I hadn’t realized until the opening credits that it was based on a Robert Harris novel and the disappointment continued throughout.
The acting is generally excellent. Ultimately there wasn’t much required of Stanley Tucci and John Lithgow and so it’s Ralph Fiennes and some of the supporting actors that carry the story.
The score was doom laden and portentous. We hated it.
The “Bad Cardinal” like all Harris villains, is a trope and difficult to perceive as a threat because he is so uncomplicated. The Harris plot twist is interesting is implausible.
Ultimately this is an Agatha Christie story. Have a plot contrivance that forces a group of individuals to be isolated and pressed together under pressure and wait to see bad traits emerge under pressure.
It was entertaining but hardly essentialComment
-
Richard
I had a really negative perception of Robert Harris but a mate of mine is a big fan and often talks about books he has enjoyed. As a consequence I picked up .'Oblivion' which is based on genuine characters who were involved in the execution of King Charles and fled to America after the end of the Commonwealth. I found that the historical context was fascinating. It would make a brilliant film as it is about a pursuit. I might try another book by Harris although the new novel does not really appeal.Comment
-
I started Oblivion but wasn’t drawn in . I kind of liked his Pompeii book but not the rest of that trilogy.Originally posted by Ian Thumwood View Post
I really hated Munich. Harris must be the only man on the planet who thinks that Neville Chamberlain was an incredible genius that snookered HitlerComment
-
Going to see Paddington 3 on Sunday after my wife spent most of the the time watching the Salems Lot remake through her hands . Never been quite so sure about the previous Paddington films. CG I for Guardian readers ?Comment
-
We had our Grandson for a sleepover about 2 years ago and a younger colleague with kids raved about Paddington 2, which rented. It was very good and my wife watched the first Paddinton movie after we returned him homeOriginally posted by Ian Thumwood View PostComment
-
I was really disappointed with the Gladiator 2 film. Sir Ridley Scott produces some epic historical films yet the accuracy of his latest film leaves a lot to be desired. Caracalla and Geta both appear to be confused with Egabalus and the fact that the former killed his brother after 7 months ruling together was over looked. Macrinus was played by Denzil Washington and the character never visited Rome , was not involved with gladiators and was not involved in the overthrow of Caracalla who was actually stabbed by a disgruntled soldier whilst on campaign when he was taking a pee.
Don't even get me on the sharks and rhinoceros ridden by a gladiator in the Colusseum. I think Paddington was more realistic.Comment
-
‘How to Steal a Million’ starring the wonderful Audrey Hepburn and Peter O’ Toole. I showed it at the weekend to a small group of friends on 16mm. Alas, the print I own is becoming a little bit red through chemical decomposition but it’s still a great movie.
My friend has a flight of stairs that goes upstairs to her bedroom and said stairs has a large window that looks down on her sitting room so the projector sits on the stairs and we erect a screen over the fireplace. It’s a great evening and everyone appears to enjoy themselves. (Especially me since I get to be a projectionist for the evening!)Comment
-
The Heartbreak Kid. Directed by Elaine May, it is a Neal Simon play adaptation, from 1973. It’s most famous for a scene with Charles Gordon and Eddie Albert facing off in profile as they contest over Cyril Sheppard.
I remember seeing it with my father when I was about 16. My parents had just gotten divorced and suddenly he wanted to spend time with me, which usually meant a weekly movie, concert or play. So Sunday it was being shown at a Theater that shows Art Films and it was strange to hear the intro by a cinema buff who teaches here and is half my age, and discussing the piece like it was an unearthed treasure that’s unknown to mankindComment
-
I’m really not bothered by the historical accuracy or otherwise of the new Gladiator film. Of greater concern is how bad and hammy much of the acting is. Denzil Washington’s performance is just a collection of mannerisms and bizarrely halting delivery. A series of violent set-pieces punctuates a tedious plot of overthrowing a pair of pallid, despotic, baddie emperors wearing eye makeup. Spartacus remains the best ‘gladiator’ film, having a literate script delivered by quality actors and spectacle that serves a purpose (with a pretty good score by Alex North too, even covered by Bill Evans).Comment
-
Ridley Scott did the same with the Robin Hood film insofar as taking a little known aspect from history and producing a film which then paid lip service to it.
As someone who is passionate about history, I find the inaccuracies can ruin my enjoyment of a film abd especially if the truth is as exciting. I was looking forward to this film as I liked the first one . The sequel is all cgi and gore. My wife could not watch it but I was annoyed at the errors. Eliogalabus was the decadent and sexually ambiguous Emperor who character was shared by the performance of Geta and Caracalla in the film. The Empire in the 3rd century was crazy enough and did not require a fictional makeover.Comment
-
Oh, I think you're unlikely to get accuracy in historical films, Ian. There's a long tradition.
Cecil B de Mille,
Rather against his will,
Was persuaded to keep Moses
Out of 'The Wars of the Roses'.
Comment
Comment