Tag: Romance

“Anna Karenina” (BBC – 2000)

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Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.

Sometimes fine actors just don’t have chemistry w/ each other!  This is the main problem in the 2000 BBC miniseries based on Leo Tolstoy’s well-known, tragic love story.  Helen McCrory (in the title role) and Kevin McKidd (who plays Count Vronsky) don’t generate much heat, which is a crucial part of the story.  She is an especially good actor w/ a great voice and onscreen presence.  Her few scenes w/ the little boy who played her son were touching.

In the 1997 version (w/ Sean Bean and Sophie Marceau), the leads not only look good together, but actually look like they are in love.  Though that film has its own flaws, it has much more passion in it.

The director in the miniseries made some odd choices.  Sometimes a handheld camera is not needed, but it’s used anyway.  There are too many close-ups and not enough light.  In the ’97 version, when Anna and Vronsky first meet, you can see their mutual attraction.  But in this version, the crucial moment becomes ho-hum.  Anna just looks at Vronsky for a moment through her veil- a lost opportunity for the director.  Their first dance is much more romantic/dramatic in the’97 version.  (It reminded me of Scarlett and Rhett’s first dance in Gone with the Wind.)

The actors who rise to the occasion in the miniseries are Douglas Henshall (Constantine Levin) and Paloma Baeza (Princess Kitty).  Henshall, whose real Scottish accent pops out in a few scenes, is the long-haired/bearded gentleman farmer w/ a past.  He thinks too much and worries if he’ll ever win over Kitty, who is innocent and young.  Baeza’s character starts out as a silly girl w/ a crush on the dashing Vronsky.  In time, Kitty learns about love and blossoms into a mature/sensitive wife.

 No one may build their happiness on another’s pain.

Anna’s philandering brother Stiva (played by Mark Strong) and his wife Dolly(played by Amanda Root) both get some nice lines.  “I love him, but I don’t respect him,” Dolly admits toward the end of the film.  She tolerates her husband’s affairs (just as many Russian nobles did at that time).

Anna and Vronsky’s love affair is atypical for their circle.  They truly are in love, not just fooling around b/c of lust or boredom.  Stephen Dillane (who plays Karenin) won’t give Anna a divorce, so she and Vronsky can’t marry.  Anna is forbidden to see her 8 y.o. son and becomes a social outcast.  Vronsky can’t give his baby daughter his name w/o that divorce.

Every time I tried to display my innermost desires – a wish to be morally good – I met with contempt and scorn, and as soon as I gave in to base desires I was praised and encouraged.  –Leo Tolstoy wrote two years after publication of Anna Karenina

After Levin meets Anna, he tell her brother that he liked her b/c “she’s so honest.”  Anna eventually spirals downward, turning to alcohol and opium.  She accuses Vronsky of betraying her w/ a younger woman.  Vronsky goes off to take care of some business for his mother.  But Anna is so paranoid and desperate by this point that she throws herself under a train.

“Wuthering Heights” (PBS – 1998)

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Robert Cavanah said: …It occurred to me that he was simply a man made of the simplest drives and needs and wants, and they were all summed up in three words – love of Cathy.  I never played him as a villain, just a man of enormous capacity for love, who had it all slapped back in his face.

This version of Wuthering Heights was made for British TV, then shown on Masterpiece Theatre (PBS) in the US.  The Northern accent used by the actors suits the story.  Unfortunately, the Earnshaw home is a humble cottage, not a gothic house.  This was no doubt due to budget limitations.  As several others mentioned, this film gives us chunks of dialogue straight from the novel.  Very cool!

The anti-hero protagonist, Heathcliff, is played by Scottish character actor Robert Cavanagh.  He’s not handsome, but has a great voice and strong screen  presence.   There are a couple of scenes where he gets very rough with wife Isabella Linton, but overall, this Heathcliff is not a complete monster.  He’s very much a product of his difficult past.

The actor who does justice to Heathcliff’s vulnerable/confused side is Ralph Fiennes.  Great acting is in the eyes, as Barbara Stanwyck said, and it’s all there w/ Fiennes!  He’s accessible in some ways, but still mysterious.  Olivier was very strong in the 1939 version, but a bit too much of a gentleman in some scenes.

My 20s were torture. I found men terrifying. I didn’t know how to relate to them and, because of that, there was no way I could have stood on a stage and asked people to look at me. I just wasn’t comfortable in my skin.  -Orla Brady

I really liked this Cathy, who is played by Irish actress Orla Brady.  Her unusually beautiful face doesn’t detract from her fine acting.  I was especially impressed when she showed Cathy’s strong/willful side.  Of course, no one can top La Binoche in the 1992 version!

The love between the doomed pair is portrayed in a more earthy (perhaps lustful) manner, not all pie in the sky.  Some viewers seemed to like it; others wanted more innocence/romance.  Speaking of innocence…  The younger generation are portrayed very well by Sarah Smart and Matthew Macfadyen.  (Yes, that’s a youthful Matthew as Hareton Earnshaw.  And he’s holding a puppy.  Awww…)

I think it would be awesome to have another version of this story w/ age-appropriate actors.  (This was done successfully by Franco Zeffirelli in the 1968 version of Romeo and Juliet.)  The younger Heathcliff and Cathy would have to be around 6-8 y.o. and the older ones 16-18 y.o.  If the lovers are teens, things will make more sense to viewers.  After all, it’s a odd to see 25-35 y.o. actors running through the moors, crying all night, and becoming furious at the slightest matter.

The latest BBC version was quite good, thanks mostly to Tom Hardy, who is a very intriguing actor.  He has a mystery about him, like Fiennes.  Heathcliff should be dangerous w/o alienating the audience completely.

Click below to see a cute vid w/ Macfadyen:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L3HNt7S2A0Q

“Rome” (HBO, 2005-2007)

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If one of your New Year’s resolutions is to watch better TV shows, check out the HBO series Rome ASAP!  This is a very adult show w/ grown-up situations, so it’s not for the whole family.  It’s very addictive and keeps you guessing.  (Don’t go on You Tube or you’ll see spoilers!)  The setting is a pre-Christian world, so modern-day morals don’t apply.

At first, I was just awed by the sheer scale and beauty of the production.  Everything looks gorgeous (including James Purefoy, above)- music, costumes, scenery.  The show was shot on location on a high budget, even for HBO.

You’ll see all levels of ancient Roman society, from plebians barely eeking out a living in gritty tenements to patricians partying in brightly painted halls.  Adding to the realism are many extras- Italians of all ages, shapes, and complexions.  The acting is top-notch- w/ familiar faces and exciting newcomers from the UK.

When Season 1 begins, a middle-aged Julius Caesar (Ciaran Hinds from The Mayor of Casterbridge and Persuasion), is in Gaul (now France) expanding the Roman empire and vanquishing the “wild natives.”  Pompey, Caesar’s old friend and son-in-law, is in charge of the city of Rome.  Caesar and Pompey rule as co-counsels w/ a powerful Senate (which includes Cato and Cicero).  Brutus (Tobias Menzies) looks on Caesar as a mentor, though he keeps insisting he won’t go into politics.  (He was one of my favorite characters.)

Then Pompey’s wife, Caesar’s daughter, dies tragically during giving birth.  Some senators feel that Pompey should split from Caesar and become leader of Rome.

There are many legions fighting for Caesar in Gaul; the 13th is reputed as one of his most loyal.  Mark Antony (Purefoy from Vanity Fair) is at Caesar’s side, though some patrician Romans look down on him for being an egotistical commoner w/rough speech and brutish manners.  But the soldiers love him.

Caesar’s best asset may be Posca (Nicholas Woodeson), an observant Greek slave no less clever than his master.  He helps Caesar plan battles, draft speeches, and negotiate deals.  The don’t have the typical master-slave relationship; Posca protects Caesar’s secret (he’s an epileptic).  In the Season 1 finale, when Caesar lies dead on the senate floor, Posca is the only character who sheds tears by his side.  (There are several other slaves who play significant roles in Rome.)

One particularly fine soldier from the 13th is Lucius Vorenus (Kevin McKidd, a Scotsman currently on Grey’s Anatomy) who hails from the Subura (the largest slum of ancient Rome).  He hasn’t seen his beautiful wife Niobe (Indira Varma) and two young daughters in 8 years, but fights for the Republic w/o complain.  (The Republic was akin to religion to many Romans.)

The soldier who bonds w/ Vorenus is Titus Pullo (Ray Stevenson).  Unlike the sober Vorenus, the tall/imposing Pullo loves cursing, wine, and women of the night.  He can get into a fight over the smallest matter, but Vorenus can count on him when things get tough.  Their friendship ties the entire show together.  (Vorenus and Pullo are the only soldiers mentioned by name in the journals of the real Mark Antony.)

Another reason to watch Rome are its fascinating female characters: patricians, plebians, and slaves included.  Vorenus’ wife Niobe must learn to love and understand her husband after many years.  She has a secret that could cost her her life if it ever came out.  (Why does Varma fit so well in this setting?  Her mother was half-Genovese.)

Servilia of the Junii (Lindsay Duncan from Mansfield Park and Lost in Austen) is Brutus’ mother and Caesar’s favorite female companion.  On the outside, she keeps cool and composed, like a fine lady.  But Servilia, widow of two great Romans, has a keen mind and great ambition for her son.

Caesar’s niece, Atia of the Julii (Polly Walker from BBC’s Emma), is the nemesis of Servilia.  She’s also a widow, unapolegetically ambitious and manipulative.  Atia conducts a fiery on-again, off-again relationship w/ Antony and doesn’t care what others think about it.  But is there any love there?

Octavia (Irish newcomer Kerry Condon) is Atia’s sensitive/vulnerable daughter.  She’s often pulled into Atia’s power plays.  Her mother often tells her to not slouch, dress better, and toughen up.  It’s all about survival, Atia tells her kids.  But Octavia deeply yearns for true love and some control of her life.

Of course Cleopatra (newcomer/theater actress Lyndsay Marshal) makes several appearances.  In Season 1, she’s a pixie-like teenager who plays vulnerable to seduce Caesar and get back the throne of Egypt from her little bro.  In Season 2, she’s the bold empress who seduces Antony, then falls deeply in love w/ him.  Antony falls hard too, but it’s not meant to last.

In my opinion, the breakout star of Rome is Max Pirkis (who made his film debut in Master and Commander)-  he plays the young nephew of Julius Caesar, Gaius Octavian.  He learns a lot from reading- words and people.  Octavian is a brilliant, cold-hearted, and calculating boy who’s not afraid to use violence.  The adult Octavian Caesar is played by newcomer Simon Woods (below).

Who is “a true Roman?”  (In one scene, a resident of his slum questions Vorenus’ heritage b/c of his red hair and Gallic features.)  What is best for a nation- some type  of representative democracy or one all-powerful leader?  How does a city deal w/jobless soldiers unskilled at everything except fighting?  What are the limits of friendship?  The depiction of timeless themes and personal relationships make this show a must-see.

“Pride & Prejudice” (2005)

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Running Time: 127 minutes

Starring: Keira Knightley, Matthew Macfadyen, Brenda Blethyn, Donald Sutherland, Rosamund Pike, Carey Mulligan, Jena  Malone, Simon Woods, Tom Hollander, Rupert Friend,  and Judy Dench

We all know that the camera loves Keira Knightley, just like Michelle Pfeiffer.  But Keira’s not just a pretty face.  “She worked like a dog,” then first-time director, Joe Wright, says on the fun/informative commentary track of the DVD.  Wright’s version of the P&P story (that many know and love) is a must-see!  (When I saw it in the theater, I wasn’t very impressed.  I think it takes a second look to appreciate all that’s going on under the surface.)

The Bennet parents are humanized by Blethyn and Sutherland.  Pike is the perfect Jane.  Malone (who’s American like Sutherland) does a terrific British accent and plays the flighty Lydia w/ gusto.  The adorable Carey Mulligan makes her film debut as Kitty.

I think looking at it now, Darcy would seem much more snobbish in our understanding of the word than he would then. To somebody like Darcy, it would have been a big deal for him to get over this difference in their status, and to be able to say to Lizzie that he loved her.  –Matthew Macfadyen

Macfadyen (a theatrically-trained actor) is a terrific Mr. Darcy- tall, slim, subtle, and not too much of a pretty boy.  He looks posh and elegant in all the costumes, but never overly imposing.  Darcy’s feelings are reigned in tightly, but his eyes are expressive.  And don’t forget that voice– one of the most gorgeous in all of show business!

 

“They just fancy each other,” Wright comments, noting the deep physical attraction between Lizzie and Darcy.  When she follows Jane to Netherfield Hall on foot, Lizzie’s hair gets mussed and her hem gets muddy.  Darcy is shocked, like best pal Bingley and his sis Caroline, but also intrigued.  He has never met a woman like her before!

When Jane gets over her bad cold, and she and Lizzie have to leave, Darcy helps Lizzie onto the carriage.  This is the first time they touch, and he’s very affected by it.

For the Netherfield ball, Lizzie makes a special effort to look cute, hoping to meet the dashing Wickham.  To her surprise, Darcy asks her to dance!  This dance sequence is one of the best moments of the film.  (Dances were very important in Austen’s time; it was one of the few times young, single people could meet, chat, and hold hands.)

This film was almost entirely shot on location- in Derbyshire, Kent, Lincolnshire, etc.  Pemberly in this version is actually the house of the Duchess of Devonshire.  (Interestingly, Keira played the role of Georgiana in The Duchess in 2008.)

We can’t overlook the rainy scene!  Toward the end, Darcy leans in close and almost kisses Lizzie.  Wow…

Check it out here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1R-Zg5es7mg

“The Mill on the Floss” (1997)

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Running Time: 90 minutes 

Starring: Emily Watson, James Frain, Bernard Hill, and Ifan Meredith

Marian Evans (pen name: George Eliot) grew up in the country, then went to the city to further her career.  The focus of her writing was often on small town outsiders, such as herself.   In her early 30s, Eliot began a long-term relationship w/ an older married man, George Henry Lewes.  He was a noted philosopher/critic who had an open marriage.  Eliot’s decision to defy the conventions of Victorian England created a bitter rift between her and her older brother, Isaac,  for most of their lives.  This conflict is at the core of her most personal novel, The Mill on the Floss, published in 1860.

The Tulliver family, headed by the strong-willed Edward (Bernard Hill) has owned/managed their mill along the River Floss for generations.   Mrs. Tulliver comes from a wealthier background, so her sisters look down on her marriage to Edward.  The family has two kids, very close in age, though different in temperment.

Eliot’s father, like Mr. Tulliver, was a businessman who had married a woman from a higher social class. His wife’s sisters were rich, ultra-respectable, and self-satisfied. These maternal aunts provided the character models for the aunts in the novel.

Mr. Tulliver decides that Tom, as the only son, should have a better future than he did.  He’s sent off to study with a local parson as an adolescent, much to the dismay of sister Maggie.  As one reader of the novel commented: “her fierce intelligence and strong streak of independence bring her into constant conflict with her family.”  Maggie seeks the love and approval of Tom, even when he treats her harshly.

At the parsonage, Tom studies alongside Phillip Wakem, the only son of the cold-hearted lawyer who’s trying to take over the land/water around the Tulliver mill.  Phillip, who is hunchbacked, is a kind boy who draws, sings, and plays the violin.  When Maggie visits, she and Phillip become fast friends.  Though their fathers despise each other, Maggie tells to Tom that “bad men can have good sons.”

Seven years later, the young adult Tom (Ifan Meredith) leaves school and gets a job at a successful trading business in the village, Guest & Co.  He sets his mind to saving all he can in order to help the family mill, which is more in danger than ever.  Edward’s health is very poor; Mrs. Tulliver has borrowed all she can from her relations.

When Phillip (James Frain) returns from Europe, it gives Maggie (Emily Watson) a reason to smile.   They resume their friendship, meeting in secret to discuss books and ideas.   Like Maggie, Eliot was extremely intelligent, energetic, imaginative and unconventional.  In the book, Maggie is described as a “strikingly attractive young woman, tall with full lips, and a crown of jet black hair.”  We can see that Phillip is deeply in love w/ her.  Tom eventually forces Maggie to choose between the family and Phillip.

Then Maggie meets Stephen Guest, the handsome/easygoing fiance of her cousin, Lucy Deane.  Maggie’s lack of social pretension makes her very charming to Stephen, and he declares his love.   Maggie admits that she loves him, too. Can she fulfill herself while still being morally responsible?