Bright Young Things (2003)

An adaptation of Evelyn Waugh's novel "Vile Bodies," is a look into the lives of a young novelist, his would-be lover, and a host of young people who beautified London in the 1930s.

Director:

Stephen Fry

Writers:

Stephen Fry (screenplay), Evelyn Waugh (novel)

Stars:

James McAvoy, Emily Mortimer, Stephen Campbell Moore

10 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
James McAvoy	...	Simon Balcairn
Michael Sheen	...	Miles
Emily Mortimer	...	Nina Blount
Stephen Campbell Moore	...	Adam Fenwick-Symes
Stockard Channing	...	Mrs. Melrose Ape
Adrian Scarborough	...	Customs Officer
Jim Carter	...	Chief Customs Officer
Fenella Woolgar	...	Agatha
Dan Aykroyd	...	Lord Monomark
Julia McKenzie	...	Lottie Crump
Bruno Lastra	...	Basilio
David Tennant	...	Ginger Littlejohn
Jim Broadbent	...	The Drunken Major
John Franklyn-Robbins	...	Judge
Simon Callow	...	King of Anatolia

Storyline

A fool and his money. In the 1930s, Adam Fenwick-Symes is part of the English idle class, wanting to marry the flighty Nina Blount. He's a novelist with a hundred-pound advance for a manuscript confiscated by English customs. He spends the next several years trying to get money and to set a wedding date: he trades in gossip, wins money on wagers then gives it to a drunken major who's suggested he bet on a horse in an upcoming race. Adam tries to get the money back, but can't find the major. Meanwhile, Nina needs security, friends drink too much, and general unhappiness spoils the party. Then war breaks out. Is Adam's bright youth dimming with the fall of an empire?

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Plot Keywords:

money | novelist | major | 1930s | general | 

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Taglines:

Sex... Scandal... Celebrity... Some things never change.

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | War

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for some drug use

Details

Official Sites:

Offical Site with synopsis, trailer, cast & crew Revolution Films

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

3 October 2003 (UK)

Also Known As:

Agria niata

Filming Locations:

Eltham Palace, Court Road, Eltham, London, England, UK

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$46,926 (USA) (20 August 2004)

Gross:

$931,755 (USA) (12 November 2004)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Film Consortium, The, UK Film Council, Visionview Production

Technical Specs

Runtime:

106 min 105 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Interior scenes set in Espinosa's restaurant were filmed in Eltham Palace, London.

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Goofs

A television aerial can be seen on the right hand rooftops in the external shot of the hotel that Adam and Nina stay at.

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Quotes

Race Steward: I'm terribly sorry, but only mechanics, judges, and family are allowed beyond this point.
Miles: We're family. That one's my husband.
Race Steward: Your what?
Agatha: Only joking. He means he's my husband, don't you, darling?

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Connections

Referenced in Friday Night with Jonathan Ross: Episode #2.10 (2002)

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Soundtracks

"Silver Threads Among The Gold"
Performed by Marcus Oliver

User Reviews

An Excellent Adaptation

Having seen this film at the cinema and thoroughly enjoyed it I purchased it on DVD and then read the book so as to better judge whether the comments that the film was an exceedingly loose adaptation were true. It is certainly true that Fry hasn't stuck to the narrative strictly but the changes he made in the name of good cinema were overwhelmingly the right ones and he actually managed to bring forward some entertaining background characters and relegate some fairly tedious ones. For example Lord Monomark who is a Canadian Newspaper magnate shamelessly based on Lord Beverbrook is rairly mentioned in the book but is superbly played by Dan Ackroyd in the film whilst the PM Walter Outrage who features heavily in Waughs novel is barely mentioned in the film and rightly so as the character in the novel is a complicated amalgamation of contemporary politics (i.e Ramsay Mcdonald and Bonar Law)that even I having studied the period extensively found heavy going. Also whilst the ending is contrived to be too happy it is a marginal improvement on the novel in my opinion which doesn't seem to conclude the book very well. Overall a superb film with excellent production values and peerless period feel for which Stephen Fry should be commended. I just hope that he has a stab at at adapting Decline and Fall which is another excellent Waugh novel.