Bright Young Things (2003)

Director:

Stephen Fry

Writers:

Stephen Fry (screenplay)
Evelyn Waugh (novel)

Release Date:

3 October 2003 (UK)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | War

Tagline:

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

Plot:

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.

Plot Keywords:

Money | 1930s | Major | Novel | General

Awards:

10 nominations

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Simon McBurney	...	Sneath (Photo-Rat)
Michael Sheen	...	Miles
Emily Mortimer	...	Nina Blount
James McAvoy	...	Simon Balcairn
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

MPAA:

Rated R for some drug use.

Runtime:

106 min | Canada:105 min (Toronto International Film Festival)

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Australia:M | UK:15 | Netherlands:12 | USA:R | Canada:PG

Filming Locations:

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

Company:

Film Consortium, The

Trivia:

"Bright Young Things" was the working title of "Vile Bodies", the book upon which the film is based.

Goofs:

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

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?

Movie Connections:

Featured in 2005 Glitter Awards (2005) (V)

Soundtrack:

Bright Young Strings

A witty and poignant entertainment

Stephen Fry's directorial debut, an adaptation of the Evelyn Waugh novel "Vile Bodies", manages to score more hits than misses. A clever satire on the high society lives of upper class English youth between the wars, Fry manages to balance camp frivolity and underlying poignancy so that this movie both celebrates the pursuit of hedonism whilst functioning as a morality tale that shows how such pursuits inevitably end in disaster. Thankfully, Fry clearly has a non-judgmental affection for the colourful but wayward party animals, young and not so young, who populate this story, and the sincerely felt central love story of Adam Symes (Stephen Campbell Moore) and Nina Blount (Emily Mortimer) ensures that the essential frothiness of the story is underpinned by a sharp intelligence and seriousness of purpose.

Well performed by its ensemble cast, and featuring a choice selection of enjoyable cameo performances by a host of British and American character actors, "Bright Young Things" is a slight but thoroughly recommended entertainment.