Being Julia (2004)

User Rating:

7.1/10   

Director:

István Szabó

Writers:

Ronald Harwood (writer)
W. Somerset Maugham (novel)

Release Date:

28 October 2004 (Israel)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

Tagline:

Passion. Obsession. Revenge. Prepare for the performance of a lifetime.

Plot:

Set in '30s London, the film involves stage actors and their experiences with love and revenge.

Plot Keywords:

Revenge | 1930s | Actress | Social Climber | Diva

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 6 wins & 11 nominations

Cast

Michael Gambon	...	Jimmie Langton
Annette Bening	...	Julia Lambert
Leigh Lawson	...	Archie Dexter
Shaun Evans	...	Tom Fennel
Mari Kiss	...	Mr. Gosselyn's Secretary
Jeremy Irons	...	Michael Gosselyn
Ronald Markham	...	Butler
Terry Sach	...	Chauffeur
Catherine Charlton	...	Miss Philips
Juliet Stevenson	...	Evie
Miriam Margolyes	...	Dolly de Vries
Max Irons	...	Curtain Call Boy
Andrew Paton Story Busher	...	Male Singer
George Lang	...	Antoine the Maitre D
Michael Culkin	...	Rupert

Also Known As:

Csodálatos Júlia (Hungary)

MPAA:

Rated R for some sexuality.

Runtime:

104 min

Country:

Canada | USA | Hungary | UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Canada:14A (Ontario) | Sweden:Btl | Brazil:12 | Ireland:15 | Malaysia:U | Hungary:14 | South Korea:15 | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Finland:K-11 | Hong Kong:IIB | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:M18 | Switzerland:10 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:10 (canton of Vaud) | Switzerland:14 (canton of Zurich) | UK:12A | USA:R | Iceland:12

Filming Locations:

Budapest, Hungary

Company:

Serendipity Point Films

Trivia:

Miranda Richardsonwas originally attached to play Julia Lambert.

Goofs:

Continuity: Tom tells Julia that Michael has given him a box for the opening of the new play. When we see Tom after Julia makes an obvious reference to him by saying, "B-E-N," he is seated not in a box but in the orchestra section, next to Julia's son and in front of Julia's male friend.

Quotes:

Jimmie Langton: Your only reality is the theater. Anything else, what civilians call the real world, is nothing but fantasy and I bloody well won't let you forget it.
Julia Lambert: Rubbish.

Movie Connections:

Featured in The 62nd Annual Golden Globe Awards (2005) (TV)

Soundtrack:

I Get a Kick out of You

A most excellent movie

This movie is a great bit of fun: over the top in all the right places, and with many laugh out loud moments. It is bright, emotional, engaging, and witty, just like the title character, acted to perfection by Annette Bening.

It's brilliantly acted from top to bottom, with wonderful performances from even relative newcomers, Lucy Punch and Shaun Evans. I especially loved how the many layers of the original work are brought across: how real can be the fantasy world of theatre, and how fantastic the real world may seem in opposition to it. In theatre, they say timing is everything. That's very true about the bulk of the situations in this movie. I would definitely see this movie again.