A Handful of Dust (1988)

The wife's affair and a death in the family hasten the demise of an upper-class English marriage.

Director:

Charles Sturridge

Writers:

Evelyn Waugh (novel), Tim Sullivan (screenplay)

Stars:

James Wilby, Kristin Scott Thomas, Richard Beale

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 3 wins & 3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
James Wilby	...	Tony Last
Kristin Scott Thomas	...	Brenda Last
Richard Beale	...	Ben
Jackson Kyle	...	John Andrew
Norman Lumsden	...	Ambrose
Jeanne Watts	...	Nanny
Kate Percival	...	Miss Ripon
Richard Leech	...	Doctor
Roger Milner	...	Vicar
Tristram Jellinek	...	Richard Last
Anjelica Huston	...	Mrs. Rattery
Rupert Graves	...	John Beaver
Judi Dench	...	Mrs. Beaver
Pip Torrens	...	Jock
Beatie Edney	...	Marjorie

Storyline

We see the detritus of an abandoned camp in South America and a main character's hallucination. Then, the story beings. Tony and Brenda Last, lord and lady, live on his enormous estate with their young son. Tony's not much for parties, and Brenda joins London society, on the arm of a penniless man, John Beaver, a hanger-on at Tony's club. John is encouraged by his entrepreneurial mother, who sees a quid in Tony and Brenda. Brenda and John become lovers, Brenda spends more and more time in London, and Tony's without a clue. Then, bringing things to a head are tragedy, law suits, greed, and what should be a few-months' expedition to Brazil. We are each of us merely a handful of dust.

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Plot Keywords:

class differences | cheating wife | adultery | death of son | 1930s | 

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

24 June 1988 (USA)

Also Known As:

Evelyn Waugh's A Handful of Dust

Filming Locations:

Highclere Castle, Highclere, Hampshire, England, UK

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$35,470, 26 June 1988

Gross USA:

$1,560,700

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$1,560,700

Company Credits

Production Co:

Handful of Dust, Stagescreen Productions, London Weekend Television (LWT)

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color (Fujicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

At least six personnel on this movie worked on the television series adaptation of another Evelyn Waugh story, that being Brideshead Revisited (1981). These included Director Charles Sturridge, Producer Derek Granger, Actor Roger Milner, and Costume Designers Joy Kleiner and Jane Robinson.

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Quotes

Dr. Messinger: Are you acquainted with a Nicaraguan who calls himself alternately Ponsonby or Fitzmaurice?

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Connections

Referenced in The Benchwarmers (2006)

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Soundtracks

King Of Love My Shepherd Is
(uncredited)
Traditional Irish melody
Words by Henry W. Baker (1868)

User Reviews

Haven't read the book

A really good book cannot be entirely simulated adequately on screen. There is too much going on underneath, too many subplots, too much conversation and description to undertake in two hours. Choices made by production folk determine which direction the film will go, generally accenting one plot line of or other and allowing the rest to fall to the wayside. HOD does a fine job with the route it takes, darkly stating the consequences of empty lives which rely on artifice for sustenance. These creatures were not creating their lives so much as feeding their idea of existence without exploration. The result is tragedy but the tragedy was already in existence. The actions of the trapped subjects simply began to reflect their emptiness. This doesn't make for a happy movie but it is instructive if one chooses to see the lessons. And as art, the acting, direction and cinematography are quite fine.