A Merry War (1997)

Gordon Comstock is a copywriter at an ad agency, and his girlfriend Rosemary is a designer. Gordon believes he is a genius, a marvelous poet and quits the ad agency, trying to live on his ... See full summary »

Director:

Robert Bierman

Writers:

George Orwell (novel), Alan Plater (screenplay)

Stars:

Richard E. Grant, Helena Bonham Carter, Julian Wadham

1 win.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Richard E. Grant	...	Gordon Comstock
Helena Bonham Carter	...	Rosemary
Julian Wadham	...	Ravelston
Jim Carter	...	Erskine
Harriet Walter	...	Julia Comstock
Lesley Vickerage	...	Hermione
Barbara Leigh-Hunt	...	Mrs. Wisbeach (as Barbara Leigh Hunt)
Liz Smith	...	Mrs. Meakin
John Clegg	...	McKechnie
Bill Wallis	...	Mr. Cheeseman
Lill Roughley	...	Mrs. Trilling
Dorothea Alexander	...	Old Woman
Peter Stockbridge	...	Old Man
Grant Parsons	...	Beautiful Young Man
Malcolm Sinclair	...	Paul Doring

Storyline

Gordon Comstock is a copywriter at an ad agency, and his girlfriend Rosemary is a designer. Gordon believes he is a genius, a marvelous poet and quits the ad agency, trying to live on his poems, but poverty soon comes to him.

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Plot Keywords:

writer | love | 1930s | advertising | based on novel | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for some sex-related material

Details

Official Sites:

First Look Media

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

28 August 1998 (USA)

Also Known As:

A Merry War

Filming Locations:

Ealing Studios, Ealing, London, England, UK

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$373,830, 30 August 1998, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$301,360, 25 October 1998

Company Credits

Production Co:

Arts Council of England, BBC Films, Bonaparte Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

101 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color (Rankcolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Goofs

During a scene in the office, Rosemary is sitting at her desk talking to her boss. The light reflects off her glasses, giving off a green tinge, indicative of anti-reflective lenses - not invented during the time the movie takes place.

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Quotes

[Cheeseman has just offered Gordon a job in his bookstore]
Mr. Cheeseman: Get pissed if you want, but no dipping your hand in the till. That *does* upset me, and I've got a cousin who breaks legs.

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Connections

Featured in At the Movies: Why Do Fools Fall in Love/A Merry War/Your Friends and Neighbors/Dance with Me/Blade (1998)

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Soundtracks

Tiger in the Night
Music and Lyrics by Mike Batt
Performed by Colin Blunstone

User Reviews

It's only okay, but then the book is no masterpiece

I have no idea why the US and New Zealand versions of this movie were retitled 'A Merry War' - it's not set during wartime, and it's not especially merry. George Orwell's original novel is far from the greatest work of that great writer, but it's a sardonic and gritty look at bohemian poverty. The movie is much the same. Richard E. Grant does a fine job as the chronically self-defeating anti-hero, a character who more or less defines the phrase "his own worst enemy" - Gordon Comstock is one of those characters who basically needs a good smack in the mouth, but he never actually gets one. Helena Bonham-Carter does some quietly expert sweeping-up as Rosemary, Gordon's girlfriend, one of Orwell's less boring female characters. Julian Wadham is fine as Gordon's affluent editor friend Ravelston. The film never really gets to the bottom of Gordon's puritanical hatred of money and success, but it's not screenwriter Alan Plater's fault, because neither does the book. All in all, an entertaining piece of guardedly feel-good period drama.