A notorious seducer pretends to be impotent in order to lull husbands who fear to be made cuckolds. Anthony Andrews is just the man. An acquaintance has wed a simple country girl in the hope she will not be tempted to betray him. But she is Helen Mirren, some decades before she became a Dame. She is hot. She is hot to see London; hot to see a play; and hot to take a lover. Everybody does it in London. She is memorable despite what another reviewer has said. Who knows, maybe the other reviewer is impotent. The plot is as complicated as anything by Shakespeare. There are misunderstandings, forged letters, double meanings and a plot resolution at the end whereby everybody gets away with everything. That's the important thing, nobody gets hurt. It is not a spoiler to say it's a comedy, not a tragedy. Mirren plays her character to show naiveté with inventiveness. There is nothing dumb about this country girl. She is just inexperienced. But she is determined to become experienced. Mirren is wonderful. You should also check her out in the BBC television production of Balzac's Cousin Bette from 1971. She plays the demimonde Valerie Marneffe. She is hot.
2 Reviews
Restoration
bob99814 December 2011
This performance of the Country Wife is found on Disc 4 of Helen Mirren At The BBC. I suppose the BBC has taken the opportunity of releasing these old shows to make money off the name of a star who became famous after she appeared in them. William Wycherley is known mainly for The Country Wife, a tale of a jealous husband and his not-too-bright wife. There aren't many laughs in this soggy piece, despite the best efforts of the talented cast who mug and sashay through it. You will hear all the vulgar words (whoremaster, coxcomb, pimp etc.) but the moral sense that should accompany the language is missing.
Helen Mirren is pert and charming but not memorable as the wife from the sticks who wants desperately to see a play, and Bernard Cribbins snarls and rants through his part as Pinchwife. John Nettleton and Adrienne Corri as the Fidgets act very stylishly. If you must have Restoration comedy, then this is acceptable enough.
Helen Mirren is pert and charming but not memorable as the wife from the sticks who wants desperately to see a play, and Bernard Cribbins snarls and rants through his part as Pinchwife. John Nettleton and Adrienne Corri as the Fidgets act very stylishly. If you must have Restoration comedy, then this is acceptable enough.
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