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Claresteers
Reviews
Martin Chuzzlewit (1994)
Highly recommended
A pure gem. Superb casting and acting. Not a lover of Dicken's books, this translated brilliantly to the screen.
Where to start with the plaudits? Every time Pecksniff appeared, I jumped for joy. His every move and facial expression was perfection. Tom Wilkinson, a great loss.
I do not bemoan the loss of the American saga. Each episode was nicely balanced.
Negatively, young Martin Chuzzlewit's previous selfishness and failings were not explained?
Philip Franks' Pinch and his goodness moved me to tears and I have removed one star for his fake bald head, it was very distracting in an otherwise beautifully costumed series.
Mothering Sunday (2021)
Forgettable
An hour after watching this film, I could hardly remember anything about it. Visually pretty like an advertisement for pork pies, country holidays or cycling. Oh and taking one's clothes off.
Like a record winding down, I couldn't believe how slow moving this film was. The acting was extremely self conscious and embarrassing. I'm sure the actors must have squirmed when they saw the final result.
I cannot believe a lowly maidservant at that period would have behaved in this confident assured way. This shows the director has no understanding of the class system in England at that time. The fact that we would like it to be so does not mean that was how it was.
And please, not Olivia Colman AGAIN!
If you like slow motion action and pretty country scenes, go for it.
The Long Day Closes (1992)
Close to home
I cannot write objectively about this film as it completely mirrors my childhood in Liverpool in the 50s albeit without Catholicism and for an extra bonus, a violent father.
I can understand how it would be alien to many but pretentiousness I am sure is not part of Terence Davies' makeup. Sincerity is his hallmark and to be sensitive in the midst of occasional brutality is hard to endure.
Fantastic photography and music combine in this poetic masterpiece: my only criticism is the occasional unnecessary slow motion movements of the characters. Shortened a little, the scenes would still have the same impact.
Bravo to a fellow Liverpudlian.
Vita & Virginia (2018)
Intellectual word salad
Nice to look at, but not to listen to. The love letters have not translated well to the screen. People hardly speak to each other in the way they express themselves in writing, particularly if they are writers of the calibre of VW and VSW (whose books are underrated in my opinion).
VWs' speaking voice here is a problem. If you have heard a recording of her, it is of its time, mannered and very upper crust. Hardly acceptable to a modern audience. The actress does her best, but...
I don't believe anyone knows how physical this relationship became, taking into account Virginia's frigidity. It's just guesswork.
VW socially was witty, giggly, amusing as well as profound, but no sign of her playfulness here. She remains miserable throughout. I think she smiled once.
As mentioned earlier, the minute Vita gazing up at a tall Virginia was laughable and I look more like Duncan Grant than the actor portraying him, a caricature by the way.
Adam and Evelyne (1949)
Age gap romance
Slow moving (read my book during the boring bits) but reasonably enjoyable romance. Worth it for the good looking leads and the frisson of their first kiss.
The usual outdated irritations of this period "Give me a drink" and other male expectations to the females in the cast
plus Evelyne's annoying voice, which didn't seem to mature even after being "finished" abroad. Similar to our beloved Queen and the tradition that women sound like 6 year olds. (See Marilyn Monroe, Jackie Kennedy etc.)
Helen Cherry as the rebuffed girlfriend was fascinating, sophisticated, poised and speaking like a woman.
Looked her up, Trevor Howard's wife who had her long patrician nose bobbed.
Världens vackraste pojke (2021)
Hard done by?
Our sympathies follow this spectral Gothic figure as the familiar tale of instant fame followed by disillusionment is played out.
Not an actor (his acting in DIV minimal and awkward) and defined by his looks, I wish he had followed full time his talent for music. Watching him listening to his own playing of Chopin was revealing. But the musical part of his life is left out of this film and therein lies the imbalance.
Obviously a depressive which may have been inherited from his mother, would his life have been much different without DIV? Impossible to live with and self pitying.
I'm not sure why his grandmother comes in for such blame here. Using opportunities as they arise is not blameworthy. She surely would have wanted him to have a happy life, she brought the two children up and his sister seems to be well adjusted,
Moss Rose (1947)
Cool it Ethel, you gave the game away!
Atmospheric Edwardian melodrama, made enjoyable by Dickensian style London fog, over the top characters and twists and turns,
If only Ethel Barrymore had played it cooler, the denouement could have been a real shock. As it was, quite early on her manner screamed 'I'm the villain of the piece!"
Initially I thought Cummins was Australian and her voice frankly made ones ears bleed, lovable though she was even when being underhand,
Falling for Figaro (2020)
Cheese, ham and more cheese
Underwhelming rom com with zero chemistry between all the lovers involved.
The most ridiculous aspect was Lumley's absolute caricature of a singing teacher, supposedly of the 'Old School'.
No singing teacher could get away with that now. Yes, make her eccentric and a character, but an over the top monster ruined the film for me. It's surprising that Lumley, married to an esteemed conductor with knowledge of these things, allowed herself to be taken in. Embarrassing to say the least.
Surely a better baritone voice could have been used for the prizewinning leading man?
And who are the actual singers? I cannot easily find their names.
Brooklyn (2015)
Cheesy but nice
Enjoyable and visually pleasing, but Ronan sleepwalked her way through this. Apart from looking like a beautiful madonna, it was plank acting. Where was the wit and vitality associated with the Irish? Thank god for Julia Walters.
Too much gazing meaningfully into the distance with those beautiful blue eyes.
When I read the ending was different to the book, which I haven't read, my heart sank,thinking a happy ending had been conjured up, but it is so minor it doesn't change it.
Finding Alice (2021)
Found Alice annoying
Looked promising, but although grief takes many forms, Alice's was unconvincing. Most people have a period of zombie like bemusement and don't dash about like a whirling dervish so soon after a shocking bereavement.
What a breath of fresh air Nigel Havers was! Lumley overplayed the cold mother and other characters overdid it too.
And what has Keeley Hawes done to her face?