The Invisible Woman

The Invisible Woman has been on my TBW list for a while now, and I finally got to see it in a tiny art house theatre on a frigid Canadian Saturday night. I was in just the right mood for this meandering stylish film. I have to preface this by saying that I am an appreciative reader of Dickens and I had just finished Claire Tomalin's book the night before, on which the screenplay was based. In case you have never heard of said invisible woman, Ellen (Nelly) Ternan was the young actress with whom Charles Dickens had a long affair over the last decade or so of his life.

So we find that Mr. Dickens has feet of clay after all. This is a story as old as humanity. A powerful middle aged male finds himself attracted to a girl less than half his age and ends up separating from his wife and acting on his urges. Except in this case Dickens was a national treasure in England, and a champion of Victorian family values.

The casting of Ralph Fiennes as Dickens turns out to be quite brilliant. A randy old ham playing a randy old ham. Perfect! And Felicity Jones is an amazing talent and gives us a peek into Nelly Ternan, conflicted and flattered and desperately in need of a protector.

All of the supporting cast are wonderful, from Kristin Scott Thomas as Nelly's similarly conflicted mother, to Tom Hollander as a heavily bearded Wilkie Collins, to Joanna Scanlan baring body and soul as Catherine Dickens.

Kudos to Ralph Fiennes as director for not painting anyone in this story as the "bad guy". This story is a tragedy but without a villain.

So if this sounds good to you then go ahead and enjoy it. But don't drag anyone who wouldn't appreciate the slow pace or anyone without even a remote interest in Dickens. Here is the trailer if you haven't seen it:

Enjoy!

About Time- A Sentimental Journey

I got to see the latest Richard Curtis film About Time last weekend and can absolutely recommend it. If you haven't already heard it is about a time travelling father and son team (Domhnall Gleeson and Bill Nighy) and the son's search for love (Rachel McAdams in her third time travel film). And yes it is a bit sappy, par for the course with Mr. Curtis. But it is also wonderful!

In a nutshell, it seems like Richard Curtis was feeling very sentimental about family (the father son relationship especially) and he has also apparently been mulling over the fact that we could all be happier by smelling the roses more instead of getting stressed out over life, as most of us do.

So suspend your disbelief (only adult men in this particular family can time travel, and to do it they have to go into a dark place while they close their eyes and clench their fists) and just go with it.

Tim (Domhnall Gleeson pronounced Dough-nal) is the new Hugh Grant/ awkward Brit character who falls in love instantly with Mary (Rachel McAdams) without seeing her at first (too complicated to explain) and uses his time travel ability to go back and "re-do" the cringe-inducing moments we are used to in a Curtis film.

Let me just add that the cast is superb among them Tom Hollander as...well...again, hard to explain his relationship with the main characters but his role is hilarious perfection! And Lindsay Duncan is understated and simply lovely as the mother/wife of the time travelers.

The supporting cast of young unknowns is also wonderful and the scenery of Cornwall is out of this world. So yes, if you enjoyed Love Actually, Notting Hill and Four Weddings and a Funeral you will adore this one too. If those films didn't turn your crank then you probably have drastically different taste in film than I do!

Enjoy this one friends!!!

Wives and Daughters 1999

Justine Waddell, Keeley Hawes and Francesca Annis in Wives and Daughters

I can't believe I haven't blogged about Wives and Daughters yet. This is one of the best British period dramas ever, bar none! Written by the talented Mrs. Gaskell and adapted by the almost equally talented Andrew Davies, this production nears perfection.

This is the story of Molly Gibson (Justine Waddell), the daughter of a country doctor who gets an unpleasant surprise in the guise of a silly and manipulative step-mother (Francesca Annis). Thankfully she also gets a pretty step-sister (Keeley Hawes) who grows quite fond of Molly although the motives for her actions are not always as pure and her feelings not as easy to read as her new sister's.

Bill Paterson as Dr. Gibson with his beloved Molly (Justine Waddell)

The loving father daughter relationship between Dr. Gibson and Molly is wonderfully played by Bill Paterson and Justine Waddell. The viewer really feels for Molly when her role as the most important female in his life is usurped by such a ninny as Hyacinth Clare Kirkpatrick (Francesca Annis).

Michael Gambon as Squire Hamley

Squire Hamley: I'm not saying she was very silly, but one of us was silly and it wasn't me.

Anthony Howell is easy on the eyes as Roger Hamley

Mr. Gibson: Women are queer, unreasoning creatures and just as likely as not to love a man who's been throwing his affection away.
Roger Hamley: Thank you sir, I see you mean to give me encouragement.
Mr. Gibson: My encouragement is neither here nor there, if she can stomach ya, I dare say I can.

Keeley Hawes as flighty Cynthia and Iain Glen as the hateful Mr. Preston

Cynthia Kirkpatrick: I didn't sell myself. I liked you then, but oh, do I hate you now!

***********************************************************************************

As I was watching this, my husband (I have taken to calling him The Squire) was popping in and out of the room as is his wont, when he started recognizing actors. "Hey, that's the dad from Miss Potter. There's the mom from Miss Potter! There's Isobel Crawley from Downton Abbey! Lady Catherine de Bourgh! Mr. Collins! Mary Bennet! Michael Gambon! Chloe from MI5! Sgt. Milner from Foyle's War! Mrs. Jennings from Sense and Sensibility! The Welsh guy from Coupling!"

It was kind of hilarious as he kept recognizing actor after actor. And this was only hours after he had just ID'd the dopey Lol Ferris from As Time Goes By as Mr. Gardiner from Pride and Prejudice 1995, which I had failed to see in previous viewings. He's getting good! Which just shows how many of my period dramas he has sat through. Or popped in and out during, always demanding a plot update when he reenters the room. Well, perhaps he is paying attention after all!

Molly Gibson in the rain

In short, I can conclude by saying this has to be in the top 5 period dramas of all time so if you've never watched this one, please do so soon, and if you have seen it, you may want to cuddle up and watch it again if you need a Molly and Roger fix. Molly is so adorable and that man can make a microscope look sexy! Well, that and the cravat of course...

Gosford Park 2001-a Robert Altman classic

Gosford Park 2001

Gosford Park is a classic British ensemble piece, set in England at a country house weekend in 1932. It was written by Julian Fellowes(of Downton Abbey), who really knows what the English aristocracy do and did at their country houses on the weekends, so he is in his element here. And director Robert Altman is also at his best with the large talented cast, overlapping dialogue and improvisation which gives realism to this brilliant film.

Apparently, this film was originally conceived by Bob Balaban (who plays American producer Morris Weissman) and Robert Altman in 1999 when Altman suggested a whodunnit and asked Julian Fellowes to write the script.

Kristen Scott Thomas in Gosford Park

Kirsten Scott Thomas plays the aristocratic lady of the house, Lady Sylvia McCordle, who won her husband by drawing cards with her sister to see who would marry the older (but rich) Sir William McCordle (played by Michael Gambon).  Not sure if she won that card game or lost it! She plays the perfect snob and apparently had to apologize to her fellow actors after filming as she started truly becoming Lady Sylvia!

Lavinia Meredith: I don't care what's changed or not changed as long as our sons are spared what you all went through.
Lady Sylvia McCordle: Not all. You never fought, did you, William?
Sir William McCordle: I did my bit.
Louisa Stockbridge: Of course you did.
Lady Sylvia McCordle: Well, you made a lot of money but it's not quite the same as charging into the cannon's mouth, is it?

Maggie Smith as Constance, Countess of Trentham and her maid Mary (Kelly Macdonald)

Dame Maggie Smith is spot on as usual as the ultra snobby Aunt Constance, Countess of Trentham who is perennially short of cash and who thrives on gossip, put-downs and other people's hospitality.

Constance:   Mabel is so clever to pack light. Why should one wear a different frock each evening, we're not in a fashion parade.

Jeremy Northam as Ivor Novello in Gosford Park

Jeremy Northam sang and played the piano appearing as real life actor/singer/composer Ivor Novello. Novello wrote the famous song Keep the Homefires Burning which was very popular during WWI. Novello's real songs were used for Northam to sing (and for Maggie Smith to deride) although most of the gorgeous piano playing was done by Jeremy Northam's brother Christopher who is a concert pianist.

Morris Weissman: How do you manage to put up with these people?
Ivor Novello: Well, you forget, I make my living impersonating them.

Too many other wonderful actors to do justice to them all in this short post. Emily Watson as the head maid Elsie, Clive Owen as the mysterious hunk of a valet who finally kisses little Mary "I've wanted to do that ever since I laid eyes on you!"  Woohoo!

Dame Helen Mirren and Dame Eileen Atkins as the two main ladies in the downstairs area who have untold tales in their pasts. Ryan Phillipe and Bob Balaban as the horrid Americans. Tom Hollander, Charles Dance and Michael Gambon as some of the men, and darn fine actors in this too. I think the jam scene with Tom Hollander and Sophie Thompson is one of my favourites. "Try the strawberry!"

Wrotham Park at the Darcy's Ruby Wedding Party "Oh, crikey!"

And I wouldn't be thorough without mentioning the house in this, Wrotham Park. It is not open to the public, so unless you attend a wedding there, you will never see the inside of the house which is so gorgeous and a character of its own in this film. I did recognize the stairway with all of the portraits lining the walls where Bridget Jones pulls Mark Darcy out into when they are at the Ruby Wedding Party. "Oh, crikey!" However it was apparently also used as a filming location for The Way We Live Now, Jeeves and Wooster, Daniel Deronda and Sense and Sensibility 2008 among many others. Now I may have to re-watch these to see if I can recognize any of the rooms!

Now I need a few of you to comment with your favourite scenes or characters or lines from Gosford Park. I know I missed a few!

Any Human Heart Episode 2 on PBS/Masterpiece

Any Human Heart- The Duke and Duchess of Windsor (Gillian Anderson and Tom Hollander)

I didn't want to miss the second installment of the fascinating series Any Human Heart. I've seen a lot of Matthew Macfadyen lately, as I have just finished the lovely Little Dorrit (review coming soon) and my guys have been watching him (and his love Keeley Hawes) on Spooks/MI5. We're on Macfadyen overload but it's all good. I'm getting to know every scar on his face in HD!

Matthew Macfadyen as Logan Mountstuart

This is a very entertaining series. Logan certainly has a good sex life, even though PBS apparently cut a good 40 minutes or so of skin etc. for the more conservative North American audience.  His encounters with the rich and famous are rather amusing, especially with Tom Hollander and Gillian Anderson as the Duke and Duchess of Windsor.  I rather enjoyed the Duke and Duchess's comeuppance tonight especially as I am now quite partial to King George VI and his bride Elizabeth, due in part to my affection for the film The King's Speech.

Kim Cattrall as Gloria Scabius (causes a few scabs!)

I have truly enjoyed this series, although I don't think it is one that I really wish to purchase and watch again soon.  At times heartbreaking, (no spoilers here) and at other times uplifting, I have to say interesting is probably the best adjective I can pull out to describe this one.  I do have one small beef however.

This is a personal thing which others may disagree with.  I watch most of these shows with my husband.  He is acutely aware of the presence of suicides in movies and television as he had a close member of his family commit suicide.  There is oftentimes a suicide in the films I watch with him, even though I try to avoid downer type films.  It seems to be an all too common way to move a plot these days.  In this episode of Any Human Heart there were no less than 4 (we counted them...4!) suicides or attempted suicides shown.  I think there must be some defect with the story telling ability of this author if he requires 4 instances in one episode, although admittedly one of them was historical and not fictional.  Although I realize that this subject should not be avoided if it is necessary to tell the story, it is too often, I am afraid, shorthand for "this person is unhappy" and I think that is what has happened in this series.

Next week we get more of Jim Broadbent as Logan Mountstuart Senior!

OK, rant over but I just had to have my say on this topic.  Feel free to leave a comment if you agree or if you disagree. I'd love to know what others think.

But don't let this turn you off of this wonderful series.  I am truly looking forward to next week when Jim Broadbent takes over as Logan.  I adore Jim Broadbent who will forever hold a special place in my heart as Bridget Jones's dad.  See you next week!

Any Human Heart on PBS Masterpiece this Sunday!

Matthew Macfadyen and Hayley Atwell in Any Human Heart

I have been lucky enough to see a preview of the first of three episodes of Any Human Heart, premiering on PBS this coming Sunday night, Feb 13, 2011. It is very good!

This adaptation of a fairly recent novel by William Boyd can probably best be explained as a life in flashbacks. It starts out showing the main character, writer Logan Mountstuart, as an old man (the lovely Jim Broadbent). He is living in a villa in the South of France with piles of books, photos and boxes of journals detailing his very interesting life all around him. As he sorts through these memories, we get to relive his life with him.

Matthew Macfadyen, Jim Broadbent and Sam Claflin as the three phases of Logan Mountstuart

As he travels through his past, starting not at his birth in the exotic sounding Montevideo Uruguay, but as a student at Oxford in 1926, we get to know him through his journal. "I, Logan Mountstuart, do solemnly declare that in this my final year at Oxford, I will lose my virginity." Needless to say, this one has a warning about explicit content right at the beginning. We get to see the loves of his life (in and out of bed) and as well as having the great good fortune to encounter many stunningly gorgeous women, he also stumbles across many famous people. Made me really think of a smarter, English Forest Gump to be honest. Not that that is a bad thing. It certainly adds spice to the story to have Logan hanging out with Ernest Hemingway, Ian Fleming and The Duke and Duchess of Windsor (played to a tee by Tom Hollander and Gillian Anderson).

Well, I won't say any more other than that I think this is a wonderful addition to the Masterpiece lineup this winter and I look forward to seeing the next two episodes to see what else Logan Gump gets up to in his travels through the 20th century.