Life upon the wicked stage . . .

SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE was one of those polarising movies back in 1998/1999 - did you prefer it or SAVING PRIVATE RYAN ? (just like in 1994 were you a PULP FICTION or FORREST GUMP kind of person? - It was definitely PULP for me, I have never wanted to see GUMP!). While I enjoyed SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE at the time, it was a great evening at the cinema, I have hardly thought about it since, and now that we have Shakespeare debunked in ANONYMOUS, a television showing of SIL made me relish it all over again.

A friend of mine, Leon, over at IMDB puts it perfectly in his review:

Given the little information available on Shakespeare the Man a movie, either full of gravitas or, as here, a tongue-in-cheek entry, was a brilliant idea waiting to happen and the only mystery is what took so long. The two writers have contrived to cater for just about everyone from the Shakespeare scholar to those with a reasonably nodding acquaintance - i.e. someone who can name say ten of the plays off the top of their head and are aware of Marlowe as the author of The Jew Of Malta, Tamburlaine and Dr. Faustus but wouldn't necessarily associate 'Kit' with CM - to those who wouldn't know Shakespeare from Pete Doherty but have a thing about Gwynneth Paltrow, Joe Fiennes or both and provided humor for all from the 'in' jokes such as the bloodthirsty young boy who identifies himself as John Webster, to the conceit of Shakespeare seeing a shrink to say nothing of the Victor Victoria spin on girls playing boys playing girls and the wry twist on Romeo and Juliet. This movie has just about everything, spectacle, social history, satire, romance, glamor and top quality thesping all round. Definitely one to own on DVD and replay annually.

The cast certainly dazzles: Joseph Fiennes is ideal as is Gwynneth - will they ever be as iconic again? - and they are surrounded by Colin Firth amusing as the obnoxious beau, Judi Dench makes an unforgettable Elizabeth I in her few minutes, then there is Simon Callow, Anthony Sher, Tom Wilkinson, Geoffrey Rush, Imelda Staunton perfect as usual, Rupert Everett, Ben Affleck, Jim Carter, Martin Clunes and the rest. [Fiennes was also in Tudorbethan mode the same year as the Earl of Leicester to Cate Blanchett's Virgin Queen in ELIZABETH]. Tom Stoppard's script amuses too as writer and actor Shakespeare strugges with his new play "Romeo and Ethel the pirate's daughter" and then he spies the lady Viola who loves the theatre but women cannot appear on stage, and there is that arranged marriage ... It ends on a satisfying note though with Will getting his inspiration, Viola going to the New World and the Queen demanding "a comedy next time for Twelfth Night".

At the time it was considered by some with disdain as the perfect Miramax/Harvey Weinstein production designed and marketed to win all those awards, but here is one instance when they were deserved. Costumes, scenery, lighting, and sound - all the technical and design elements are incredibly well researched and well executed as love, life and the theatre are conjured up in the Elizabethan era. I never wanted to see director John Madden's follow-up CAPTAIN CORELLI'S MANDOLIN which by all accounts was a filleted version of a book I loved, rendering it just a Greek travelogue with some very questionable casting ...

My friend Daryl adds that SAVING PRIVATE RYAN seemed too self-important at the time when it was really an updated version of those World War II war movies like THE STORY OF G.I JOE, whereas audiences actually enjoyed the verbal wit, romance, comedy and great period detail of SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE.

I Am Love / The King's Speech

Intoxicating, rapturous cinema is back with I AM LOVE (IO SONE L'AMORE), made in 2009 starring Tilda Swinton and directed by Luca Guadagnino. This is a stunning, absorbing drama about a wealthy Milanese family and recreates the great cinema experiences of the early 70s with those extraordinary films like Bertolucci's THE CONFORMIST or De Sica's GARDEN OF THE FINZI CONTINIS. Tilda has described the film as being "Visconti on acid" but there is also a lot of Antonioni influences here.

We start with some widescreen images of the wealthy Recchi family coming together to celebrate the founder's birthday as servants prepare the dining room at their opulent villa, and he is going to announce who is going to replace him (shades of Visconti's THE DAMNED) - to the family's surprise he names his son Tancredi and grandson Edo (whom the rest feel is not really ready for such responsibility). Grandfather is played by Gabriele Ferzetti (Sandro in Antonioni's L'AVVENTURA) and his wife is the still very elegant and beautiful Marisa Berenson - so we have all these assocations with Antonioni, Visconti and Kubrick. Tilda Swinton's Emma (Tancredi's wife) is Russian actually but now part of the Milanese high society and she looks trememdous here, as dressed by Jill Sander. The music too is rapturous and engrossing and has introduced me to John Adams. In fact I shall have to get the soundtrack as an introduction to his work.

Emma gets to meet Antonio, a chef - Edo's friend whom he is going to open a restaurant with and they become attracted to each other which, after years of her staid marriage, leads to a passionate affair which will have far-reaching consequences [rather like that other Russian housewife discovering passion, Anna Karenina]. Antonio is a bit of an enigma, we don't really get to know him. Complications arise with the sale of their textile factory after the grandfather has died, and Emma and Antonio try to keep their passion secret, but Edo begins to suspect and realises when at a banquet Antonio serves up his childhood favourite soup Oucha which Emma used to make for him. They quarrel but he falls and hits his head .... and it all begins to spiral out of control. Emma is also fascinated by her daughter who comes out as a lesbian and starts a passion of her own. There are lots of marvellous moments, with great images and sound and Tilda is totally in control here - it is her best role since THE DEEP END. There are some great locations too around Milan and San Remo, and those Italians in London. Swinton is regal and looks terrific. There is a wonderful scene where she experiences the rapture of food as she eats a dish which Antonio has prepared for her before they get together - one can feel the look and taste of the dish she is savouring. I also like little touches like the light shining on those green glasses at the dinner table among those stunning interiors.

It is all impeccably directed, elegantly shot and is a sleek, polished upper-class melodrama with a great music track which all makes for fascinating cinema full of references to Italian cinema at its best. Highly recommended and I can't wait to experience it again. There is also an interlude with Swinton on the roof of the Milan cathedral, which has been used in many films (like Visconti's ROCCO) and which I visited myself back in '74. And the title? It could refer to the power of love to unlock passion leading to tragedy: "I am love - behold my terrible power to change everything".

THE KING'S SPEECH - the hit of the year here in the UK - is pretty conventional by comparison (I saw it and I AM LOVE the same day), but is marvellously well done, as directed by Tom Hooper, great period detail both with the Royals and ordinary folk, showing that social life back then was sitting around watching the wireless, in those 30s decors. Colin Firth dominates as the stammering Bertie, Duke of York, later King George VI - once his brother has abdicated to marry Mrs Simpson - and his developing relationship with the unconventional Australian speech therapist Lionel Logue, well played by Geoffrey Rush. Their scenes are really the core of the film and around them a great cast play out the other parts: Helena Bonham Carter is spot-on as the later Queen Mother - the two little princesses and the corgis are just right, Claire Bloom has a few moments and is perfect as the unbending Queen Mary, Derek Jacobi, Timothy Spall, Anthony Andrews, Michael Gambon, Jennifer Ehle (Elizabeth Bennett to Firth's Mr Darcy back in that excellent '90s BBC version of PRIDE AND PREJUDICE) round out the cast, with Guy Pearce as the new King besotted with the American divorcee. It does show the fear facing the Duke waiting to make his first speech in public at Wembley Stadium and the isolated life with no friends which is a monarch-in-waiting's lot and the destiny which he has to face, without much help from unyielding parents.



I had a childhood/early teen stammer myself so was unsure how I would react to the King's problems but it is handled very well - and not depicted as painful to hear as a real stammer can be (I just don't like and can't use that word stutter). The end credits tell us it is all true but some liberties have been taken - I would imagine there weren't the crowds outside the Palace as the King makes the climactic speech - but some artistic licence has to be allowed to create a rousing finale! Not though since Helen Mirren as THE QUEEN has an actor been so on course for a certain Oscar win - Firth is perfect here, and of course after being nominated and losing last year for playing gay in Tom Ford's A SINGLE MAN as well as playing royal and overcoming a disability! He must now be the pre-dominant English actor of our time. It would be nice to see Helena get some recognition as well, she has turned into a fascinating quirky presence.

Tom Ford's A SINGLE MAN

Tom Ford's A SINGLE MAN finally makes it to my local art-house, and turns out to less than a faithful vision of Isherwood's gay classic novel. A fascinating example of a film of a book one likes and which I had recently re-read. [I never wanted to see the film of CAPTAIN CORELLI'S MANDOLIN once I had read it was a filleted, travelogue version of the story...].

Here though the changes are quite startling as fashion designer Tom Ford creates Isherwood's story in his vision. In the 1964 novel George the university lecturer is a crumpled 58 year old with no interest in fashion and lives in a boxy apartment which was too small for him and his lover/partner Jim (who was killed in an accident). It is now 8 months later and George struggles through the day, keeping his feelings in check as he copes with the University, the students, and his best friend Charley - who is, in the novel, a lumpy middle aged woman who dresses in ethnic peasant attire and lives in a dilapidated bungalow. In the movie George lives in an impossibly glamorous glass and wood house - one laughs out loud at seeing it - with perfect modern style furnishings, which hardly seems possible on his university salary (and it just does not look 1962 style). Charley is now a very glamorous divorcee who drinks a lot and lives in what is like a hollywood mansion.

Colin Firth is totally engrossing as George and Julianne Moore certainly ramps up the glamour as Charlie. Matthew Goode is seen as the deceased partner, and Nicholas Hoult scores as the young attractive student who seems to be stalking George. There is also that attractive hustler who tries to pick him up, in that wonderfully lit scene like a studio set as they are bathed in a golden light against that giant PSYCHO poster. Details like these are fascinating and and its all brilliantly conveyed, Tom Ford has indeed brought his vision to it, as anyone who saw his "Vanity Fair" Hollywood issue will see. I particularly like his brilliantly styled flashback to the '40s when George and Jim first meet at that seaside bar.

I was very pleased Colin Firth in a career best performance - he is no longer a lightweight actor - got the BAFTA award, we will have to see how the Oscars go, though it would seem to be Jeff Bridges' year, which I am happy about too.

Fascinating movie, fascinating music too - I had to wait to the very end credits to see who sang that version of "Stormy Weather", its Etta James! Its a movie I like the look of, its quite an achievement to (mainly) get the early 60s look right - all the rage now with MAD MEN. Ford also partly produced and co-wrote the screenplay. Its certainly intentionally very homoerotic too with the camera lingering on those male bodies and in the presentation of Kenny, the student, with the tighty whiteies and that nude swim (in the book Kenny just wants a place where he can screw (as they said back then) his Japanese girlfriend - he is not actually coming on to George. Niggles remain though about making it all more glamorous - those perfect white shirts! - and the ending is perplexing as there are slight changes. There is no gun or suicide intent in Isherwood's story, Kenny the student sees the photo of the nude late partner, and remains in the house on the sofa, whereas in the book George wakes up to find him gone and a note left, and then ..... Isherwood takes a detatched tone regarding George and his ageing body in the book, imaginging the time when George's body gives out - not it happening there and then with the student in the house, plus Colin Firth in the film looks fit in his late 40s and not likely to topple over any time soon... It looks great of course, as styled by Ford - that stunning scene with the hustler bathed in that orange glow, and the flashback to the 40s ....

Looking forward to the dvd and any special features! So, another BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN ?

Things were obviously very different back in the early '60s but surely there would have been more interaction with Jim's family - who must have been aware of George's existance if they were together 16 years? [In my own case in 1996 when my then partner died suddenly his family, whom I thought I had got on well with and had met several times a year for 10 years, were on the doorstep the next day to claim his possessions (which they were entitled to) and also tried to claim the house (which they were not) and this was a wealthy middle-class family!]. Another comment on that impossibly perfect house - back in '62 Marilyn Monroe for instance was living in a Spanish-style bungalow, quite the style in California, with a very ordinary divan bed; there may well have been stunningly modern houses but I wouldn't imagine university lecturers were in that league!