Sunday, September 02, 2007
Within the list of things I said I would eventually write up, I completely forgot to mention the French film "Lady Chatterley", that I saw in the week. So, that is where I shall start.
Do not go to see this movie if you are in the mood for a heaving piece of pornography. It is an easy mistake to make, as the "Lady Chatterley's Lover" story (or in this case the "John Thomas And Lady Jane" story, which was D. H. Lawrence's second attempt at telling the tale), lends itself rather well to cinematic smut. (A young woman, unsatisfied by her crippled, rich husband, begins a sexual relationship with the rough, uncivilized gamekeeper. Ooooh... Great stuff. Pass me my Kleenex.)
"Lady Chatterley" is not that film. Despite all of the nudity and the brief close up, at one point, of an erect male organ, what "Lady Chatterley" really is, is a beautiful, erotic and tender love story with fine photography and great internalised acting. I think that Marina Hands and Jean-Louis Coullo'ch give truly wonderful performances as the lovers.
For me there was one slightly jarring note in that the film is set in England, but being a French film, of course everybody is speaking in French. But is that the little Englander in me talking? If the situation were reversed and I were talking about British actors playing French characters in a French setting but speaking English, would I even give it a second thought? No. Of course I wouldn't. Not at all.
It is a long film (nearly 3 hours, although there is a television version that runs - eeek! - nearly 4 hours), and not exactly plot driven, but don't let that put you off. If you fancy an interesting mood piece, that looks absolutely gorgeous, give it a go. I think that it is one of the best films of the year.
Do not go to see this movie if you are in the mood for a heaving piece of pornography. It is an easy mistake to make, as the "Lady Chatterley's Lover" story (or in this case the "John Thomas And Lady Jane" story, which was D. H. Lawrence's second attempt at telling the tale), lends itself rather well to cinematic smut. (A young woman, unsatisfied by her crippled, rich husband, begins a sexual relationship with the rough, uncivilized gamekeeper. Ooooh... Great stuff. Pass me my Kleenex.)
"Lady Chatterley" is not that film. Despite all of the nudity and the brief close up, at one point, of an erect male organ, what "Lady Chatterley" really is, is a beautiful, erotic and tender love story with fine photography and great internalised acting. I think that Marina Hands and Jean-Louis Coullo'ch give truly wonderful performances as the lovers.
For me there was one slightly jarring note in that the film is set in England, but being a French film, of course everybody is speaking in French. But is that the little Englander in me talking? If the situation were reversed and I were talking about British actors playing French characters in a French setting but speaking English, would I even give it a second thought? No. Of course I wouldn't. Not at all.
It is a long film (nearly 3 hours, although there is a television version that runs - eeek! - nearly 4 hours), and not exactly plot driven, but don't let that put you off. If you fancy an interesting mood piece, that looks absolutely gorgeous, give it a go. I think that it is one of the best films of the year.
Labels: Movies
# posted by Pynchon @ 8:21 pm 
