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CLASS
ACTS
Altman's Gosford Park is well worth a visit by Lynda
Del Sasso
Gosford
Park
UK/USA 2001, Cert. 15
Director: Robert Altman
Star Rating * * * 1/2
England,
1932, and Sir William McCordle (Michael Gambon) and his
wife Lady Sylvia (Kristin Scott Thomas) are hosting a
weekend shooting party at Gosford Park, their grand country
estate. An assortment of friends and relations arrive,
including matinée idol Ivor Novello (Jeremy Northam),
a countess (Maggie Smith) and an American film producer
(Bob Balaban). Guests are accompanied by their personal
maids and valets, swelling the ranks of servants below
stairs (Alan Bates, Helen Mirren, Emily Watson, Richard
E. Grant, Derek Jacobi) and adding to the general bustle
of the household. Snobbery and tensions soon become evident,
culminating in a murder.
Robert
Altman's first film set in the UK is an old-fashioned
comedy of manners and murder mystery, as well as a fascinating
exposé of the class system in England circa 1930.
The impressive ensemble cast adds depth and intelligence
to what easily could have been seen as a lightweight Agatha
Christie-style plot, and the period detail is fabulous.
The complex characters, with the exception of Stephen
Fry's bumbling detective, are memorable and, although
the social comment of the film is far more interesting
than the (predictable) murder, this is an insightful work
from Altman, at least equal in stature to Short Cuts,
Prêt a Porter and The Player.
Duke
of York's from February 1
Just Visiting
France/USA/UK 2001, Cert. PG
Director: Jean-Marie Gaubert
Star Rating * * *
Medieval
French nobleman Thibault (Jean Reno), and his beloved
Lady Rosalind (Christina Applegate) suffer a tragedy on
the eve of their wedding. Grief-stricken, Thibault implores
a wizard (Malcolm McDowell) to concoct a potion which
will send him back in time to avert the tragedy.
By
mistake the lovesick aristocrat and his devoted servant
André (Christian Clavier) are transported 800 years
forward in time to modern day Chicago. Confused and overwhelmed
by 21st century life, they meet Thibault's descendant
Julia Malfete (Applegate) and her scheming fiancé,
and soon realise they must quickly find a way back to
their own time - otherwise Julia and the rest of Thibault's
lineage will never exist.
Just
Visiting is a retelling of the 1993 French blockbuster
Les Visiteurs which also starred Jean Reno and Christian
Clavier and was directed by Jean-Marie Gaubert. Reno's
performance in the lead is excellent, as are the many
special effects in this visually rich production. The
slapstick comedy and fun tone is ideal for its intended
audience (schoolchildren) but anyone seeking meaning or
depth may well be disappointed by this half-term release.
Odeon
and UCG from February 8
Other
Highlights
Battle
Royale - from Japan, the ultimate reality game show.
(Gardner Arts Centre, February 3).
A
Skin Too Few - The Days of Nick Drake, biopic of one
of rock music's most tragically romantic figures (Cinematheque,
February 7).
Solaris
- Andrei Tarkovsky's 1972 Sci-Fi Classic (Gardner Arts
Centre, February 8).
Freaks
- Todd Browning's infamous 1932 film set in a travelling
circus (Cinematheque, February 10).
The
Little Matchgirl [La Petite Marchande D'Allumettes],
Jean Renoir/Jean Tedesco, 1928, with live piano accompaniment
(Cinematheque, February 24).
copyright New Insight 2001
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