A
film review by James Berardinelli for ReelViews.net
This
is a classic example of a novel being condensed and edited to fit within the
limited time allowed for a screen adaptation. The 2008 motion picture
adaptation of Evelyn Waugh's Brideshead Revisited clocks in at 135
minutes - not short, to be sure, but not epic length either. By comparison, the
1981 mini-series, which is considered by some purists to be among the best
book-to-TV adaptations of all time, ran nearly eleven hours. Clearly, a lot of
work was necessary to craft the shorter version from the same material that
formed the basis of the longer one. The result, while not faithful in the
strictest sense to the novel, allows the basic story to remain intact and
exhibits respect for the characters.
The
screenplay was co-written by Andrew
Davies, who might be considered the dean of TV/movie adaptations of classic
novels. His pen has scribed everything from Dickens to Austen to Waugh. Those
familiar with his work will note his fingerprints here, as he attempts to
accentuate sexuality without undermining the source material. Nevertheless,
while there are flashes of skin and a more open acceptance of homosexuality
than in the novel, Davies does not turn this into a costume drama of
exploitation. It is, however, faster paced than the acclaimed 1981 version
(adapted by John Mortimer). I will admit to having fallen asleep during more
than one episode of that series during its original run. I stayed awake
throughout the entire movie, although it's no use pretending that the film will
be of interest to anyone who doesn't like British costume dramas. Brideshead Revisited has a lot to
recommend it, but it's only going to play to a certain audience.
Brideshead Revisited opens in the pre-dawn
of World War II with celebrated painter Charles Ryder (Matthew Goode) meeting old flame Julia Flyte (Hayley Atwell) while on a shipboard voyage returning to England.
Their encounter causes Charles to flash back ten years to his time at Oxford.
During his first days at the university, he meets Sebastian Flyte (Ben Whishaw), an eccentric and often
drunk student. Despite their differences in class (Charles is middle-class,
Sebastian is a member of the aristocracy), temperament, and religion (Charles
is an atheist, Sebastian belongs to a devout Roman Catholic family), they
become friends. Over the summer holidays, Sebastian invites Charles to visit
his family's estate of Brideshead, and Charles becomes smitten by both the
mansion and Sebastian's sister, Julia. Although their flirtations begin at
Brideshead, the presence of Sebastian and Julia's mother, Lady Marchmain (Emma Thompson), holds things in check.
But when the three travel to Venice to spend time with Lord Marchmain (Michael Gambon), the attraction between
Charles and Julia finds form and Sebastian must cope with jealousy.
Class
struggles form the backbone of many British period pieces but, in the case of Brideshead Revisited, religion is more
of an issue than class. Lady Marchmain makes this clear during a scene when she
informs Charles that she might be willing to countenance a marriage between him
and Julia if the only things dividing them were class and money. However, his
stance as an avowed atheist makes him an unsuitable husband. In Charles' view,
no good can come of religion - not only does it ruin his chance to marry Julia,
but its repressive nature has caused Sebastian to become an alcoholic.
Sebastian cannot cope with the guilt associated with being a sinner and it
shreds his conscience. In the end, however, Charles learns that his opinions
about religion may not be fully informed.
The
film exhibits the qualities - both good and bad - of the average Masterpiece
Theater episode. The costumes and period detail are impeccable. The film spans
the period between the late 1920s and the early 1940s with a sweep and grandeur
that provides a sense of you are there.
The acting is also uniformly strong (although it's hard to imagine any Oscar
nominations springing from this well). On the other hand, there's a reserve to
the way the characters are portrayed which makes empathy difficult. With respect
to Charles, the protagonist, there's an emotional distance bordering on
aloofness that can make him difficult to like and, at times, hard to
understand.
The
extreme compression of the novel results in some minor continuity issues, and
there are times when important scenes feel rushed or a little out-of-place. The
adaptation as a whole does not flow as well as the recent, equally condensed
Keira Knightley version of Pride and
Prejudice, which found a way to virtually eliminate certain subplots in order
to keep the main story intact. There are times when Brideshead Revisited shows its seams. For those with an affinity
for this kind of movie - and you know whether this applies to you - Brideshead Revisited is a worthy,
although not superior, motion picture. [Berardinelli’s rating: *** out of 4
stars]
Labels:
drama, romance
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