(In the end, passion is what love is about; not duty in the film Easy Virtue.)Well I wanted Easy Virtue by Stephen Elliot based on the play by Noel Coward to be a lot more than it was.
Yes there were the wonderful settings (who doesn't like those huge English country homes with their hundreds of rooms and roaming countryside), costumes and stilted drama, but it all seemed so yesterday. Not biting, not crisp, just the dreamy English dream of yesteryear.
We all know that the English used to keep a stiff upper lip, look down on Americans, and believe that keeping up appearances is the point, but to what end in the 21st century? Prior to World War II I am sure this play was rather fun; the impetuous American beauty Larita played by Jessica Biel doing her best to win over her disapproving mother-in-law Mrs. Whittaker played by Kristin Scott Thomas would have seemed relishing and brave.
The most unfortunate part of the film though had to be the dialog that was often lost in the music and the various conversations said in almost whispered tones. But there were some good lines too; my favorite being, "You're English dear, fake it!"
0 comments:
Post a Comment