-Howard’s End is
epic and stately

Howard’s End x * x % (AHiance) Rated Mature (at the Oakridge

Cinema)

F YOU were a wealthy Brit in 1910, Howard’s End

would be a cottage. To the ret of us, # would be a

beautiful country manor. But 1or such an elegant piece
of real estate, it's amazing how tragedy shrouds it.

The tale involves three families
— the house’s current owners (the
wealthy industrialist Wilcoxes),
their middle-class acquaintances
(the artistic Schlegel family), and
the poor working-class (the Basts).

Margaret and Helen Schlegel
(Emma Thompson, Helena
Bonham-Carter) are modern
thinkers, suffragettes and extreme-
ly charming hosts, always quick to
offer advice and a plateful of
sweets with a cuppa.

Helen is perhaps too impassion-
ed about certain subjects, her lat-
est cause being Leonard Bast
(Samuel West). She tells the
starry-eyed clerk to quit his job on
the basis of a rumor she hears
from Henry Wilcox (Anthony
Hopkins). Bad move.

When the rigid, conservative
Henry and the attractive Margaret
forge an unlikely marriage, this
happy union of art and commerce
seems to destroy everything else.

The tone of this languid,
beautifully shot film starts lightly
mannered, but turns darker as the
three principal families entwine in
a kind of doomed class waltz.

Emma Thompson positively
tadiates graceful independence
and a fiery intelligence.

Anthony Hopkins starts off at the
top of the business food chain, but
subtly flexes his acting muscles as
Henry regains some humanity.

But the rea! heartbreaker is
Samuel West. He trudges through
life, arms locked at his side,
shoulders hunched, head bending
slightly tower with each fresh
disillusionment.

This film is epic and stately.

in 70mm, the sights and sounds
.of a long-gone lifestyle are made
sensationally immediate.

Tim Bell
FiLM REVIEW

The Player * * * (Alliance)
Rated Mature (at the Park &
Tilford, Royal Centre and Park
Cinemas)

Robert Altman exposes
Hollywood at its deal-making
worst — obsessed with power
lunches and happy endings.

Griffin Mill (Tim Robbins) is a
studio executive on shaky ground,
with a slipping career and a fast-
rising young turk (Peter Gallagher)
hot for his corner office.

But what's really unnerving Grif-
fin is a mysterious writer who has
taken up poison pen letters. His
reply? Send the writer to the dead
letter office. Unfortunately, Griffin
kills the wrong guy.

But all is not lost. The executive
networks with the victim’s
barely-grieving lover (Greta Scac-
chi), an artist who, since she never
completes a painting, has no visi-
ble means of support .

This very funny jab at
Hollyweird has a parade of star
cameos, some sharply etched
characters and a hilarious parody
of the forced happy ending {actu-
ally two of them).

SHOWTIME HOTLINES
Famous Players 681-4255
Cineplex Odeon 687-1515

Al .& Come up to the Salmon
“, House any Monday thru

Friday between 5 & 6 p.m.

and save up to $15.95 on any

main course dinner item

when a second main course

dinner item of equal or

greater value is purchased.

* Maximum 3 coupons per party.

OFFER EXPIRES JUNE 30/92

* Monday to Friday seating between 5 & 6 p.m.

ON THE HILL

2229 FOLKESTONE WAY , WEST VAN. |!
(21st St. exit off Upper Levels Hwy.)

FOR RESERVATIONS CALL: 926-3212 |§

Wednesday, May 27, 1992 - North Shore News - 34

§f BIGGES
CLEARANCE

“tt THOUSANDS

- OF METERS OF

CLEARANCES, OVERSTOCKS,
BOLT ENDS, MARKDOWNS, |

MANUFACTURERS CLEAR-OUTS

IN ALL DEPARTMENTS

WEDNESDAY, MAY 27
TO SUNDAY, MAY 31.

Reg, priced
merchandise

= ~~ DESIGNER

‘== [LABELS

of

(Sale ends May 31, ‘92)

‘