Friday, December §, 1997 — North Shore News — 37 CONSUMER GUIDE NCCK James stays in the picture The cinematic fasdnation with anything Henry James reached a peak last month with the release of two films based on his n els Washington Square and The Wings of the Dove. Portrait ofa Lady came out at about this time last winter making ic three feature films in the past year. We could go into endless forensic contests as to why the 19th-cenrury author is more popular in Hollywood than most writers whe are stili breathing, bur it probably boils down to one thing — almost all of his pro- lific ourpuc includes interesting women characters. Go figure. When women directors and actors look for interesting material to work with they often John Goodman Hopkins. De Havilland won the best actress Osear in this version of Washington Square. ‘The film has dated though and according to Patricia Boswarth’s biography of Montgomery Clitt none of the cast could stand each other. They treated each other with the utmost politeness “like we were made of glass,” said Clift. Film score by composer Aaron Copland. kee The Innocents (1961, dir. Jack Clayton). Starring Deborah Kerr, Martin Stephens, Pamela Franklin, Michael Redgrave. Extremely impressive thriller based on The Turn of the Screw. *The Innocents is not a great movie but a very good one, and maybe Deborah Kerr's performance should laborative effort with sereenwriter Eduardo de Gregorio suggesting DVO James short stories The Osher House and A Romance of Certain Old Clothes as the narrative basis for the work. “The most important film since Citisen Kane.” - David Thomson, A Biographical Dictionary of the Cinema. xx Daisy Miller (1974, dir. Peter Bogdonavich). Starring, Cybill Shepherd, Barry Brown, Cloris Leachman, Mildred Natwick, xk What Maisie Knew (1975, dir. Babette Mangolte). Starring Epp Kotkas, Kate Manhein, Saskia Noordbock-Hegt, Yvonne really be called great... It is the unreality of The Innocents - the distance - which makes the whole concept work. The further away turn to his stories. Good or bad, right cr wrong the women in James’ novels are more than just stereotyped characters. HELENA Bonham Carter (foreground) and Alison - Elliott star in The Wings of the Dove currently siiowing at Park and Tilford Cinemas. Since the 1970s women filmmakers have been the catalysts in getting his work on screen in Hollywood and independent pro- ductions. Two cf the last three James films were directed by women. Following are comments on all the major films adapted from his work. The best and worst of the batch are the hardest to obtain on video. xx The Lost Moment (1947, dir. . Martin Gabel). Starring Robert Cummings, Susan Hayward, Agnes Moorchead. “A remark- ably effective adaptation of Henry James? The Aspern Papers, closer to the shivery ambience of The Innocents than to the oh- so-discreet charm of Daisy Miller or The Europeans.” Time Out Film Guide. xxx The Heiress (19-49, dir. William - _ Wyler). . Starring Olivia de Havilland, Ralph Richardson, Montgomery Clift, Miriam the ghosts are, the more truly ghostly... The dialogue has, at times, the same beauty and ambiguity as che images. | assume that Truman Capote is responsible...” critic Pauline Kael wrote in her review for The New Yorker. Many American critics panned the film when it came out and Kael’s piece was written in defense of the production. & The Nightcomers (1971, dir. Michael Winner). Starring Marlon Brando, Stephanie Beacham, Thora Hird, Harry Andrews. A failed take-offon The Turn of the Serew.. @ Celine and Julie Go Boating - Phantom Ladies Over Paris (1974, dir. Jacques Rivette). Starring Julict Berto, Dominique Labourier, Bulle Ogier, Marie-France Pisier, Barbet Schroeder. This is the one James- based work that docsi’t stick to the time period of the material. Rivette’s experimen- tal ensemble developed the work as a col- Rainer, Philip Glass. The first flm of New York avant-garde filmmak- er Mangolte adapted a novel called “one of the most remarkable technical achicvements in fiction”. kak The Europeans (1979, dis. James Ivory). Starring Lee Remick, Robin Ellis, Tim Voodward, Wesley Addy, Lisa Fichorn. “A wonderfully elegant adaptation of Henry fames carly novel (by Ruth Prawer Jhabvala) about ihe impact of a sophisticat- ed but impecunious European countess and her brother on their wealthy country cousins in America, Staged with affection, insight, a whole fistful of superb perfor- *mances and exquisite settings.” Time Out Filin Guide wx The Bostonians (1984, dir. James Ivory). Starring Christopher Reeve, Vanessa Redgrave, Madeleine Potter, fessica Tandy, Nancy Marchad, Linda Hunt. “Ruth Prawer Jhabvala’s tinely-honed script cuts through both Henry James cynicism and the dense jungle of his prose to reveal a story of unexpected passion, a love triangle set against the carly stirrings of the suf- fragette movement in lave 19th century Boston...” Thue Out film Guide *&x Portrait of a Lady (1996, dir. Jane Campion). Starring Nicole Kidesan, John Malkovich, Barbara Hershey. “Expectations of Jane Campion were bound to be runniag unusually high after her huge success with The Piano. This in part may explain the general dis- appointment with Portrait OFA Lady - Mogul. Most reviews of Campion’ s film were facklustre at best but Barbara Hershey received Oscar and Golden Glove nominations for her per- formance. kkk k Washington Square (1997, dir. Agnieszka Holland). Starring, Tennifer Jason Leigh, Albert Finney, Ben Chaplin, Maggie Smith. Henry James novella and setin }9th- | Century New York. The film stars Jennifer. - Jason Leigh as Catherine Sloper and Albert Finney as her father, Dr. Austin Sloper. - After Catherine’s mother dies in childbirth, she is left to be raised by her father and - aunt, Lavinia Penniman (Maggie Smith). - Catherine’s father can find nothing the least bit beautiful in his daughter. ; Therefore, he could never believe that any- one else could find beauty in her. Especially the handsome and charming young man Morris Towasend (Ben Chaplin).Sloper is . convinced that the only attraction for the unemployed and penniless Townsend is the prospect of his daughter’s considerable inheritance. Maggie Sinith is excel‘ent in the role of - Aunt Lavinia. It is reminiscent of her role in A Room With A View. The meddlesome relative with good intentions that seems to’ make situations worse. On the surface, it appears that Sloper is correct about Townsend's motives, or is he? Sloper’s manipulation of his daughter’s emotions and insecurities creates an atmos- phere of conflict, secrecy and doubt. Lavinia’s influence over Townsend only complicate the whole situation, The costume design (Anna Sheppard) and sets in this film are excellent. Likely the * caliber for an Academy Award nomination. : Definitely a film worth sceing. — Paul Goodsnan kkk The Wings of the Dove (1997, dir. Iain Softley). Starring Helena Bonham Carter, Linus Roache, Alison Elliott, Charlotte Rampling. - “Small wonder James’ novel is celebrated as the very summit of the art; it sure brought out the best in everybody here,” E.X. Feeney writes on the ddr. Showbiz internet site. CONSUMER GUIDE RATINGS vrrseesssressssntesesereneeeee ESSeNtial WIKI cscs Excellent PII irccccsosssssssersesseersoesssssnee ZOO DOMINIQUE Labcurier (left, as Julie) and Juliet Berto rortray the titie characters in Jacques Rivette’s 1374 masterwork Celine and Julie Go Goating (Phantom Ladies Over Paris). The film used two sitort stories by Henry James as the basis of the narrative. HELPING THE WORLD Pewee ee Bs WRITE NOW Sf St Ae ies ea | ie