CARRINGTON (1995)
Carrington is not a movie. It may look like a movie, it may talk like a movie, and it may quack like a movie, but it is not a movie. If you treat it like a movie, you'll get impatient, bored, and confused. Its a novel masquerading as a movie. Carrington traces through the lives of two prominent members of the Bloomsbury Group, a sect of British intellectuals in the early 20th century. It follows the story of Dora Carrington (Emma Thompson) who falls in love with author Lytton Strachey (Jonathan Pryce). One problem: Dora is considered something of damaged goods to be a virgin at her age and Lytton is gay. Their marriage is unorthodox from start to finish as they continuously invite others into their house and bed, yet anyone would be hard pressed to find two people quite as devoted to each other as Dora and Lytton.
The actors hold their own--Emma Thompson is fantastic and plays beautifully off of the brilliant Jonathan Pryce. The script is untamable, but carries a lot of compassion for its main characters who you can't help but fall in love with. As a film, Carrington doesn't hold up well. It's too long, there's not enough plot, and it has the apperance of being all over the place. However, once I settled into the fact that it was more of a novel than a movie, I was able to let the characters run free at their own pace. I put it down for the night when I felt it wearing a little thin, then picked it up and resumed the next day, ready to explore the next chapter of these characters' lives. In short, Carrington is bit of a tedious movie, but a stellar audiobook.
What an excellent way to look at a movie that doesn't quite get movieish enough! I haven't seen this one, but I love the leads. I might give it a try. Thanks for the "novel" approach to your review!
ReplyDeleteThanks! The leads are definitely fantastic--if nothing else, the amount of amazing actors really pulls this one through. I'm glad you enjoyed it! Always a good excuse for puns.
Deletegreat post! look forward to reading more of your a to z.
ReplyDeletebest,
MOV
Thanks for the comment! Good luck on your own a to z!
DeleteWhat a great insight into the film. I've heard of it, but never got around to watching it. Now I have a new incentive. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteIf you've heard of it, you have one up on me before I saw it. It is an enjoyable watch, even if it isn't a great "movie" movie. I'd love to hear what you have to say about it!
DeleteI love Emma Thompson in anything she's in, so will look forward to watching this one.
ReplyDeleteI note you tagged it as 'foreign' movie - is that because it's not 'American'?
Good luck with the Challenge - looking forward to what the rest'll bring.
Bex
www.leavingcairo.blogspot.com
Emma Thompson is the shit. Period. If you like her, you'll thoroughly enjoy this one!
DeleteAnd I suppose I did! Fixed!
Thanks! Good luck yourself! Onward!
Great review! I like the style you chose for this one.
ReplyDeleteEmma Thompson is one of my favorite actresses, enough so that I've always thought less of Branaugh for how he treated her. Isn't it shocking how seldom Pryce has been anything resembling a romantic lead? It's not like he's ugly or anything...
Thanks! I had to do it.
DeleteEmma Thompson is great. End of story. She has yet to disappoint me. If you like Emma, you'll like this one. And I'm with you there! Evita, which I just put up, gives him a little romantic lead room, but it's hard to compete when Antonio Banderas is strutting his stuff all over the place. Brazil would be my next best guess, where he was lead lead with an romantic infatuation. In short: he's just hella underrated.
That is an excellent summation. I had a hard time watching this and I did what I always do when I don't like a book, I returned it. I do love both actors and maybe I'll try watching this again one day.
ReplyDeleteThanks! I don't blame you, I almost gave up halfway through. But if you're patient (and play solitaire on your phone during the boring bits), it's not all that bad.
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