The Woman in White
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Movie Reviews of The Woman in White
Movie Review: A grand Victorian gothic adventure, filled with madness, stratagems, love, graves and dark, dark woods
Summary: 4 Stars
"The bad dreams always come back again like unwanted friends," says Marion Fairlie, who with her half-sister, Laura, lives in a vast mid-Victorian country estate. "And last night I found myself in Limmeridge churchyard. Normally, people who are dead stay dead, just as normally it is the criminals who are locked up rather than the victims. But then, there was nothing normal about what happened to us..." And we're off on a first-class gothic story of madness, deception and villainy, based on Wilkie Collins' great novel of Victorian mystery. It's a good idea to pay close attention, because there are plots within plots, yet they all center on a cunning and ruthless scheme which involves, what else, money, lots of money.
Marion Fairlie (Tara Fitzgerald) and her sister, Laura Fairlie (Justine Wadell) are devoted to each other. Marion is fierce and protective; Laura is softer and much more romantic. Marion has no money of her own; Laura will inherit riches when she comes of age. Marion has no marriage prospects that we know of; Laura has been pledged sometime ago to Sir Percival Glyde (James Wilby), an altogether too charming aristocrat. They are the wards of their uncle, a fussy, condescending, immensely self-centered hypochondriac (Ian Richardson). All seems to be quite routine, but then a young artist, Walter Hartright (Andrew Lincoln), is engaged to teach them drawing and artistic appreciation. And when he arrives at night to the local train station, there is no carriage, so off he sets out on foot to the estate. In the dark woods he encounters a strange woman, dressed all in white, wandering about and speaking of things he does not understand, who then disappears. Are we uneasy? Yes, and so is he and the sisters when they come to realize the strange woman looks much like Laura. Later, does love emerge between Walter and Laura? Does a bud bloom? Is there a misunderstanding that sends Walter away and results in Laura marrying Sir Percival? Does a canker gnaw? And do secrets slowly come to light about the relationships among Laura, Marian and the woman in white...do we learn to be deeply suspicious of Sir Percival's intentions...do we come to enjoy the style and manners of Sir Percival's close friend, Count Fosco (Simon Callow)...and do we eventually realize the foul depths of depravity, as well as the power of honor and true love, that humanity is capable of? Do we visit Victorian insane asylums, see falls from high towers, dig open graves in the middle of the night and watch retribution arrive amidst the roaring flames of a locked church?
Well, of course, and it's a grand journey for us.
This BBC/Masterpiece Theater program features fine acting and outstanding production values. To fit Collins' 500-plus-page novel into a television show of less than 120 minutes means a good deal had to be cut or abridged, and some changes were made most likely to achieve greater impact in the little time available. Still, taken on its own terms, the production of The Woman in White in my opinion works very well as a moody, romantic, dark television tale. Tara Fitzgerald as Marion gives a commanding performance as a woman determined to protect and then save her sister. James Wilby as Sir Percival manages the clever feat of slowly letting us see the depraved slime beneath the skin, who still has charm amidst the villainy. Ian Richardson as the young women's uncle almost steals the show. He gives such a bossy and pungent performance it almost unbalances the story every time he appears. Perhaps the weakest of the main parts is Simon Callow as Count Fosco. The Count is simply a monster, yet a supremely civilized and charming one. Collins described him as being of immense girth. Callow does a fine, mannered job of it, but to me he lacks a little of the monstrosity of evil.
At one point, Marian tells us, "My sister and I are so fond of Gothic novels, we sometimes act as if we were in them." Little did she know what was in store for herself and Laura.
The DVD transfer is fine although a little soft. There are no extras of any importance.
Movie Review: A movie is not a book.
Summary: 4 Stars
I adore Wilke Collins' book. The BBC is known for doing in depth productions spanning 4&5 hours of books, and THE WOMAN IN WHITE certainly could have benefitted by that type of production. Instead, they did what Hollywood frequently does, and take one major story thread of a book and turn that into a 2 hour movie, greatly discarding and cutting elements. In other words, they take the idea and make all elelments work for that idea. It DOES work. This adaptation is beautiful to look at, frame after frame looking like Marie Cassat paintings, and the drawn out, near-torturous suspense of the book is captured, even in this short version. It is true to the book in feeling, not details.
Unlike other viewers, I was aghast and really disgusted by the casting of the remarkably delicate and beautiful Tara Fitzgerald in this film. That alone is what makes this a 4 star film for me, and not 5. While she does have the brains and fire for Marian, the character is supposed to be almost hideous to look at, disturbingly masculine in form and manner, as ugly outside as she is heroic and beautiful inside. There was not even an attempt made in that direction for Ms. Fitzgerald. Horrible, unforgivable miscasting which colors every single element of the story. So forget the book.
This film is the story of two pretty sisters who read and live a gothic novel existence. Justine Waddel is in so many films I love - what a charmed career she leads. She is always fine, always a bit dazed and limp, rather bland, but she has such a slack-jawed cherubic face and reed thin coltish frame, we feel for her, and hate to see her tortured, as she invariably is. She is perfectly cast in the role of Laura, and the sister/family resemblance casting throughout is really wonderful.
Susan Vidler's Anne Catheric is wrenching, and the writing of her lines is a dead-on disturbing combination of deadpan innapropriate sexuality ("Do you want some?") and mental instability. Kika Martin's Madame Fosco is breathtakingly harrowing. She brings the complex character of the book into her few scenes intact by the frozen look of searching pain on her face. The stand out performance is Adie Allen as Margaret Porcher. Her presence grows from utilitarian to sultry to malignant, and she is just magnificent. In a role significantly cut down in importance from the book to this screen adaptation, she retains her presence. Margaret is to this story what Mrs. Danvers is to Rebecca, and it is so refeshing to see her cast as voluptous and earthy.
I don't say much about the men because this version uses them only as devices to advance the women's story. Mr. Hartwritght is handsome ... although his facial hair is at times anacronistic. (Why the "soul patch" under his lip in the last scenes? was he allready in production of another movie that required it?) James Wilby, perhaps best known from HOWARD'S END, plays a similarly unromantic and downright nasty role here as Sir Percival Glyde. Unlike other reviewers, I found Simon Callow wonderful... who else has that combination of attractiveness and revulsion. His Fosco is supposed to be the match and uber-mate-nemesis for Marian, had she been cast similarly this would have been explosive.
If you insist on expecting the book, you won't like this. Film is a different animal, and this does work completely in it's own right, even the change in Marian. The art direction, cinematography, costumes, and acting are all typical BBC top notch. Great gothic romance, heavy on the suspense, beautifully done.
Movie Review: Wonderful adaptation
Summary: 4 Stars
No, this is not a faithful adaptation, but it is a very good adaptation. As this is a Masterpiece Theatre production, there is an introduction and a conclusion that is included, but not part of the actual film. The conclusion explains why so much of the novel was left out and explains some important plot points of the novel that were excluded from the film. This includes the the "Paris scene" as one reviewer distressingly noted--which ties up the loose ends concerning Count Fosco.
Noting that they wanted to make a 2 hour film, they did a superb job. And, really, this film would be more fun if you haven't read the book so please don't let that deter you if you haven't read the book. Actually, if you haven't read the book, I'd suggest you see the film first. That will make you go out and want to read the book immediately-- and you won't be disappointed with either!
The first two-thirds of this movie was very good; the last, superb. I thought the casting was good although, admittedly, Count Fosco was an odd choice. Still, it worked-- he had an immense amount of charm, and and immense amount of evil-- the only thing that he lacked was his immense weight.
I thought the script and the casting were perfect. Maybe the only thing that faltered a bit was the direction and I'm not certain as to what could have been better. After the climactic moment at the asylum (which completely caused chills), however, I found no fault at all in the director's work. I usually enjoy these productions a bit more than my husband and he found this film to be a five-star.
Movie Review: Very Good But Not My Wilkie Collins
Summary: 4 Stars
Once I got over my disappointment because of the many changes in story -- which is why there are four stars instead of five -- I have to say: this is a good one. I think the essence of most of the characters is preserved, especially of Marion (I love Marion) and the casting and acting was good -- but Count Fosco is too skinny; he's charming (at first) and evil, but lacking that wierd sinister quality of the original. I made a point of getting the Pride and Prejudice miniseries and I'm glad I did. The Woman is White miniseries? I'm still hoping for it -- but I have this, which is very good although still not my Wilkie Collins.Movie Review: Not bad, as a minimalist synopsis of the novel
Summary: 4 Stars
This is an excellent former Masterpiece Theatre presentation. At only two hours it takes on only the main plot thread of the lengthy original novel, which has been called the first English mystery novel. This two-hour version is fast-paced, suspenseful, atmospheric, and engrossing, but it is the "Cliffs Notes" version at best.The performances are convincing, the production seems high-budget, with many outdoor scenes and lovely costumes and sets. Go to the original novel for wonderful subplots and fascinating, intricate, pungent, detail.