Mrs. Dalloway

Rating:
Summary: Mrs Dalloway
Review: Mrs. Dalloway

This British period-drama is based on the book by Virginia Woolf, a fact that comes before any of the actors or the director needs to be mentioned. This is because the fundamental flaw of this film is that it seems rooted in its original format. In between the dialouge (probably lifted straight from the book), unneccessary voiceovers by the characters explain their thoughts to the viewer, using long and overly descriptive text from the book. Must it be explained that a film adaptions job is not just to replace the description with pictures (which, judging by the voiceovers, this film does not even manage) but to interpret and give life to a novel. And surely an actors job is to portray a characters emotions, not just to stand there as they are reeled off over his or her head, which is what they spend a lot of time doing. Indeed, many of the performances are somewhat wooden, surpising from what appeared to be an accomplished, if small time, group of Brits (Vanessa Redgrave, Rupert Graves, Michael Kitchen).And then there is the story. Although mildly interesting in itself, if a bit unful filling, the film goes at an angishingly slow pace, and the feminist 'undertones' of the novel stick out from the dialouge like a sore thum. To say one thing in its favour, the period setting looks great, but the overall impression was less of a film and more of a novel with pictures. And, by the looks of it, not a very good novel to begin with.

4 out of 10.

Rating:
Summary: Not what I expected of Vanessa Redrave
Review: The movie was boring with the only plot of reminiscing about the past, with annoying back and forth transitions every minute the charcter remembered her past, which was more than often. Why not go back in time once and display the past in one complete shot then go back to where the character is telling the story? Maybe this way I would have concentrated on the film and followed the plot a little closer. Also the cheesy integration of the bisexual scene where Vanessa kisses a woman, could have been avoided by the director. Why not just insinuate her bisexuality than visually display it. I love movies with past and present scenario plots, but this one was dissapointing to me because of how the director displayed it. I expected this film to top the ratings considering that Vanessa Redgrave was the leading character of the film. Being a film student, I pretty much know how to point out its strong points and weak points and let me tell you that its only strong point is the visual designs and Vanessa Redgrave's acting ability. Of course this is only a film students oppinion.

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Summary: Rethinking what might have been...
Review: This 1997 film stars Vanessa Redgrave as Mrs. Dalloway, the Englishwoman introduced in Virginia Woolf's 1925 novel. The book used stream of consciousness to create an interior monologue for her heroine and the film is true to that, a voice-over narration letting the viewer know her interior thoughts as she goes about preparing for a party in 1923.

Mrs. Dalloway is now in her sixties, but there are flashbacks to an earlier time, when she was a young woman being pursued by beaus. She has made her choices now and has married a cabinet member and leads a comfortable life as his charming wife. In her youth she rejected the suitor who looked for adventure in India as well as the tentative hint of a friendship with a woman, which might have gone further. When both of them show up at her party, her memories surface. There's also a sub-story of a young man who has been shell-shocked from combat in The Great War and the theme of suicide runs strong throughout the plot. Even though he and Mrs. Dalloway never meet, it is clear why this character was introduced. And it is also interesting to note that Virginia Woolf herself committed suicide in 1941 at the age of 59.

Casting is excellent, acting superb. Everything is understated but yet very very clear. I also loved the cinematography and the setting of a very proper London in 1923, especially the costumes. The theme is universal as we all do look back on our lives and wonder what might have been. Also, at only 97 minutes long, the video was exactly the right length. Definitely recommended.

Rating:
Summary: A superb viewing experience
Review: This film verson of Virginia Woolf's meditation on the relative nature of time and space, on the passing of the empire where the sun never sets (the Indian trouble is here in the offing) is superb. Is Clarissa Dalloway's party one of the empire's final celebratory moments? The passing of the old, pre-World War One lifestyle is richly evoked, as is the anxiety of the principals as they head into desuetude and hand over the reins to such as Miss Kilman and those whom Lady Bruxton would exile to Canada. The casting is excellent, with Vanessa Redgrave, Michael Kitchen, Robert Hardy and Margaret Tyzack among the notables; Rupert Graves as Septimus Smith is simply beyond praise. This is a superb viewing experience in every way.

Rating:
Summary: A beautiful adaptation of the novel
Review: Vanessa Redgrave gives a fine performance as Clarissa Dalloway in Marleen Gorris' adaptation of the Virginia Woolf novel. It tells the story of one day inthe life of Clarissa Dalloway as she readies her house for a dinner party later in the evening. Throughout the day, she remembers people and events from her past that had a lasting effect on her. But, during her party, the news of a suicide causes Mrs. Dalloway to step aside and to wonder if she's given up anything with her own life's path.

Ms. Redgrave's performance is subtle and really shines during the party sequence. Her facial expressions alone show what a fine actress she is. Other great performances in the film are Rupert Graves as Septimus, a soldier suffering from a late onset of shell shock, and Alan Cox, as the young Peter who was desparately in love with the young Clarissa.

Not many extras on the DVD. But the film is self is definitely one to watch.

Rating:
Summary: A beautiful adaptation of the novel
Review: Vanessa Redgrave gives a fine performance as Clarissa Dalloway in Marleen Gorris' adaptation of the Virginia Woolf novel. It tells the story of one day inthe life of Clarissa Dalloway as she readies her house for a dinner party later in the evening. Throughout the day, she remembers people and events from her past that had a lasting effect on her. But, during her party, the news of a suicide causes Mrs. Dalloway to step aside and to wonder if she's given up anything with her own life's path.

Ms. Redgrave's performance is subtle and really shines during the party sequence. Her facial expressions alone show what a fine actress she is. Other great performances in the film are Rupert Graves as Septimus, a soldier suffering from a late onset of shell shock, and Alan Cox, as the young Peter who was desparately in love with the young Clarissa.

Not many extras on the DVD. But the film is self is definitely one to watch.

Rating:
Summary: Go Vanessa!
Review: Vanessa Redgrave gives a spectacular performance in this DVD Mrs. Dalloway with grace and beauty. This story is Virginia's masterpiece that put her in the forefront of the literary community and helped establish her as a genunine story teller with great talent. She does not write linearly, she writes with the new style she introduced where she believed she could tell much about a character in a single day of their life through memories, flash backs, concurrent synchronicity events, etc. She opens a literary style that touches on the phenomenon of synchronicity. You'll love this if you are interested in these types of things. I have watched it several times.

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Summary: The movie that makes you read
Review: Virginia Woolf was introduced to me through "A Room of One's Own," in a Women's Studies class. It seemed dry and rather dated. It was not until I saw Mrs. Dalloway that I opened up to Woolf as a writer. This adaptation is so often true to the book, and more importantly, true to the intentions of the book, that I have become a huge fan of Woolf. (Still hate "Room," however.) Few movies are truly able to bring great literature to the masses while retaining the essence of the book and author. Mrs. Dalloway is that rare movie that forces non-Woolf fans to rush out and read all that she has written. As a lover of books, I recommend that every bibliophile and/or movie goer watch this. It rekindles great ideals and touched the heart of every person who watches the movie or reads the book.

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Summary: Mrs. Dalloway plans a party and remembers young Clarissa
Review: Virginia Woolf's novel "Mrs. Dalloway" examines one day in the life of Clarissa Dalloway, in which the title character prepares for a party and looks back on the point in her life when she choose Richard Dalloway over Peter Walsh. Meanwhile, the mentally ill war veteran Septimus Warren Smith spends his last day on earth. The action of the novel exists primarily in the consciousness of the characters, for the story itself is essentially plotless and written in the stream-of-consciousness style of James Joyce. Although written in the omniscient third-person voice, Woolf manages to enter the consciousness of her various characters, who are not as unconnected as they might seem to be, and reveal their feelings.

Translating this novel to the screen requires that it be done by those who have a strong understanding and affection for the authors and her characters. Vanessa Redgrave is clearly one of those people and she commissioned Eileen Atkins to write the script so that she could play the title character. Atkins is a Woolf scholar who not only played the author in a one-woman stage piece but also wrote "Vita and Virginia," in which she and Redgrave played Woolf and her lover Vita Sackville-West. Atkins chooses to allow us only into the inner thoughts of Mrs. Dalloway, using voice-over narration to reveal the thoughts that she would never speak out loud. Those who have read the novel might not enjoy the film more than those who have not, since there are always limitations with bringing any literary masterpiece to the screen, but they will certainly understand it more, especially the first part of the film.

A strength of this 1997 film is how easily we accept that Natascha McElhone as the young Clarissa grows up to be Vanessa Redgrave's Mrs. Dalloway. It is young Clarissa who chooses young Richard (Robert Portal) over not only young Peter (Alan Cox), but also over young Sally Selton (Lena Headey), whose kiss bespeaks something that is not going to even be thought about. Now Richard Dalloway (John Standing) is a cabinet official, Peter Walsh (Michael Kitchen) has come home from India, and Sally is now Lady Rosseter (Sarah Badel). Of course Mrs. Dalloway's thoughts go back to her fateful decision, made over the objections of her friends, when she accepted her life of comfortable sameness. But her concern over the evening's party is just as big of a concern. For those who are trying to figure out the point of the story the seemingly unrelated plotline involving Septimus Smith (Rupert Graves) and his Italian wife (Amelia Bullmore) helps the pieces come together, especially once Mrs. Dalloway's thoughts provide the big picture.

Dutch filmmaker Marleen Gorris, who won as Oscar for "Antonia's Line," brings this film in at 97 minutes and while I think "Mrs. Dalloway" the film captures the essence of the novel, I cannot find it approaches the depth. What makes the novel profound is not the end point that it reaches when we reach the close of a day in the life of Clarissa Dallowy, but the journey through her jumbled thoughts. For Christmas I gave my eldest daughter the movie "The Hours" along with the Michael Cunningham novel and Woolf's "Mrs. Dalloway," and I would think others would benefit from immersing themselves in the works of, and about, Virginia Woolf.


Rating:
Summary: I loved it.......
Review: While awaiting the release of "The Hours" I decided to watch this much acclaimed movie. Beautifully crafted, shot and directed, this is a superb little picture, starring an excellent Vanessa Redgrave and Natascha McElhone. Its a witty, delicate and emotional day in the life of a 1920's society lady, reminiscing about the days when she were younger. Thoughtful, intelligient drama. Highly recommended (especially for someone who feels they want to watch something easy, enjoyable and quiet to watch).