Mrs. Dalloway Review
by James Berardinelli (berardin AT cybernex DOT net)March 4th, 1998
MRS. DALLOWAY
A Film Review by James Berardinelli
RATING: *** OUT OF ****
United Kingdom, 1997
U.S. Release Date: 3/6/98 (limited)
Running Length: 1:37
MPAA Classification: PG-13 (Mature themes, brief nudity) Theatrical Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Cast: Vanessa Redgrave, Natascha McElhone, Rupert Graves,
Michael Kitchen, John Standing, Alan Cox, Lena Headley,
Amelia Bullmore
Director: Marleen Gorris
Producers: Lisa Katselas Pare, Stephen Bayly
Screenplay: Eileen Atkins based on the novel by Virginia Woolf Cinematography: Sue Gibson
Music: Ilona Sekacz
U.S. Distributor: First Look Pictures
In 1996, director Marleen Gorris, who hails from the Netherlands, entered the international spotlight when her 1995 feature, ANTONIA'S LINE, won the Best Foreign Film Oscar. Now, two years later, Gorris' follow-up to that much-lauded effort has arrived in the form of MRS. DALLOWAY, an adaptation of Virginia Woolf's classic novel. Because of its strong leading character and female-oriented themes, it's easy to understand why the film held such appeal for an avowed feminist like Gorris. In conjunction with Vanessa Redgrave, the director paints a probing-but-flawed portrait of a thoughtful woman.
Redgrave, who brings depth and a sense of poignant longing to Clarissa Dalloway, was instrumental in getting this picture made. After canvassing Virginia Woolf's body of work in preparation for a stage role, Redgrave was struck by the potential cinematic quality of MRS. DALLOWAY, and suggested to screenwriter Eileen Atkins that it would make a good movie. Several years later, the film has traversed the road from concept to feature, and, six months after making its debut at the 1997 Toronto Film Festival, it is opening in selected theaters across North America.
MRS. DALLOWAY is a "day in the life" motion picture that uses flashbacks to broaden the time span from a single day in June 1923 to a lifetime. The film begins by introducing viewers to Clarissa Dalloway, the upper class wife of Richard Dalloway (John Standing), a wealthy Member of Parliament. Clarissa, who lives a life that is safe, isolated, and dull, is planning a gala party for the evening, where guests of stature will mix and mingle, telling boring stories and engaging in stuffy conversation. Clarissa is well-known for her parties, and they have become social events in London society. Then something happens to shatter the stillness of Mrs. Dalloway's life -- a man named Peter Walsh (Michael Kitchen), an old flame from 30 years ago, shows up on her doorstep. This leads Clarissa to think back to the choices she made during the summer of 1890, and how they shaped the rest of her life.
MRS. DALLOWAY is about regrets and coping with the consequences of one's decisions. Clarissa has not led a bad life -- in fact, it has been quite comfortable -- but she is cognizant that she gave up love and passion for security. The point of the film isn't to debate whether she made the right or wrong decision, but to emphasize that everyone has roads not taken. For Clarissa, the alternative to her pampered life of parties and domestic tranquillity would have been an existence of travel and adventure, two things that frightened her. The greatest strength of MRS. DALLOWAY is that it manages to effectively capture the poignancy and wistful yearning of gazing back through the years at what was and what might have been. Clarissa's bittersweet reminiscences are so powerfully-presented that they will strike a responsive with many viewers. I left the film contemplating the undeniable truth of how quickly (and sometimes cruelly) time passes everyone by.
Juxtaposed with Mrs. Dalloway's story is that of a young, shell- shocked soldier, Septimus Warren-Smith (Rupert Graves), who has never recovered from his experiences in World War I. This material, although thematically relevant to the main plot, causes unwanted interruptions in the narrative that threaten to derail the picture. Graves plays the part effectively, and the story of the young man's loss of identity is tragic, but I found the Warren-Smith scenes to be more of a distraction than a crucial subplot.
Not surprisingly, the acting is top-notch. Redgrave shines, whether she's gazing back through the mists of the past or, in the film's best sequence, making pithy asides to expose the true nature of the guests at her party. Michael Kitchen and John Standing are solid as the two men who were once rivals for Clarissa's affections, and who have changed very little over time. In flashbacks, Natascha McElhone (SURVIVING PICASSO) brings a sparkle to the young Clarissa, and Alan Cox cuts a dashing figure as Peter. The 1890 scenes also feature Lena Headley as Clarissa's best friend, and their are hints of a subtle lesbian attraction.
MRS. DALLOWAY will probably appeal most strongly to those who appreciate Merchant-Ivory's unhurried pace. The story, which is more of a character study than a plot-oriented narrative, moves slowly and deliberately, giving us a crystal-clear picture of the many faces of Clarissa Dalloway -- who she was, who she might have been, and who she has become.
Copyright 1998 James Berardinelli
- James Berardinelli
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