Film review - Brideshead Revisted

10:42am Thursday 2nd October 2008

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BRIDESHEAD REVISITED (12A) IN 1981 Evelyn Waugh’s amazing 1945 novel Brideshead Revisited was adapted by John Mortimer for a BBC series screened over 11 episodes and brilliantly directed by Charles Sturridge. It was a masterpiece of television, setting Jeremy Irons and Anthony Andrews off on the path to success.

However it is always dangerous to revisit the sublime. Waugh converted to Catholicism in 1930 and said the novel was “the operation of divine grace on a group of diverse but closely connected characters”.

On an Atlantic crossing renowned painter Charles Ryder (Matthew Goode) reacquaints himself with Julia Mottram (Hayley Atwell) nee Flyte. The encounter makes Charles flash back 10 years to his time at Oxford University, and his meeting with Julia’s brother Sebastian Flyte (Ben Whishaw).

This was hardly an auspicious occasion as Sebastian was violently sick through his window narrowly missing Charles, who had just moved into the groundfloor rooms.

However, this didn’t stop Charles and aristocratic Sebastian striking up a friendship of opposites. Charles was an atheist and the beautiful eccentric dandy Sebastian a Roman Catholic.

Charles’ home life was nonexistent; he lived with his detached father Edward (Patrick Malahide) in London, a man who would rather play chess with himself that have any in depth conversation with his son.

So it was hardly surprising when Sebastian asked Charles to stay with his family for the summer holiday he jumped at the chance.

From the moment Charles set eyes on the splendour of Brideshead and the Marchmain family en masse he was totally enchanted.

But it was just the beginning of a tricky emotional journey as he got to know and love the Marchmains, in particular Sebastian and Julia. However then he didn’t know their mother Lady Marchmain’s (Emma Thompson) views on Catholicism and the dangerously complex effect it had on all their family.

Overall the performances are solid, let down by a lack of time for emotional development. Goode does a pretty good job with Charles Ryder, under the circumstances.

It is a hard part as his character isn’t a particularly sympathetic one, and a career defining performance from Jeremy Irons in the original was never going to be an easy thing to follow.

But his performance is subtle and measured, if lacking a little in depth. Whishaw’s fragile vulnerability gives a childlike quality to Sebastian that is compelling.

Hayley Atwell’s interpretation of Julia is very strong and Michael Gambon as Lord Marchmain is always a treat to watch. Thompson nearly runs away with the film in the scenes she is in, though in a small part Jonathan Cake as Julia’s ghastly husband Rex Mottram also stands out. The success of the 1981 TV version was that it had 11 hours to cover what this film tries to do in 135 minutes and I can’t help think it would have been wiser not to try. This isn’t a bad film, but it isn’t a great one either. I love period pieces and this does give you a real feeling of the religious divide in England, but unfortunately though lovely to look at it is all a trifle fleeting.

6/10