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Brideshead Revisited

You could not ask for a better screen adaptation of Brideshead Revisited. It's a stunning, gripping and visually sumptuous cinematic feast that is like a breath of fresh air in the onslaught of summer movies. But purists, beware.

Story

First published just as World War II was ending, Evelyn Waugh's weighty literary masterpiece was turned into a wildly successful British mini-series in 1981. For some strange reason, however, Brideshead Revisited has never been given a motion picture adaptation--until now. Although the story basically remains the same, much of plot threads have been dropped or truncated and some liberty has been taken with at least one major character. Set in the pre-World War II era, this romantic tale spans a couple of decades telling the saga of atheist Charles Ryder (Matthew Goode) and his fascination, even obsession, with the very regal and very catholic Marchmain family--now led by ultra-stiff matriarch Lady Marchmain (Emma Thompson), whose husband (Michael Gambony Marchmain but she proves her worth, giving the woman an extra dimension of humanity she doesn't appear to have when we first meet her. Gambon is superb as the family's dying patriarch with fine support from the still-beautiful Scacchi as his mistress.

Direction

Young British director Julian Jarrold followed his feature debut, the refreshing offbeat comedy Kinky Boots with last summer's bland and boring Jane Austen period piece Becoming Jane. With the hot-blooded Brideshead adaptation, he is on his game again, clearly demonstrating complete control over the sprawling story and intertwined relationships that are key to Waugh's novel. Choosing to focus on the central triangle of Sebastian, Charles and Julia more fully than ever before is a wise decision and brings the audience right in to the thick of things, rather than taking the many side trips of the mini-series. Of course, with only two hours instead of 12, painful decisions had to be made, and Jarrold, with screenwriters Andrew Davies and Jeremy Brock, have delivered a version that meets our expectations, without dashing them. Unless, of course, you are a Waugh purist in which case it's probably best to revisit the mini-series. There can be no argument about the visual splendors provided here though, particularly the location filming at Castle Howard, one of England's oldest and most striking estates. Waugh's extensive descriptions of the splendors of Brideshead Manor are perfectly realized through the spot-on choice of locales and the film's superb cinematography and production design.

Bottom Line

Hollywood.com rated this film 3 stars.