Hemingway and Gellhorn.

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The film covers the affair and subsequent marriage between Ernest Hemingway, the American novelist, and Martha Gellhorn, considered to be one of great war correspondents. They met in 1936 and were married in 1940 for a turbulent five-year period. Together they covered the Spanish Civil War, the war in Europe also they interviewed Chiangmai Kai-shek during the Japanese invasion of China, all of which are covered in this HBO, made for TV, movie.

Nicole Kidman is convincing as Gellhorn, but Clive Owen is the opposite as Hemingway, whereas you only see Owen on the screen rather than the great novelist. Archive footage and the live action are seamlessly knitted together to form some great scenes especially during the Spanish Civil War.

The reason for finally getting round to watching this 2012 movie is due to the fact that I’m reading Lindsey Hilsum’s hard hitting biography of ‘the foremost war reporter of her generation’ Marie Colvin who sited Martha Gellhorn as her heroine and one of her biggest influence’s. There certainly are a great many similarities between these two brave women, the lovers, the drinking but mainly the adrenaline rush of  front line reporting.

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Secret In Their Eyes.

It must have been difficult to remake a film that had deservedly won an Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film at the 2009 Academy Awards, and one which I would personal rate very highly. 

Billy Ray's 2015 remake of Secret In Their Eyes has a grand cast which includes  Movie Ramble favourite Nicole Kidman, English actor Chiwetel Ejiofor and Julia Roberts but hopelessly fails to reach the heights of  the original. The story revolves around a tight knit team of crime fighters who are torn apart when Jess's (Roberts) teenage daughter is brutally and inexplicably murdered. Finally after unsuccessfully searching for the killer for thirteen years Ray (Ejiofor) finally uncovers a new lead that he is certain will resolve the case. Although the story is somewhat different from the original film it still has that twist at the end. But please don’t expect the same level of quality or story line that the original movie offered.

Paddington.

Obviously the best thing about this feature film adaptation of Michael Bond’s children’s stories is Nicole Kidman’s portrayal of the films villain Millicent Clyde a sadistic taxidermist who works for the Natural History Museum. She has played a villain previously when she was cast as the villainous Mrs. Marisa Coulter in the first, and only, adaptation of Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials trilogy The Golden Compass (2007).

 

Paddington visits the tourist attractions of London.

This latest adaptation, apart from being great fun, was useful as a great way of demonstrating to young children the cultural differences between peoples of differing backgrounds and country’s, using the wee bear as an example. I would assume that most people are familiar with the story? Basically it involves a young Peruvian bear who, when his Uncle Pastuzo gets killed in an earthquake and thereafter his Aunt Lucy moves into a retirement home for old bears, travels to London where, he has been told, he will receive a very warm welcome and is sure to be offered a home. On arriving at Paddington Station it does not quite turn out that way - that is until the middle class Brown family takes pity on the lone Bear. Taking him to their home where, after a few mishaps, he becomes part of the family.

 

The beautiful villainess Millicent Clyde.

Directed by Paul King who co-wrote the screenplay with Hamish McColl, Paddington Bear (2014) is a great family friendly adventure as was proved by the laughter from a packed ‘all age group’ audience at the Robert Burns Centre Film Theatre on Saturday evening. It was great to see so many young children present, not always the case in the RBCFT! As well as the wonderful Nicole Kidman the film also starred Hugh Bonneville as Mr. Henry Brown, award winning actress Sally Hawkins as his wife Mary, Julie Walters as the house keeper Mrs. Bird. There were also roles for some other well-known British actors including Jim Broadbent, Peter Capaldi and Matt Lucas, with Ben Whishaw as the voice of the bear.  A very entertaining and enjoyable 95 minutes in which I challenge you not to fall in love with a furry creature, although I’m still not keen on marmalade! 

The Browns come to the Bears rescue. 

Bangkok Hilton.

A young woman, Katrina Stanton, goes in search of the father she has never known and who she originally thought was dead, that is until her mother passed away and she discovered a secret diary. It was Katrina’s grandmother who sent her father away because of his dishonourable discharge from the army.  Her search takes her from Australia to England where she meets her uncle who informs her about the details of Hal Stanton’s life suggesting she continues her search in Bangkok for a man who can not face his past, an ex lawyer who has turned to alcohol for solace. There she meets a charming young man, Arkie Regan, who unbeknown to her plants drugs in her luggage and deserts her when the authorities find them during a routine search at the airport. Following her imprisonment in the notorious Bangkok Hilton prison she awaits the decision of the authorities on whether she should face the death penalty. Her only contact in Bangkok is her father’s solicitor who refuses to divulge her father’s whereabouts but agrees to help her defence.

Normally I would not blog a TV Mini Series, but in the case of Bangkok Hilton (1989) there are mitigating circumstances. Firstly it’s a very good series and secondly it stars Nicole Kidman in her pre-Hollywood days as Katrina Stanton.  This six part mini series was written for her by Terry Hayes and inspired by a true story, the Barlow Chambers case which took place in in Malaysia in 1986 when two men where hanged for heroin smuggling. Nicole appears opposite the experienced English actor Denholm Elliott who plays her father, Hugo Weaving, who was seen recently in Mystery Road (2013), portrays Richard Carlisle the family solicitor with Jerome Ehlers as Regan. Originally broadcast on Australian television as three two-hour episodes in November 1989 and on the UK TV in April 1990. The DVD release was split into 6 episodes at approx. 45 minutes each (no adverts of course).   

 

Nicole Kidman plays opposite....

the English actor Denholm Elliott.

Nicole Kidman was quite busy during this period with firstly Emerald City (1988) and then her breakthrough film Dead Calm in 1989 which would lead to her Hollywood debut opposite Tom Cruise in Days of Thunder in 1990. In Bangkok Hilton she is excellent, it’s quite rightly regarded as one of her best performances. With director Ken Cameron commenting ‘you are constantly surprised by the fact that one moment she seems to be a very young women enjoying herself and being completely spontaneous. The next minute she is a serious actress, capable of a performance that can move you in a way that you don’t expect from one so young. (She was 22 years old at the time) She looks wonderful, is enormously appealing on screen, and has something about her which belongs to the time. To have all these quantities is a rare thing’[1].   

Life in the Bangkok Hilton.

The whole project is superior to many movies. Very well written and acted, which like me I’m sure you will find gripping and authentic and although the ‘clothes’ may have dated the actual story could easily be happening right this minute.

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[1] David Thomson - Nicole Kidman 2006.

Before I Go To Sleep.

You can almost guarantee a full house at my local cinema, the Robert Burns Centre Film Theatre, when certain criteria are met. The film must star household names, and its story should be based on a best selling book. At this weeks RBC Film Club the criteria was well and truly met with a complete sell out proving the point. 

Showing was the second film directed and written by Rowan Joffe Before I Go To Sleep (2013). His debut feature film you may remember was Brighton Rock (2010) a remake of the 1947 film of the same name. He has also been responsible for writing the screenplays for other movies including Last Resort (2000) and The American (2010).

The evening was hosted by a very welcoming Rachel Findlay who explained that Joffe’s adaptation was based on the debut novel of English born author Steven “S J” Watson published in the spring of 2011. It soon became a bestseller in many countries, having been translated into over 40 languages. Watson studied Physics at the University of Birmingham before moving to London where he worked at various hospitals and specialized as an audiologist in the diagnosis and treatment of hearing-impaired children. He worked on his book in the evenings and at weekends. It was Ridley Scott that bought the film rights shortly after the book was published and it was Scott that hired Rowan Joffe to direct and write the script.

Rachel explained that because of the plot twists in the movie she would refrain from giving too many details about the film so as not to spoil it for the audience members that had not previously seen the film or read the book. But I think its safe to say that’s it’s a psychological thriller in the vain of say Henri-Georges Clouzot or perhaps Roman Polanski, but to be fair not quite up to their class.

Can you imagine waking up each day not knowing who you are....

Christine Lucas is in her forty’s; she is suffering from anterograde amnesia brought on by a traumatic incident that took place ten years earlier. She wakes each day with no recall; not knowing who she is or who the man is sharing her bed? He tells her he is her husband Ben, her only contact with the outside world, that is until she starts seeing a Dr Mike Nasch a neurologist at the local hospital who gives her a camera to record her thoughts and progress each day, and calls her every morning to remind her to watch the video in the camera hoping that this will lead to her regaining her memory.

....even with a loving husband by your side!

The story is very seductive and the movie is fine until its spoilt by a very cheesy ending that’s not really required and does not increase your understanding or enjoyment of the film. Basically it’s a “three hander” with the always excellent Ms Nicole Kidman playing Christine, RBC heart throb Colin Firth as her husband Ben, with a non villainous Mark Strong portraying Mike Nasch. All play their parts with a believability that is a credit to both the story and the film.  And despite its disappointing ending and the slating it got from some of the critics it still offers a pleasant diversion for those of you that enjoy a good intelligent thriller.

Grace of Monaco.

To get the most pleasure out of watching Oliver Dahan’s latest movie I would suggest you take note of the following. It’s a film and not a historical fact sheet. Secondly it’s a piece of entertainment and not a political statement, as obviously most of us would not support a tax bolthole for billionaires! And finally it was never meant to be a biopic[1]. Follow these simple guidelines and you will be able to sit back and enjoy his entertainingly lavish Mills and Boon type production.

Princess Grace of Monaco.

Grace of Monaco (2014) is the story of the former Hollywood film star Grace Kelly who married Prince Rainier, ruling monarch of the Principality of Monaco, in 1956 and relinquished a successful acting career. The film covers a short period in the 1960’s when Kelly’s marriage was going through a crisis at the same time as her husband was in tax squabble with Charles de Gaulle President of France and the creepy Alfred Hitchcock was trying to persuade Princess Grace to return to Hollywood to play the leading role in Marnie (1964).

 

The Royal Wedding.

The film itself was almost never released in the USA when Harvey Weinstein was tempted to cowl tail to the Monaco royalty. It stars Nicole Kidman in the role of Grace Kelly/Princess Grace who makes this character study of an unhappy woman in an unhappy situation totally believable although I’m not sure Tim Roth does the same for Rainier? Escapist fiction maybe, but sometimes that can be a relief from the harsh political realities of modern life, but isn’t that one of the reasons for cinema?

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[1] “This is not a biopic or a fictionalized documentary of Grace Kelly, but only a small part of her life where she reveals her great humanity as well as her fears and weaknesses” Nicole Kidman Le Figaro 2012.