Oscar & Lucinda (1997)

Oscar (Fiennes) is a priest who gambles discreetly and donates his winnings to help the poor. Lucinda (Blanchett) is an Australian businesswoman who boldly defies society's rules. When they meet over an innocent game of cards, their lives are changed forever.

The only boy who could ever reach me, was the son of a preacher man

I watched this again recently having last seen in on VHS some years ago. What was an excellent film then is even better now, particularly the sound which is a revelation where the tinking glass is concerned.

The technique of using a narrator does not always work but is it is most apt, and in particular at the end. One leaves after watching this film much as one does after a gourmet meal...extremely satisfied with what you have consumed but not wishing to eat another morsel and yet this continues over time so that you do not feel the need to return.

I was transfixed throughout by the "action" within the film. There is certainly much to think about or to delve into afterwards to get the entire picture. The story seems to be without any obvious flaws and the casting is superb with the main players clearly complemetary to each other and the cinematography is superb.

One thing that I had not paid too much attention to during my first viewing was the appalling and barbaric treatment of the indigenous population. Clearly the scene of the massacre is a solitary tale of man's inhumanity to man but the subsequent scene of the abuse of the aboriginal woman in the inn is a more subtle but nevertheless graphic reminder of the way in which settlers have behaved throughout the world. This point carries with it greater poignancy given the recent apology without compensation by the new Australian Prime Minister to the indigenous people for past abuses such as described above.

All in all a feat for the eyes despite the sad and tragic ending clearly reminiscent of the conclusion of Breaking the Waves. February 21, 2008

Stimulating and Satisfying

While it's true what other reviewers said about it being "slow moving at times" and "not for everyone", if you like a good story - happy and tragic - and beautiful (and sensous) cinematography, costuming, sets and an excellent soundtrack - this may be for you!
The product description says their lives are forever changed by their meeting - but this is far too simple and not true. The story of the changes in each of their lives (before they even meet) already has you gripped in fascination by the time they finally meet together. Throughout, the story takes many turns.
Even though it is not completely a happy ending, it is ultimately sweet and satisfying.
I don't see any special features listed on the DVD (I own an old videotape). I would love to hear what the makers of the movie have to say about the making of this film. January 9, 2008

I could watch it over and over

This is one of the lovliest movies I have ever seen. Part of the pleasure comes from the gorgeous actors (Cate Slanchett is a stunning brunette in this movie), costumes and scenery; the other part from the narrator's soothing voice, which takes the onus off the watcher and lays out details that a less gentle movie would make the watcher work for by inference. Perhaps others may dislike the narration (akin to the children's movie "Babe" in its fairytale cadence); I found that it brilliantly fleshed out the characters of Oscar and Lucinda so that by the time they meet, you know they are perfect for each other. If you are familiar with Ralph Fiennes hunky "English Patient" character, you should be prepared that Oscar is quite whimpy in comparison; but I though it spoke to the actor's range that he was willing to play effeminate, physically weak and slightly creepy Oscar. I was fascinated at the exploration of the addictive peronality and compulsive gambling. September 21, 2007

A Brilliant Failure

This film has all the elements of a grand epic. Had it been made in the 60s , it would have won the Academy Award. But something has happened to render the 'world' of the film oppressively neurotic and irrelevant. Do we live in a post-Christian world? If so, this may account for the desperate strangeness of the men of the cloth, who seem tortured and twisted and sick. They are either socially oppressive, trivial hypocrites, or tormented, lost souls, paralyzed by guilt and doubt or both. They all remind me of Flannery O'Connor's world of distorted freaks. The acting is superb, of course, but the tale is a total letdown, not so much depressing as just anti-climatic. It has none of the magnificence of "Aguirre, the Wrath of God", which it reminded me of. One problem is the character played to perfection by Ralph Fiennes. It is more than irritating is see a man play a worm. It is in the end painful to watch this man rubbing his hands together and crawling around on the ground. Call it what you will, this is not the kind of character one can relate to. Men and women in real life may want to care for him, but the audience loses interest. July 21, 2007

One beautifully filmed butchered mess of a movie!!!!!!!! Reading the book will help immensely!

(May 1,2007 addition)As a short intro to my original review,I have watched this film several times now because there are things about it that have staying/growing power that is furthered only by reading the novel( which is quite different from the movie), but does help to fill in much of what this screenplay is missing.


If I was asked to give you a plot synopsis of this gorgeous film I would be hard pressed to say that OSCAR AND LUCINDA is about anything for sure.This is positively the singlemost butchered screenplay I have ever sat through.Laura Jones has adapted Peter Carey's novel and Gillian Armstrong has turned out "something" that is so chopped up and nonsensical that, apart from from the very quick shots of New South Wales and a magnificent soundtrack by Thomas Newman, I had to keep pausing the film to say,"WHAT???!!!"

This film is about everything and it is about nothing;it is about obsession and compulsion;it is about different religions;it is about chance and faith;it is about a father and son;it is about how a grandson came to be.........but it certainly IS NOT about two connected characters named Oscar and Lucinda.Each scene of this film is SO short and abrupt that the viewer never has any time to identify/sympathize/empathize with ANY of these extremely disconnected people and events.There are SO many plots and subplots and themes and subthemes and non essential material and characters that it is positively annoying to see such squander of good source material in the wrong ,uncapable and un-understanding hands.It seems that trying to tell any of the heart and soul that is revealed in Peter Carey's novel in slightly more than two hours proved to be too much for those involved in this endeavour.

What a shock to see the immense talents of A -list actors such as Ralph Fiennes,Cate Blanchett,Ciaran Hinds and Tom Wilkinson literally wasted in 20 second scenes!Even the breathtaking land of the Australian outback is shown for five seconds at the most.AND THE ENDING!!!!!.....what in Heaven's name was that???Either most of this film is still on the cutting room floor( edited by the nefarious Nicholas Beauman of LITTLE WOMEN,COUNTRY LIFE,COSI) or Laura Jones and Gillian Armstrong just simply could not find any center and focus for this beautifully filmed "butchered" mess of a movie.2 1/2 -3 stars because the Thomas Newman soundtrack is so magnificent.(Buy the soundtrack!) April 4, 2007

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