This film is about as crisp as they come -- simple story, focused writing, bold charaters, and vanilla cinemtaography. Basically, this is the archetypal British film, complete with a brilliant (and I use that word purposefully) monologue delivered by Michael Redgrave in the finale. You will react to his monologue at home as if you were sitting in the pews 50 years ago -- it's that sublime. If Carole Reed ever made a film about the education system -- this would be it. (8/10)
November 1, 2007Asquith's mournful, utterly absorbing ensemble drama was adapted by Terence Rattigan from his own play. Redgrave, in one of his greatest screen performances, is magnificent, communicating both the unrelenting severity and turbulent inner sadness of Crocker-Harris--who keeps a stiff upper lip about Millie's infidelities, the headmaster's disrespect for his years of service, and his own failed ambitions. With a stirring turn by young Brian Smith as Taplow, Crocker-Harris's chipper, well-meaning student, "Browning" is an outstanding drama about suffering and redemption that will stay with you long after the gut-wrenching graduation speech.
June 26, 2007 |  | first rate actor & first rate director & second rate author add up to an (almost) first rate film |  |
michael redgrave has the peak moment of his film career in this anthony asquith adaptation of terrence rattigans play. rattigan was a highly successful english playwright in the mid 20th century but i find most of his work to be stodgy and old hat (& btw, i am NOT a fan of the angry young men who came along in the 50s!); he is a second-rate writer but this is probably his strongest work, about a failed middle-aged teacher who has little left to live for until the worm turns. its an actors tour-de-force, and redgrave and the rest of the cast make the most of it.
April 19, 2007Terence Rattigan specialized in scripts about the rich upper classes who loved going to the theatre & seeing themselves on the stage. They rewarded him by making him a wealthy man. (It was a Rattigan play that prompted Shelagh Delaney to write A TASTE OF HONEY.) This work is somewhat unusual for Rattigan because the hero is decidedly not upper class & is the closest to a gay character his producers, public & times would allow him to write. (He was forced to change the Major's crime in SEPARATE TABLES from pinching a young man to pinching a young woman.) The hero here is a failed classics teacher at a second rate public school who is held in contempt by the boys, the headmaster & his own wife. Instead of GOODBYE MR CHIPS it's 'Sod off Mr Crock'. Because of poor health the man is being forced into early retirement. His wife delights in cuckolding him with passionless efficiency & the headmaster wants to get him out with no pension. But one of the boys who feels sorry for him gives him a copy of Browning's translation of the AGAMEMNON (the Browning version of the title) which makes all the difference. It would be easy to dismiss this as a prime example of the 'Let's not make a fuss shall we' school of English theatre except for one thing: Michael Redgrave. He's magnificient.
April 16, 2007In a magnificent performance, Michael Redgrave plays a Latin teacher who has arrived at a sad station in life. Forced to retire by ill health, he has been denied his pension. His unfaithful wife despises him. He has not fulfilled his early promise, instead stagnating as an uninspiring teacher who is detested by his students. Humiliations are heaped upon him until it seems he must break under their pressure. However, he does exit with a measure of respect and we are given a glimmer of hope that he may yet reveal hidden talents.
I had thought that I was watching a 5-star film, but the conclusion was just a bit too restrained and tidy to capitalize on the powerful buildup. Nevertheless, this film is well worth watching.
March 12, 2007More reviews at Amazon.com ...
Daily Birthdays
(25 reviews)