Posted on 01/06/2021 4:40:03 AM PST by C19fan
This period drama came up on my recommended list on Amazon Prime video free for members.
A greatly simplified plot is a boy, Leo Colston, who is a charity case at a public school, public being the UK definition, spends the summer at the estate of his wealthy school friend. As he is entering the journey into manhood he falls under the spell of the stunning Miss Marian Maudsley. The title of the movie comes from the role he plays passing along messages between Miss Maudsley and a farmer, Ted Burgess, neighboring the estate. Mr. Burgess and Miss Maudsley are engaged in an illicit romance. This summer will permanently scar young Mr. Colston for the rest of his life.
I do not know faithful the movie is to the source material; a novel by the same name written by L.P. Hartley but I very much enjoyed this.
The setting is the Late Victorian era in 1900. The estate and costumes are gorgeous. Joanna Vanderham plays Miss Maudsley and she is jaw dropping beautiful.
A couple of better known British thespians are in this. Lesley Manville plays Mrs. Maudsley. She wants to climb the greasy pole of British society by her daughter marrying Viscount Trimingham. Jim Broadbent and Vanessa Redgrave play the elder versions of Leo and Marian.
One character I found very appealing was Lord Trimingham. He has been physically scarred while serving in the Boer War. Perhaps his experience explains how compassionate and understanding he is especially compared to Mrs. Maudsley. There is a massive plot twist at the end that raises ones esteem for the man.
I did learn a new English slang term: spooning.
Just as a warning there is an explicit sex scene.
One my scale of 1 to 5 bonnets, I give this 4 bonnets.
Saw the boring 1971 movie at the theater. It won the Palme d’Or at the 1971 Cannes Film Festival, but it stunk.
I’ll check that one out.
Have you mentioned “The Politician’s Wife”?
It was really interesting (and pertinent to the political stage in our era). Well done.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0112126/
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