THE KING’S DAUGHTER (2022)

January 21, 2022

Greetings again from the darkness. It happens sometimes where the most memorable part of a movie is its setting. Plenty of non-descript westerns (and also some really good ones) took place in Monument Valley. MAMMA MIA! was fine, but that Greek isle of Skopelos was dreamy. Even those who aren’t big fans of Wes Anderson movies would likely agree that his sets and filming locations are something to behold. Somehow, director Sean McNamara surpasses all of these by filming inside and on the grounds of the Palace of Versailles, a truly gorgeous and historical setting.

As for the movie, the 1997 novel “The Moon and the Sun” by Vonda N McIntire has been adapted for the screen by a list of screenwriters including Ronald Bass, Barry Berman, Laura Harrington, and James Schamus. Since it’s told in a storybook format, with narration from the great Julie Andrews, one must fight the urge to label this as ‘heavy-borrowing’ from the 1987 classic, THE PRINCESS BRIDE, and instead view it as a historical-adventure-fantasy attempting to appeal to most everyone, while likely not satisfying any particular demographic … despite some worthy elements.

Pierce Brosnan stars as King Louis XIV (who became the longest ruling monarch between 1638-1715), known as The Sun King. He has just returned from a victorious battle when an assassin’s bullet reminds him of his own mortality, spurring a plan from the weirdo royal doctor, Dr. Labarthe (Pablo Schreiber). The plan involves sacrificing a mermaid during a lunar eclipse in order to capture the “light” from her heart and provide immortality to the King … for the good of France, of course. So the King sends dashing Captain Yves De La Croix (Benjamin Walker, ABRAHAM LINCOLN: VAMPIRE KILLER, 2012) to find the lost City of Atlantis and capture one of the famed mermaids.

At the same time, the King has sent for his illegitimate daughter Marie-Josephe (Kaya Scoderlario, PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MEN TELL NO TALES, 2017). She has lived her life in a nunnery, and now is to use her musical talent to takeover as the royal composer – whilst not knowing who her father is. Adding to the confusion is the King’s ulterior motive. The kingdom is in dire financial straits, and in addition to his own immortality, he also plans to have his daughter marry the son (Ben Lloyd Hughes, DIVERGENT, 2014) of the richest merchant in France. A dandy plan were it not for the independent-minded non-Princess falling hard for the swashbuckling Yves. Another complication arises when Marie-Josephe befriends the captive mermaid (Bingbing Fan), pitting the daughter against the father … a scenario many parents have experienced (only not typically with mermaids).

It’s only fair when discussing this movie to mention its own history. Filmed in 2014, the reasons for a delayed release are many and varied. No need to go into the studio and distributor issues, but you may have heard about Bingbing Fan’s (the mermaid) saga. She’s the biggest star in China, and in 2018 she disappeared for a few months after a tax evasion scandal. Fortunately, she’s back working. Another oddity, is that co-stars Kaya Scoderlario and Benjamin Walker met on this set, married a year later and now have two children. That’s how long ago this was filmed! Oscar winner William Hurt adds a touch of class as Father La Chaise, and the talented Rachel Griffiths makes a brief appearance as the Abbess. The film is plenty watchable, yet nothing really stands out as distinctive or memorable … of course, other than the breathtaking sights of the Palace of Versailles, including the stunning Hall of Mirrors.

Opening nationwide in theaters on January 21, 2022

WATCH THE TRAILER

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Posted by David Ferguson

INDIGNATION (2016)

August 4, 2016

indignation Greetings again from the darkness. Quite often, Hollywood “period pieces” feel dated and somewhat irrelevant to our world today – as if they were a snapshot from an old magazine. But the best ones transport us to a different era while also serving up themes and characters that are just as interesting and germane today as then … and that’s what we have here.

First time director James Schamus (founder of Focus Features) is an Oscar nominated producer (Brokeback Mountain) and writer (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon), and he tackles the popular 2008 Philip Roth novel … one that the 83 year old novelist admits to being influenced by his own college years. Mr. Roth has been writing novels for more than 50 years and won the Pulitzer Prize for his 1997 “American Pastoral”.

Taking on the lead role of college-bound Marcus Messner is Logan Lerman … an actor who has been on screen since he was 8 years old, and seems to have the eternal youth DNA so sought after by Ponce de Leon. While his looks haven’t changed much since the “Percy Jackson” films or the excellent The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Lerman shines here as the working class Newark Jewish boy, smothered by his parents, and as naïve to the world as he is academically gifted.

It’s 1951 and too many neighborhood boys are arriving back home in pine boxes after serving in the Korean War. Marcus’ father (Danny Burstein) is a kosher butcher and is half of the hyper-cautious parental unit that is alternatively thankful and frightened that their son is avoiding serving in the military by heading off to ultra-conservative (and fictional) Winesburg College in Ohio.

Once on campus, Marcus discovers little of the hoped-for freedom. Mandatory chapel attendance, roommates assigned via religious leanings, and the expectations of joining the Jewish fraternity and hanging out with his own kind combine to be only a different kind of emotional stifling than what he had at home. A series of events serve to shake up Marcus and his beliefs. Date night with his dream girl from the library ends with him being both repulsed and enchanted by a sexually assertive Olivia (Sarah Gadon). An argument with his lughead roommates ends with his being given the worst dorm room on campus. Meeting with the College Dean (Tracy Letts) results in an exhilarating debate that will surely be treasured by all who adore wordplay and oratory sword-fighting. Finally, an emergency appendectomy brings a hospital visit from Marcus’ mother (Linda Emond), and a conversation that drastically alters the course of his life.

The conservative social mores of the 1950’s are on full display, as is the restlessness of the young who would change society forever. Fear would be replaced with daring, and the film does a terrific job of highlighting how revolution often comes at a high price. Bookended by war scenes that dramatize the fine line between civilized society and the brutality of war, it all comes together … bringing more power and poignancy to the two best scenes: as previously mentioned, Letts and Lerman go mano y mano in arguing the brilliance of Bertrand Russell, and their word battle highlights the age-old idealist vs. real world struggles; a mother-son scene towards the end is as heart-breaking as any we’re likely to see on screen this year. Mr. Letts, Ms. Emond and Ms. Gadon all work well with Logan Lerman in order to provide an excellent presentation of Roth’s novel and Schamus’ first film.

 watch the trailer:

 

 

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Posted by David Ferguson