Conference bookie::movies

1069.0. "Angels and Insects" by EVMS::HALLYB (Fish have no concept of fire) Mon Apr 29 1996 09:05

Setting: The Alabaster mansion in the English countryside, circa 1860.

Naturalist William Adamson has just returned to England from 10 years
research in the Amazon rainforest. Regrettably nearly all his notes
and possessions were destroyed in a shipwreck and he is penniless.
Wealthy (and 60-ish) Harold Alabaster, an amateur naturalist himself,
invites William to stay at his mansion to help catalog Harold's
extensive collection of specimens and perhaps write a book.

This situation really annoys Harold's son, Edgar, who sees William as
a social inferior. After all, William IS broke and his father was only
a butcher. We see many scenes in which Edgar taunts William about his
"breeding", though it soon becomes evident that William displays much
better breeding than Edgar. Still, Edgar stands to inherit should
Harold pass on.

There are many women at the estate, including Harold's wife the Lady
Alabaster, two daughters Eugenia and Rowena of marriageable age, and
Miss Matty Crompton, a poor relative who tutors the Alabaster children.
The children (who, fortunately, are seen but not heard) include three
girls about 11 years old and possibly others who are mentioned only in
passing. Finally there are innumerable servants constantly scurrying
about the mansion. One of these worth watching is the 13-year-old Amy.

William is smitten with the oldest daughter, Eugenia, but of course
his station in life would preclude marriage to her. Besides, Eugenia
doesn't seem too stable ever since a previous suitor died (some say
killed himself) before marrying her. When younger sister Rowena is
betrothed, Eugenia despairs of ever marrying. William confides to Eugenia 
that he would love to marry her but knows his station precludes it.
Surprisingly, Eugenia accepts and there is a double wedding. Edgar is
distinctly NOT happy at this turn of events and minces no words about
"mixing the breed".

The marriage turns out not to be entirely satisfactory to William,
though Eugenia bears him many children. But he is a patient man and
bides his time. Much of his time is spent working with Matty Crompton
on several projects, one of which is to assiduously study an ant colony
to both tutor the older children and further the study of ants. We soon
find out that Matty is bright and talented, probably a better match for
William than is Eugenia. We also discover a number of striking parallels
between ant colonies and life at the Alabaster mansion. These seem
more "cute" than astonishing, but are worthwhile elements nonetheless.

Along the same "cute" lines, the movie offers a number of opportunities
for display of costumes of the period, at picnics and balls aplenty.
The ladies' costumes are often quite elaborate and strain the limits of
credulity, but I found them to fit within the theme of the movie.

As is often the case in movies of this type, the Alabaster mansion is
a large, complex society with its own secrets. One of these is key to
the movie and is telegraphed in advance, in bits and pieces. Once it is
finally out in the open things take a major turn and many lives are
forever changed.

A problem with this movie is that William and Eugenia both come across
as cold fish at times. They display some passion in their bedroom
scenes but outside of that she is often cool-but-polite to him, while
he is quiet and reserved towards the rest of the family. While there
are reasons for this, it makes it difficult to identify with these two.
One wonders, however, what is on William's mind when he stares at
Matty's wrist while she sketches. Was Edgar right, after all?

The movie is rated R, mostly for its faux sex and equal-opportunity
full frontal nudity. But don't think this is some sort of erotic movie,
despite all the previews that might indicate otherwise. The setting is
Merchant Ivory but the mood is Tennessee Williams, not Fanny Hill.

Based on the A.S. Byatt novella _Morpho Eugenia_, the "Insects" part of
a 2-novella book "Angels and Insects". Currently playing at the Wilton
Town Hall Theatre.

Overall I greatly enjoyed this movie. I felt the period was done
authentically, the scenery rich, the story interesting and the
acting was fine though nothing of Oscar quality. Amid all this
the producers weaved an intricate set of insect themes which some
might see as clever artwork, but I felt it was something more.
What that might be, I don't know.

  John

Cast (in credits order) probably complete (from IMDB)

     Mark Rylance .... William Adamson
     Patsy Kensit .... Eugenia Alabaster
     Saskia Wickham .... Rowena Alabaster
     Chris Larkin .... Robin
     Douglas Henshall .... Edgar
     Annette Badland .... Lady Alabaster
     Kristin Scott Thomas .... Matty Crompton
     Lindsay Thomas .... Lady Alabaster's Maid
     Michelle Sylvester .... Margaret Alabaster
     Clare Lovell .... Elaine Alabaster
     Jenny Lovell .... Edith Alabaster
     Anna Massey .... Miss Mead
     Oona Haas .... Alice Alabaster
     Angus Hodder .... Guy Alabaster
     Margaret Golder .... Nurse
     Paul Ready .... Tom
     Jeremy Kemp .... Sir Harold Alabaster
     Naomi Gudge .... Martha
     John Jenkins .... Ralph Blackwood
     John Veasey .... Arthur
     Clare Redman .... Amy
     Jack Turney .... Newborn Twin #1
     Elizabeth Turney .... Newborn Twin #2
     Nicky Turney .... Wetnurse
     Alice Maitland .... Six Month Old Twin #1
     Hannah Maitland .... Six Month Old Twin #2
     Vita Haas .... Robert Edgar age 1
     Pam Smitham .... Midwife
     Brett Harris .... Stable Lad
     Talkun Abdureheim .... Dancer
     Mark Ashman .... Dancer
     Daniel Belton .... Dancer
     Joy Constaninides .... Dancer
     Jason Davies .... Dancer
     Michael Fulwell .... Dancer
     Suzanne Gordon .... Dancer
     Bernadette Iglich .... Dancer
     Ming Yam Low .... Dancer
     Enrique Neyra .... Dancer
     Fuschia Peters .... Dancer
     Leesa Phillips .... Dancer
     Claudia Pottier .... Dancer
     Angelina Hereda Reza .... Dancer
     Marco De Santos .... Dancer
     Stephanie Smith .... Dancer
     Kenneth Tharp .... Dancer
     Andrew Titcombe .... Dancer
     Souli Yates .... Dancer
     Collette McDaid .... Spinster
     Angela Raynor .... Spinster
     Sharryn Arnold .... Serving Girl
     Kay Sarah Morgan .... Serving Girl
     Mark Boffin .... Manservant
     Paul James Parker .... Manservant
     Terry Askew .... Gardener
     Sarah Braker .... Linen Maid
     Lucy Thompson .... Linen Maid
     Catrina Cauchi .... Serving Girl
     Austin France .... Stable Lad
     Lorna Fielding .... Child Servant
     Walter White .... Tailor
     Gareth Knapman .... Tailor's Assistant
     Paula Askew .... Seamstress
     Margaret Clarke .... Seamstress
     Carmen Booton .... Seamstress
     Marian Roseman Hayes .... Housekeeper
     Judith Clulow .... Wedding Guest
     Richard Humphries .... Wedding Guest
     Margaret Hussey .... Wedding Guest
     Norman Hussey .... Wedding Guest
     Valerie Middleton .... Wedding Guest
     Laura Alice Needham .... Wedding Guest
     Brian Pickin .... Wedding Guest
     Richard Rawlinson .... Wedding Guest
     Nicola Smitham .... Nursemaid
     Tracey Clarke .... Child Servant
     Claire Brown .... Child Servant
     Alan John Bannister .... Pallbearer
     Graham Glover .... Pallbearer
     Walter Lincoln .... Pallbearer
     Chris Treanor .... Pallbearer
     Iain Wright .... Pallbearer

I thought this was a wonderful film - but a little bit glum.  And
the musical score for strings was abominable, and interminable.
There were so many things I liked about this film.  One of them
is the way it would kind of lull you with the Merchant Ivory/Masterpiece
Theater style, then zap you with an unexpected surprise.

Go see it.

Brian