I Capture The Castle (DVD)

I Capture the Castle, to judge by the age group theediscerning shared the cinema with, is one of those films for old dears to watch of a Tuesday afternoon, remembering the 1930s in which it is set. However to judge from watching the screen and not the audience, it is a family film. (If only it appeared on ciao as such, then it would have been in a paying category…)

Theediscerning had only heard of the book, by 101 Dalmatians inventor ...
...aware that among the few people that claimed to have read it, it was widely regarded as a classic, and one of their favourites ever. This was borne by the book’s next appearance, in the 100-strong shortlist for the Nation’s Favourite Read, or whatever it’s called.

The narrator is a seventeen year old diarist, Cassandra, played by Romola Garai, who has the wide eyes and naturally expressive face and talent to suggest she could well ... more

I Capture the Castle, to judge by the age group theediscerning shared the cinema with, is one of those films for old dears to watch of a Tuesday afternoon, remembering the 1930s in which it is set. However to judge from watching the screen and not the audience, it is a family film. (If only it appeared on ciao as such, then it would have been in a paying category…)

Theediscerning had only heard of the book, by 101 Dalmatians inventor Dodie Smith, in connection with this film, but then became aware that among the few people that claimed to have read it, it was widely regarded as a classic, and one of their favourites ever. This was borne by the book’s next appearance, in the 100-strong shortlist for the Nation’s Favourite Read, or whatever it’s called.

The narrator is a seventeen year old diarist, Cassandra, played by Romola Garai, who has the wide eyes and naturally expressive face and talent to suggest she could well blossom into the new Kate Winslet. Her voice-over, and the many shots of her sitting on any available perch (she opens the film from the kitchen sink!) scribbling away in pencil, lead us into the story, but appear at moderate intervals, so we never tire of her opinions.

It is a pity shown throughout the film that her dad (Bill Nighy) cannot write as often as his offspring. Since one ground-breaking best-seller, he has failed to put pen to paper, and is now more of an eccentric home philosopher, if anything. Perhaps his dark secret (trademark countless other stories) is to blame…

That home is a character in itself too, a huge, sprawling stone castle, complete with moat, for opportune plot device later, and a separate signal tower some short way distant, for more opportune use thereof. It’s an eccentric choice for a chap to bring his family to, but he’s an eccentric chap anyway. We see very little of his first wife, and only in flashback, but his step-wife, Topaz (!), played by Tara Fitzgerald, has a fine line in home dyeing and nude romps in the wilds, to go with her artistic temperament.

Cassandra’s siblings are her sister, Rose, who is an alleged beauty ~ full of Botticellian locks and heated temperament, and her brother, unfortunately of the younger wise-cracking type that only reminds the modern viewer of the young one in My Family, which wouldn’t be what Dodie Smith intended.

Also much in evidence is the family help Stephen, a semi-adopted young chap with a fine line in digging up root vegetables, muscles ablaze. He has the hots for Cassandra, which is practically the only reason why he stays at the castle, and shares in their poverty with them.

Yes, the family are poor. Destitute, penniless, and without any income; things can only get worse. But we need not fear there will be a drudge of a story about mad people on the breadline, for a chance occurrence involving said naked romps, a car and a horse, introduce two nice young American lads to the story ~ Neil and Simon.

It immediately comes clear that Simon has just inherited all the land thereabouts, including his family’s close-by mansion, and the castle - and the lack of rent it has brought in.

Luckily these American chaps are put off neither by the eccentric locals, nor even the interminable British rain, and stick around, when society isn’t calling them elsewhere. It just seems that they might be the way out for Cassandra and Rose.

There are, of course, big ‘but’s involved, the least of which is Simon’s goatee. But the film will engage you with its decent mix of love story with an edge, as the trials and tribulations of the Yanks and the lasses are played out. Principal among these, at first, at least, is Rose’s hard-skinned attitude that one of the brothers must be married, even without any love evident, purely for the change in lifestyle it would lead to.

All the while we get the fun of the step-mom going off the rails and even more artistic, and the problems of the father’s addled ideas about, er, whatever.

The talent involved is very great for what is actually a BBC film, probably always intended for cinema release nonetheless, filmed mostly on the Isle of Man. The producer has an Oscar already for Shakespeare in Love, and while this won’t add much to his mantelpiece decoration, the ensemble story, plot, music, look, etc, all work a treat. He has managed some very impressive, if brief, shots of period London, for one.

The cinematography is fine, although perhaps could make use a little more of the widescreen. If you think Shakespeare in Love and A Knight’s Tale both look pretty, the same chap is responsible for all.

The music is the usual stirring, swelling classical score, and while not exactly providing a grandiose theme tune, Dario Marianelli belies the fact he has not worked on many big-name movies.

Tim Fywell has been given his first cinematic job here by the BBC, having done much television work throughout the 1990s. He seems to have kicked off with an inbuilt pedigree, starting with the acclaimed Ruth Rendell adaptations, and following them with Madame Bovary. However perhaps he should be marked down for the only failings of the film, which possibly also belong to the script and the original source material.

There is a need at times for just a little more pace; not exactly urgency, or grittiness, as they would be ill-fitting, but something with just a little more speed to it would have appealed more. But for the blue-rinsers, and those who adore the source book, this must go down as a fine adaptation.

Romola Garai, last reviewed by theediscerning in Nickolas Nickleby, is currently making Vanity Fair, but perhaps she should beware the corset film trap and branch out, and not down the Dirty Dancing 2 route, which is her next film. Just 21, she is earmarked for future success in these quarters, and while she is no classic beauty, it will not be unpleasant to watch her future form. For the first period of the film it looks like Rose is almost the lead character, but Cassandra takes her fitting role eventually.

As for Rose, she wasn’t quite as enjoyable. While some of the comedy is with her scatterbrained attempts at appearing appealing to the cultured suave American blood, the character is the less likeable girl. But Rose Byrne, Dorme in Attack of the Clones, and soon to be in Troy, showed talent, and is also commendable.

The more common names like Bill Nighy and Tara Fitzgerald have much less screen time, but are fine, and are cast very well. Finally, of course, the American pair should not be ignored. Henry Thomas is Simon, Marc “Riley in Buffy” Blucas, Neil, and while neither could exactly open a film on their own, they are great here. The hardness of their feelings when they first meet the daughters is done well, as is their change to lovers. It is presumed they are attractive to females too, adding to the conclusion the film is one very amenable to the eye.

And it is more or less wholly enjoyable too. It should be accessible to any over the age of, say at a guess, 8, and should not be consigned to anyone’s mental ‘blue-rinse brigade bin’. There is a lot of gentle comedy from the characterisations, and a bit of an “aah” moment with the poor Stephen, before he turns out to be not very nice after all.

Finally, one shouldn’t consider it as just a comedy of manners and love story, as there is actually quite an edge to the plot that surprised theediscerning, what with his lack of knowledge of 1930s etiquette and fictional barriers. If that kick had transferred to the screen form this would have been rated really very highly, but all the same it is verging on a four-star effort.

It’s strong-enough entertainment that might just capture your hearts…

* * * * * * *
For an added bit of information, the same production companies, with the Isle of Man production base and the BBC also involved, have also recently made The Heart of Me, which again is set in 1930s England, and is an adaptation of a woman’s novel, and has surprisingly similar a premise. This provides some of the kick lacking in Castle, partly through some superlative acting. If you want to see what happens when one man kisses two adult sisters, this is the film for you (strong four stars), but for the lighter, teenaged version, stick with the above.

 

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