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Being Julia [DVD] [2004] starring: Annette Bening, Jeremy Irons, Bruce Greenwood, Michael Gambon

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Rating: - The Roaries Thirties ...

Nicely done film adaptation of W Somerset Maugham's excellent novel 'Theatre' ... for those - like me - who are very fond of the book, the cinema or DVD will be approached with caution, but worries can easily be set aside as the film charms you into submission for the most part.

I have no idea why Julia Lambert's young romantic interest, Tom Fennell, is metamorphosed into an American - but I have long since stopped agonising over the abuses heaped on good material by the film world. Their reasons are no doubt many that I don't really want to understand (mostly to do with money and box office returns and the fact that if Tom Fennell had been the young lower middle-class Brit that he is supposed to be, American audiences would simply not have bothered to watch the movie ...) and suffice it to say that Annette Bening is an excellent Julia Lambert. Her accent is good (Americans these days learn 'received English' pronunciation so much better than our actors!) and her flamboyant manner pretty close to Maugham's orignial.

(I think only Maria Aitken could have played the role better - and it's too late now!)

Have a go with this - it's good, if not unreservedly brilliant, with some touching moments - and Julia comes up smelling of roses.

AND READ THE ORIGINAL BOOK. Highly recommended. It's short and sharp and fun.

Rating: - Not In Kansas Anymore

For generations American actresses strugled with English accents. Even Bette Davis and Kathrine Hepburn with their New England upbringings struggled at it. Meryl Streep did the first good one with 'The French Lieutenants Woman' in 1981. Renee Zellweger moved the art along with the 'Bridget Jones' movies, then Topeka born Annette Bening did this flawless star turn.

Aside from her great accent, her great performance as a forty something London theatre actress, who gets hurt and plans and executes a cunning revenge, is well worthy of her Oscar nomination. The movie is set between the two world wars, and based on a Somerset Maugham novel.

The supporting cast is great too, including Jeremy Irons who plays her husband, Miriam Margolyes (a bonus in any movie), and Michael Gambon who plays the spirit or memory of an inspirational drama coach. He appears to encourage her whenever her spirits are failing.

This movie was not a huge success, sometimes the good ones are not, but I rate it highly. It is well worth the next to nothing it costs thru Marketplace.

Rating: - Amusing, with a star turn by Annette Bening

It's the late Thirties, and Julia Lambert (Annette Bening) is the reigning queen of the London theater. She's 45 or so, a little bored, has a friendly and open marriage with her husband, Michael Gosselyn (Jeremy Irons), and only really comes alive when she's acting, which she does most of the time, on stage or off. She has an affair with a boy half her age, who may or may not be as innocent and enthusiastic about her as he seems. She copes, she acts, and she deals with an ambitious young actress. By the end of the movie Julia has rediscovered her passion and enthusiasm for both living and acting.

I think this is a pleasant, slightly malicious and amusing period comedy about the theatre -- and that's theater with an re, please -- with a tour de force performance by Annette Bening. There are times when she brings a scene close to melodrama, but not too close, and then veers off into farce. The movie is all about Julia, and Bening makes her into a fascinating, vulnerable and maliciously resourceful woman. The other actors, and there are many well-known names in the cast including Michael Gambon, all serve to frame the picture around her. The one thing I found unsettling was seeing that great actress Juliet Stevenson, who could have played the title character -- relegated to a role that 40 years ago would have been handled by Thelma Ritter.

The film is satisfying and amusing, and wouldn't have worked without Bening. One other element that is first-rate is the score by Mychael Danna. He has come up with a recurrent theme that is almost classical, romantic and a little poignant. The DVD picture looks great;

Rating: - Deft, charming and really funny

I loved this film - it is small and light - nothing too meaningful, but beautifully played, exquisitely drawn characters, and a brilliant ending.

The direction is sympathetic and intelligent. The script is adapted from a Somerset Maughan short story.

Particularly recommended as a feel-good movie for women of a certain age.

Rating: - Disappointing

Great cast, good reviews, but I turned it off after 25 minutes, it was just not interesting in any way. Just dull!

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