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Mrs Dalloway | Year: 1998 Classification: Drama Directed: - Marleen Gorris Actors/Actresses: - Lena Headey - Vanessa Redgrave - Natascha McElhone Rethinking what might have been... This 1997 film stars Vanessa Redgrave as Mrs. Dalloway, the Englishwoman introduced in Virginia Woolf's 1925 novel. The book used stream of consciousness to create an interior monologue for her heroine and the film is true to that, a voice-over narration letting the viewer know her interior thoughts as she goes about preparing for a party in 1923. Mrs. Dalloway is now in her sixties, but there are flashbacks to an earlier time, when she was a young woman being pursued by beaus. She has made her choices now and has married a cabinet member and leads a comfortable life as his charming wife. In her youth she rejected the suitor who looked for adventure in India as well as the tentative hint of a friendship with a woman, which might have gone further. When both of them show up at her party, her memories surface. There's also a sub-story of a young man who has been shell-shocked from combat in The Great War and the theme of suicide runs strong throughout the plot. Even though he and Mrs. Dalloway never meet, it is clear why this character was introduced. And it is also interesting to note that Virginia Woolf herself committed suicide in 1941 at the age of 59. Casting is excellent, acting superb. Everything is understated but yet very very clear. I also loved the cinematography and the setting of a very proper London in 1923, especially the costumes. The theme is universal as we all do look back on our lives and wonder what might have been. Also, at only 97 minutes long, the video was exactly the right length. Definitely recommended. Mrs Dalloway Mrs. Dalloway This British period-drama is based on the book by Virginia Woolf, a fact that comes before any of the actors or the director needs to be mentioned. This is because the fundamental flaw of this film is that it seems rooted in its original format. In between the dialouge (probably lifted straight from the book), unneccessary voiceovers by the characters explain their thoughts to the viewer, using long and overly descriptive text from the book. Must it be explained that a film adaptions job is not just to replace the description with pictures (which, judging by the voiceovers, this film does not even manage) but to interpret and give life to a novel. And surely an actors job is to portray a characters emotions, not just to stand there as they are reeled off over his or her head, which is what they spend a lot of time doing. Indeed, many of the performances are somewhat wooden, surpising from what appeared to be an accomplished, if small time, group of Brits (Vanessa Redgrave, Rupert Graves, Michael Kitchen).And then there is the story. Although mildly interesting in itself, if a bit unful filling, the film goes at an angishingly slow pace, and the feminist 'undertones' of the novel stick out from the dialouge like a sore thum. To say one thing in its favour, the period setting looks great, but the overall impression was less of a film and more of a novel with pictures. And, by the looks of it, not a very good novel to begin with. 4 out of 10. Speechless Having watched Mrs. Dalloway after having looked for it for at least three years, I can only say that I am breathless: True to Virginia Woolf's narrative, attentive to every detail, and with such subtlety is this movie made that I could find no better gift than this movie to a lover of Virginia Woolf's works. Vanessa Redgrave astounds with her incredibly moving performance, with a dignified emotiveness as only she can deliver- true to the bird-like Mrs. Dalloway. Fans of explosions and other short-attention-grabbers need not apply, this is prime literature jumping onto the movie screen! Buy Mrs Dalloway at Amazon.com Buy posters at Allposters.com Jamster - the latest ringtones for your phone!  Search with Walhello on the Internet on Mrs Dalloway Search with the Priority Search Engine on Mrs Dalloway This page in other languages: Suomeksi | Nederlands | Deutsch
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