Mrs. Dalloway (1997)
Disclaimer: I only watched this movie because I have to prepare Virginia Woolf's Mrs. Dalloway (1925) for an exam, and I didn't want to re-read it (I had already studied it in my undergrad). So I didn't really have too many expectations from it? However, my interest was piqued when I saw that the director was a lesbian, and I decided to finally go ahead with it last night.
First of all, I would like to say: petition for books written by women to be adapted to cinema/tv by WOMEN DIRECTORS ONLY.
Secondly, this was one of the few instances when I found the movie to be better than the book. Loads better, considering that I was unsure of how well the stream-of-consciousness narrative would translate on to the screen. However, that being said, I do think that to properly enjoy this movie, one needs to have read the source material first. The kiss between Clarissa and Sally was just perfect- it was everything my gay soul needed from a period drama setting. You know what I mean? The movie was also successful in recreating faithfully the dynamics between the various characters- Peter Walsh's entitled desperation over Clarissa, Sally's desire to show off in front of her, Clarissa herself caught between her own conventional desires and what she felt for both Peter and Sally (to be fair though, there was nothing possible between her and Sally, and that's kind of the whole tragedy), Richard Dalloway's disdain for Hugh and Lady Bruton, etc. Everything has been captured and reimagined so well, that I was reminded vividly of scenes from the book, even the ones that I had forgotten about. This is another rarity when it comes to screen adaptations I think- most of them are so divorced from their source texts that while watching, one has to make an effort to remember the book. Not so with Mrs. Dalloway, and that's why I stan.
Also, Vanessa Redgrave humanised Clarissa so much for me, that I didn't feel the same level of antipathy as I did when I read the book. I was so untouched by everything she did and stood for, but Redgrave really left me moved. Moreover, the film was perfectly edited- not a single moment was wasted. However, I wish they had included the bit about Armenia from the book, it really helped put things into perspective there.
Another thing that bugged me was that Septimus was a bit overdone. Rupert Graves' performance was borderline caricature for me, and I do wish he had toned it down just a little bit.
A good watch, definitely. Very arresting in parts, and I just might rewatch it one day. Yes, I, a self-declared Virginia Woolf non-fangirl, just might rewatch the movie adaptation of her most famous novel. And all I can say is, Marleen Gorris is a genius. So, here's to women directors: may we have more of them, and may we celebrate them for a long time to come. Amen.
First of all, I would like to say: petition for books written by women to be adapted to cinema/tv by WOMEN DIRECTORS ONLY.
Secondly, this was one of the few instances when I found the movie to be better than the book. Loads better, considering that I was unsure of how well the stream-of-consciousness narrative would translate on to the screen. However, that being said, I do think that to properly enjoy this movie, one needs to have read the source material first. The kiss between Clarissa and Sally was just perfect- it was everything my gay soul needed from a period drama setting. You know what I mean? The movie was also successful in recreating faithfully the dynamics between the various characters- Peter Walsh's entitled desperation over Clarissa, Sally's desire to show off in front of her, Clarissa herself caught between her own conventional desires and what she felt for both Peter and Sally (to be fair though, there was nothing possible between her and Sally, and that's kind of the whole tragedy), Richard Dalloway's disdain for Hugh and Lady Bruton, etc. Everything has been captured and reimagined so well, that I was reminded vividly of scenes from the book, even the ones that I had forgotten about. This is another rarity when it comes to screen adaptations I think- most of them are so divorced from their source texts that while watching, one has to make an effort to remember the book. Not so with Mrs. Dalloway, and that's why I stan.
Also, Vanessa Redgrave humanised Clarissa so much for me, that I didn't feel the same level of antipathy as I did when I read the book. I was so untouched by everything she did and stood for, but Redgrave really left me moved. Moreover, the film was perfectly edited- not a single moment was wasted. However, I wish they had included the bit about Armenia from the book, it really helped put things into perspective there.
Another thing that bugged me was that Septimus was a bit overdone. Rupert Graves' performance was borderline caricature for me, and I do wish he had toned it down just a little bit.
A good watch, definitely. Very arresting in parts, and I just might rewatch it one day. Yes, I, a self-declared Virginia Woolf non-fangirl, just might rewatch the movie adaptation of her most famous novel. And all I can say is, Marleen Gorris is a genius. So, here's to women directors: may we have more of them, and may we celebrate them for a long time to come. Amen.
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