I Capture the Castle
3 out of 5 stars
R E V I E W   B Y   R I C H   C L I N E
i capture the castle It's surprising that Dodie Smith's beloved novel hasn't been adapted for the screen before now, and going in you have that worrying sense of dread that it will be a rosy and sweet story of girly romance. But fortunately it's the Shakespeare in Love production crew here, and the film maintains a high technical standard as well as a smart, sharp sense of humour that carries us through the slush. It's told as a memoir by the 17-year-old Cassie (newcomer Garai), growing up in a dank castle in 1930s Suffolk with her loopy writer father (Nighy), her arty stepmum (FitzGerald), colourful older sister (Byrne) and brainy younger brother (Sowerbutts). Then a pair of handsome and eligible Americans (Thomas and Blucas) inherit the estate and ignite a complex love pentagon involving the sisters and their long-time friend Stephen (Cavill).

Yes, a lot of Important Life Lessons ensue, but the filmmakers wisely never let it become a twee English costume drama. Rather, they inject a current of black comedy and clever wit that keeps us involved in the tangled narrative. Still, some elements are unnecessary--some of the dialog and voice-over narration are awful, and cliches threaten to swamp every scene and are just about held at bay. Meanwhile, the cast is excellent. Surprisingly, the most moving plot thread involves Garai and Cavill, the newest faces in the cast. They are terrific together--the emotional heart of the film. Meanwhile, Nighy is superb as usual in a much meatier role than even he usually gets. And Byrne makes her character far more three-dimensional than the shallow creature she could have been. All in all, this is a complex, moving tale about dealing with life, not accepting second best and having the courage to both love and be loved. That it avoids the grit and lapses into schmaltz every now and then can almost be forgiven.

cert PG themes, partial nudity 10.Apr.03

dir Tim Fywell
scr Heidi Thomas
with Romola Garai, Rose Byrne, Henry Thomas, Marc Blucas, Henry Cavill, Bill Nighy, Tara FitzGerald, Sinead Cusack, Joe Sowerbutts, James Faulkner, Sarah Woodward, David Bamber
release UK 9.May.03; US 11.Jul.03
BBC
03/UK 1h52

True love? Cassie and Stephen (Garai and Cavill) explore their feelings during a walk in the woods...

thomas blucas
byrne cavill
R E A D E R   R E V I E W S
send your review to Shadows... i capture the castle "As usual with film adaptations of books you have loved, there is a slight feeling of dread when going in to the cinema that the book will be ruined for ever. Well, fear not with this one. It is delightfully done; perfectly cast (although Rose is a little tiresome) and set, and feeling much more like a satisfying play than a 21st century film. All the memorable scenes are here, true to the book, and the film does indeed capture the eccentric Mortmains to a tee. The relationship beteen Cassandra and her father is particularly moving. The film perfectly shows a teenager veering between wisdom beyond her years as the calm centre of the storm, and the adolescent's view of everything in life being related to one's self. My husband, who has never read it, loved it too. Thoroughly recommended - stop being cynical for an evening." --Christina Maude, West Sussex 15.May.03
© 2003 by Rich Cline, Shadows on the Wall

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