I get why they hired Bryan Forbes to make it - he was "hot" at the time. Clavell's novel had sold well. POW films had worked eg The Great Escape.
The novel from memory was a good read. This is done with intelligence and taste. It's just a bit... I dont know, lifeless. Obsessed with being tasteful of something.
The novel had a specific theme - how the king survived. Survivalism. The friendship between Marlowe and the King.
That's sort of here. But one senses Forbes is more interested in incidentals. Sweat. Actors being skinny. Actors acting. Emoting. Signficance.
The actors are fine - George Segal (a showy, key part for him), James Fox, Tom Courtenay, John Mills. Reg Lye is on hand to play an Aussie. There's some Americans in it too but I wasn't as familiar with them.
It's a long movie. It's done with class. I can see why no one went to see it though. As David Shipman wrote, you can tell the movie really wants an Oscar.
No comments:
Post a Comment