Three more movies

The book thief

We saw this film on Sunday afternoon at the multiplex; we had both read the book a couple of years ago, and that was a good recommendation.

The movie is not as good as the book; there are gaps in the story which leave some ends dangling at the end. Max's story after his departure is very sketchy, as is Hans's story while away in the army.

But the acting is fine, the photography is good and the direction likewise.

You cannot help comparing the film with "The Reader" which I wrote about last week. Both concern events during World War II in Germany, both involve reading and lack of literacy, both are about female protagonists. But "the book thief" does not come near "the Reader" in the moral issues it tackles.

Although "the Reader" sets up a choice between black and white, and then settles for pale grey, "the book thief" does not even touch the black and white: its greys are all pale.

Anyway, it's worth watching to see what you think!

Tess of the D'Urbervilles

Maori TV dusted this one off for Sunday evening.  The version of Thomas Hardy's famous novel about a village girl who is "led astray" (as the nineteenth century would put it) by an upper class "bounder" and rescued, sort of, by a middle class, barely effectual, "hero"; but really too late to be any use.

The sets, costumes, photography and acting have lasted very well.

Hardy's story was not especially out of the ordinary; Margie's great-great-grandmother had a similar experience.  But in her case the baby was brought up by its grandparents, and the girl was married off to the nearest willing suitor, and she went on to have thirteen more children, so had no time to get herself into psychological knots.

Still an enjoyable reminder of one of the significant novels of the late nineteenth century.

The King's Speech

Wednesday night we watched this again, with its masterful performance by Colin Firth, ably assisted by Geoffrey Rush.

I was struck even more forcefully by the terrible life those princes had as children. Why anyone would want to put human beings through such a life-style, and force them to fit a strait-jacket of royal behaviour I cannot understand.

If anyone who has seen this film still persists in supporting the institution of the monarchy, against all the rational and humane arguments, and the emotional impact of this story, I find it a mystery.