Reviews

After viewing the first two episodes (shown together on the UK terrestrial channel BBC 2), I wanted to recommend the series.

The title brings to mind "Guy Fawlkes", but the mini-series is actually the story of Mary, Queen of Scots - a tale which is amongst the most dramatic in the whole of Scottish history.

Given that all Scottish school children study this period in great detail (myself included!), the responsibility of all concerned is high.

It was with great delight that I found the series an honest and compelling human drama, and the (historically known) actions of the characters made perfect sense in the light of the characterisations and script.

I was concerned that the whole affair would be dragged down by either the weight of historical authenticity or the need to create a drama for modern sensibilities.

The historical ambiguities in the character of Mary were perfectly realised as drama: the transition from a French childhood to become a champion of the Scottish cause was credible. Her involvement in political assassinations was cleverly presented as "for the good of Scotland" rather than as cold-hearted scheming. So in this drama Mary is a heroine, though historians will argue endlessly on this one. My recall of school history is not good enough to know where liberties have been taken with historical fact.

Some flaws were present - the character of David Rizzio was not fleshed out sufficiently. The feel of the production could be criticised a little as a McGovern "housing estate drama" in costume e.g. the simple-minded Protestant/Catholic vein pervading the production. However, as the drama really gets going through the romance between Mary and her "bit of Scottish rough" (Lord Bothwell), perhaps one should acknowledge the universality of the human condition.

This is not an "Elizabeth" which re-wrote the book for cinematic historical realisations. However, "Gunpowder, Treason and Plot" is a likable and worthy production, which may not be absolutely top notch, but does seem a little tucked away on BBC 2 on a Sunday evening, when it deserves wider viewing.

I await the remaining episodes with interest.

The most significant aspect of this drama/documentary series is that each episode, portraying life in ancient Egypt, is based on a surviving text from the period.

Now, I daresay life is too short for each of us to access these texts, let alone decipher the language or separate the wheat from the chaff. So I reckon this series is the closest that most of us will get to experiencing ancient Egyptian life, and there is a real feeling of being a "witness" to events which is a tribute to the program makers.

There has been an incredible degree of care and responsibility in bringing the text to the screen. The stories reveal how the values of this distant civilisation mix with the universals of the human condition. There is no sensationalism, and the intrinsic narrative drive of the stories and their meticulous realisation draw in the viewer.

Where there is uncertainty in the text, this is stated - for once the viewer is given credit for some intelligence. The dialogue is subtitled, and my suspicion is that the actors are REALLY speaking Ancient Egyptian but this is nowhere made clear.

I think it is difficult to create a credible drama with (some) actors in loin cloths, as one thinks "sword and sandal" epics! However, this has been achieved. The cinematography is impressive with a stylish beige and pink hue (the colours of linen and skin) unifying the visuals. The computer graphics are seamless - impressing without intruding.

I find it incredible that a program of such quality has been made in the age of modern television. These programs will work all over the world and for decades to come - because their appeal is timeless.

This UK TV film boasts an absolutely stellar cast, but they are never allowed to spread their wings. The dramatic flaw is that the members of the all-girl WWII band only truly reunite for the final scene, so there is little opportunity for ensemble playing.

The band members are played by younger actresses in the flash-backs. The brevity of these scenes prevents much emotional build up, and the acting here has a curious anodyne quality.

I won't pretend that I didn't enjoy this film. All the actresses are always watchable. However, this has none of the spunk of "Steppin' Out" or "The Golden Girls", and the underuse of these grande dames is a total crime.

The script did not "bitch", and the story did not gel. Olympia Dukakis plays a lush who "lives" in the fabulous fairytale Craigievar Castle in Scotland.... please! The final scene stretches credibility, and the proliferation of "reaction shots", almost suggests that the director is fearful that the plot is not working.

A small technical point, I don't think all the actresses are old enough to have been members of a WWII band? Anyhow, even if I am wrong then at least I've been an unwitting gentleman. :-)

It hurts me to be critical, as there are clearly so many good intentions involved in the film. A longer episodic format may have been more suitable for this "Singing Detective"-style drama

I wish to defend Fedora somewhat from the sole previous IMDB reviewer. It is not a great movie such as "Sunset Boulevard" but it is hugely enjoyable and a real treat for anyone interested in old Hollywood, and the bitter-sweet quality of fading glamour.

Since the death of Marlene Dietrich, and especially with the publication of a biography by her daughter Maria Riva, it is now clear that Fedora is a direct portrait of Ms. Dietrich with much telling accurate detail.

Billy Wilder knew Dietrich and old Hollywood well, and even though made in the 70's, the film captures a genuine essence probably for the last time as figures from the golden age of film have since then moved into retirement and sadly largely slipped the mortal coil.

The real story of the EXTRAORDINARY Ms. Dietrich is better than any of her movies, and Fedora tells some of that story. It makes for more comfortable viewing than Maximillian Schell's documentary "Marlene".

Wilder is an intelligent director, which makes "Fedora" worthwhile viewing. I have always found "Sunset Boulevard" a little too arch and self-consciously aware; "Fedora" is a more lyrical piece by the director as an older man.

Logan's Run is quite simply a mythic film. It could survive the critical test of being stored in a time vault for many thousands of years: the themes are universal.

There is a misperception that it has aged badly and has a dated look. Ironically, since "Star Wars" virtually all science fiction films have a homogenised "computer graphic" appearance. "Logan's Run" was made immediately prior to this watershed and now appears fresh and different precisely because of this. This is distinctly advantageous for a film of its genre. Of course, it is a film of its time but so is all "art"!

The film will transport you into its own world. Quite how or why it works so well, I cannot say though clearly Logan and Jessica are the universal man and a woman on a quest, stronger than themselves, almost at the level of a religious revelation.

Logan's Run has that rare attribute of improving with every watching.

Kind Hearts and Coronets is such a classic film, that I am compelled to furnish a small review to fill the astonishing current void in the annals of the IMDB.

"Kind Hearts ... " is a tale of serial murder interwoven with English manners. The comedy is all the blacker because each ghastly crime is quaintly executed with a self-mocking delicacy.

The performances are exquisite - Joan Greenwood's darkly seductive Sibella makes audiences fully understand why the hero is led astray. The dialogue both aspires to poetry and is the very definition of wit. As with the plays of Wilde and Shaw, the comedy does not date. The film's structure is as Byzantine and elegant as the murders themselves.

The integrity of the drama almost causes us to miss the tour-de-force eight role performance of Alec Guiness forging a gem-like collection of bitter-sweet satires on the English character.

Historically, the film is one of the series of quality comedies emerging from the British Ealing Studios. However, in true character it is unlike all the others, possessing the one-off quality of genius. It appears to juggles irreconcilable contradictions. It is a comedy with an outrageous plot; yet the drama is compelling and credible. It is a stagey production, based on mannered dialogue; yet it is a genuine classic of pure cinematic.

This film is one of the few I can watch again and again - in the way I can listen repeatedly to musical perfection. It is chronically undervalued (except by all who have seen it) both in its country of origin and especially in the rest of the world.

David John Johnston