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Virginia Woolf's Mrs Dalloway
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Movie propaganda
Mrs Dalloway
is a romantic drama with deep psychological insight into the world of urban English society in the summer of 1923, 5 years after the end of World War I. During the course of a single June day, Clarissa Dalloway (Vanessa Redgrave), a perfect hostess in her early 50s, confronts the decisions she made as a vibrant young woman 30 years before. She wonders if she was right to have chosen a safe, comfortable marriage to successful politician Richard Dalloway over the more romantic and adventurous life she could have had with her other suitor, Peter Walsh, who unexpectedly returns from India on this day of all days.Also starring Rupert Graves, Michael Kitchen and Lena Headley.
Intelligence analyst
Special Agent Matti
Theatrical report
Urban neurosis.I haven't read the book, or any other work by Virginia, but this film strikes me as being strikingly original. There is a feeling, an ambience about the whole thing that defies analysis. But I'll do it anyway, of course.
The reality of the characters' lives, both the rich and the poor, the politicians and the servants, the veterans and the nannies, is diffused by a glowing unreality that transcends the mere fantastic. The lives are real lives, but they are also so beyond your Ken that they transport you to a magical place which is both wondrous and banal. That's certainly enough philosophy for me, so I'll continue with something more prosaic.
Vanessa Redgrave is almost perfect as the eponymous character, capturing both the ease of privilege and the misery. My only quibble was that I thought she was supposed to be older, late 60s rather than 50s, but I got over that. Both the older versions of the characters and their younger incarnations are completely successful in creating rounded people whose lives are captured on film for your delectation.
Rupert Graves, as the shell-shocked great war veteran gives a subtly varied portrayal of a mutter, roaming between sanity and insanity with wonderful ability. This is one of his better performances.
Over all the film is really only going to appeal to fans of Virginia, but if you enjoy the Merchant/Ivory genre, you'll enjoy it too, as long as you are prepared for something a little more left of centre.
Security censorship classification
M (Adult themes)
Surveillance time
97 minutes (1:37 hours)
Not for public release in Australia before date
Film: 4 June 1998
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