Dir.
Mira Nair, 2004, UK, 137 mins
Cast:
Reese Witherspoon, Gabriel Byrne, Rhys Ifans, Jonathan Rhys-Meyers, James Purefoy
Arriving four months after its somewhat indifferent run at the American box office, the tenth attempt to film Vanity Fair is perhaps the best yet at capturing the overall themes of William Makepeace Thackeray's source text but still struggles when it comes to cramming in the intricacies inherent in the novel.
When Becky Sharp (Reese Witherspoon) resolves to overcome her humble beginnings she embarks on a journey of opportunities, stolen chances and, perhaps inevitably, romance. As she begins to climb the social ladder not everybody is as transfixed and charmed by her wit, charisma and style as her various suitors. As she climbs the giddy heights of class and privilege it soon becomes apparent that the only way is down.
It is remarkable just how cinematic director Mira Nair (who like Thackeray was born in India ) manages to make the film. Avoiding the obvious BBC costume drama and Merchant Ivory comparisons, the film has a look that is quite different to others of the same genre. A Bollywood veteran, she successfully gives Vanity Fair the same kind of opulence, bright colour schemes and flowing sense of movement (particularly during the extended slave dance sequence) that is alien to period drama. It works wonderfully and, after the recently released Bride and Prejudice, highlights again how similar the themes are from classic novels to many Bollywood narratives.
Declan Quinn's cinematography is simply superb calling to mind on occasion the high standards set by that other great Thackeray adaptation, Stanley Kubrick's Barry Lyndon.
This is well complemented by Beatrix Aruna Pasztor's excellent costume design. Most of the costumes were purposefully made a little smaller than necessary, to slightly alter their overall look. This cleverly lends a touch of authenticity and makes the costumes seem less designed for a film and more like they are the actual clothes that these people wear.
Reese Witherspoon is excellent, carrying the film in places and offering the kind of layered performance that has come to be expected from her. She successfully holds her own in scenes with some true acting heavy weights.
Witherspoon also joins the ranks of the few American actresses who have mastered the English accent, eliminating any thought of her ditzy Legally Blonde persona and cementing her reputation as one of the most gifted actresses of her generation.
As is typical of the genre the cast includes dependable, well known names like Gabriel Byrne, Bob Hoskins, Jim Broadbent and Eileen Atkins but James Purefoy is the weak link, offering a bland characterisation in a narrative populated by well portrayed characters. He not only seems out of his depth but also manages to be charmless and, perhaps most fatally for the narrative, dull.
English locations are hugely effective, capturing the sense of time and perhaps most importantly place. There is a genuine sense of verisimilitude in the film with, for example, Chatham Dockyard being used to great effect.
The films conclusion is a little too sudden, as if a bored viewer has fast forwarded the action. It's a pity that a writer as experienced as Oscar winner Julian Fellowes (in collaboration with Matthew Faulk and Mark Skeet) lets the film judder to its climax in such a clumsy fashion. It gives the impression that the film was made to be slotted into a particular length rather than letting the story flow fluidly and convincingly. Of course turning a lengthy, much loved classic novel is never going to please everyone, but it Vanity Fair falls at the final hurdle, unable to successfully present a satisfying conclusion to an otherwise hugely successful adaptation.
For the most part, Vanity Fair is a likeable yarn, beautifully told with Mira Nair's direction adding colour and vibrancy to a well known story. Her background in Indian cinema really helps make this something really special and worthy of a rainy Sunday afternoon viewing.
Jonathan Wilkins
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