 Movie
Reviews
with Evelyn Gough
I Capture the Castle
Directed by Tim Fywell
One of my favourite books when I was growing up was the charming and oh so English I Capture the Castle by 101 Dalmations author Dodie Smith. And I'm in good company.
Harry Potter creator JK Rowling has also declared the 1948 novel about an impoverished eccentric family living in a castle to be her all time favourite read. Therefore it's always exciting, as well as a little scary, when you learn that a beloved book is to be adapted for the big screen. (I'm sure all Lord of The Rings fans can relate. Thank goodness for Kiwi director Peter Jackson.)
Yep, when the filmmakers get it right it's a total joy and thankfully I have only good news to report about I Capture the Castle.
Set in the late 1930s, this enchanting BBC film transports you into the world of the Mortmain family and specifically the lives of sisters Cassandra (Romola Garai) and Rose (Aussie actress Rose Byrne). Narrated by seventeen year-old Cassandra, this coming-of-age story introduces us to her castle-dwelling family.
There's her father James (Bill Nighy) a frustrated writer whose first and only novel, published twelve years previously, was considered a masterpiece, Topaz (Tara Fitzgerald), his second wife and the children's stepmother, a former model who likes to dance naked in the rain and a younger brother who bears a striking resemblance to Harry Potter.
And then there's Stephen. He's not actually family, but he might as well be. An orphan, he's grown up with the girls but now he's not so secretly in love with Cassandra, much to her discomfort. Life's far from easy (believe me, this castle is no palace!) but with the arrival of their wealthy new American landlords Simon (Henry Thomas of E.T.) and his brother Neil (Marc Blucas) things are looking up. Especially for the beautiful Rose who has stated she would marry a chimpanzee if it was rich enough.
Beautifully filmed and with wonderful performances, particularly from the two lead actresses, this lush production is a real treat for those who appreciate quality cinema.
I think Dodie Smith would be happy. I certainly was.
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