Overall score (out of 5): 5
Rated: PG-13 – civil uprising violence, some sexual overtures, brief opium use, cholera-related death and decay
Running time: 2hrs5min
Genre: romantic drama
Main premise: This is the third recreation of the novel of the same name by W. Somerset Maugham. Taking place in the 1920’s, Dr. Walter Fann, a bacteriologist (Edward Norton) falls in love with and quickly marries Kitty (Naomi Watts), who is not truly in love with him but wishes to get out from under her mother’s watchful eye. Shortly after their wedding, Kitty meets and falls in love with the dashing Charlie Townsend (Liev Schrieber). Walters discovers their love affair and, as punishment, volunteers to go to a town ten days away from their home to assist with the cure and prevention of the cholera epidemic there. Kitty is either to go with him or he will file for divorce on the ground of her adulterating. Their life in a town that is dying a slow, painful and ugly death balances tenuously on a precarious ledge. Together, they learn of what they are made and discover a love that surpasses all others.
Main Cast (alphabetically):
Walter Fann – Edward Norton
Charlie Townsend – Lieve Schrieber
Kitty Fann – Naomi Watts
Overall score breakdown
Storyline and/or writing: 5
1 (amateur) – 5 (brilliant)
Comments (if any): Breathtakingly beautiful in the telling of their tale. Each line is precise. Any sarcasm to make a point lands with icy precision. Any silence speaks volumes. I don’t remember the last time – if ever – I sat on the edge of my seat in a romantic drama. No movie has moved me and satisfied me in such a way in a very long time.
Dialogue: 5
1 (inane) – 5 (excellent)
Comments (if any): As mentioned above, nothing is superfluous. Nothing is left unsaid or left wanting. Each moment of the dialogue in each scene moves the storyline along effortlessly. One of my favorite lines was delivered with flawless elegance by Watts, “If no one spoke because they had nothing to say, the human race would soon lose their ability to speak.”
Cinematography: 5
1 (irregular) – 5 (breathtaking)
Comments (if any): Simply done, no fancy artwork, which made the film a joy to behold.
Sets and/or location: 5
1 (common) – 5 (outstanding)
Comments (if any): Filmed on location in China, the humid and lush greenness of that country comes forth as a breathtaking feast for the eyes. There were actually several moments when I silently gasped as I gazed upon the glorious scenes. The scenery tugged at a primeval memory lodged deep in my cells and I longed to walk through the bamboo fields wherein they were.
Graphicness: 5
1 (intolerable) – 5 (tolerable)
Comments (if any): Aside from some shots of the devastation caused by cholera, there were no overly graphic images.
Soundtrack: 5
1 (average) – 5 (extraordinary)
Comments (if any): Lang Lang plays intricately delicate piano pieces throughout the film. The remaining portion of the soundtrack was so elegant, I was lulled into a state of relaxation.
Cast and/or Acting: 5
1 (weak) – 5 (powerful)
Comments (if any): All characters delivered their roles with finesse, eloquence and open, honest authenticity. The movie has the feel of a classic that will endure throughout time. Although Norton is not one of my favorite actors, his frosty bitterness as the scorned husband whose manly prowess had been brought into question by his wife’s clandestine affair, was irrefutably genuine. Watts, also not a favorite of mine, was elegant and her looks melded in classically with the looks of the 1920’s. The fire on the screen between Watts and her two leading men was undeniable. Shrieber, who is one of my favorites, delivered his performance powerfully and mastered the ability to present the persona of cold-hearted betrayal without so much as a tremor.
