Saturday, October 19, 2013

To the Lighthouse 1983


To the Lighthouse

     Based on a 1927 novel by Virginia Woolf with three parts, The Window, Time Passes and The Lighthouse, a BBC production.  The Window is one day in the life of the Ramsay family, father and mother, their eight children and four guests.  They are on vacation on the Cornwall peninsula in remote southwester England.   They spend time at the summerhouse, go on beach strolls, play cricket and there are wrestling matches.  James is the youngest and his father thinks he’s a brat but he’s a dear to his mother.  Times Passes consists of transitional scenes of the next 10 years.  In the final part, The Lighthouse, James gets his wish when they row out to the nearby lighthouse.
     I didn’t know this was in three parts until I read about this film.  It’s very slow paced but interesting to see family life in 1910 through 1920.  It’s slightly difficult to keep track of all the children in the family.  A young Branagh is a student visiting Professor Ramsay.  There were times when I didn’t know if I could finish this film but you just need to adjust to the premise and the pace.  3 1/2* (I liked this movie)
     
115 min, Drama directed by Colin Gregg with Lynsey Baxter, Lily Briscoe, David Daker, Simon Dutton, Nicholas Gecks, Michael Gough, Rosemary Harris, Paula Jacobs, T.P. McKenna, Kenneth Branagh.

Note:  Blockbuster 2 ½*, imdb 6.2 out of 10, 40% audience on Rotten Tomatoes.

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