Wednesday, June 17, 1992 - The Michigan Daily Summiner Weekly - 5
W n d June 17, 1992 'Y ou have deliberately tasted tw o w orm s and you can leave O xford by the
OF E town drain.'
-Rev. W.A. Spooner I
Forster and Marlowe jump r77\
into the summer film race 1
Howards End
dir. James Ivory
Like along engrossing book read in
one afternoon, Howard's End draws
the viewer into another reality, some-
thing so real, so very delicious that
nvhen it ends after two plus hours it
doesn't seem like it should.
The Merchant Ivory productions of
E.M.Forsternovels,Room Witha View
and now Howard's End capture the
Edwardianmomentmoreintoxicatingly
than the Charles Sturridge/Derek
Granger interpretation of Where An-
gelsFear to Tread.For example, direc-
tor James Ivory (working with pro-
ducer Ishmail Merchant) adds detail
shots of symbols such as flowers, tele-
graph machines tapping their signals,
and railroad wheels grainding forward,
enriching the film's look even though
their meaning is somewhat unclear.
If Howard's End's plot wasn't all
that interesting (which it is), the film
would be a triumph in visual stimula-
tion - a tour of opulent houses and
estates, a parade of perfect Edwardian
costumes, beautiful, handsome actors
playing the parts of lives long over.
But the story and the characters of
Howard's End makes all this wonder-
ful setting worth the time. The middle
class Schlegel "children," were or-
phaned it seems with only an Aunt
Juley (Prunella Scales) to guard their
social interests: Meg (Emma Thomp-
son) the chatty eldest; Helen (Helena
Bonham Carter) her even more chatty,
righteoussister;andtheirscholarlylittle
brotherTibby (Adrian Ross Magenty).
The Schlegels met some of the Wilcox
family in Germany, and their lives be-
come irrevoably intertwined.
Helen first becomesengagedtosec-
ond son Paul Wilcox (Joseph Bennett)
on impulse one night, but it is broken
off the next day.
Meg befriends the dying matriarch,
Ruth (Vanessa Redgrave), in London
as her family abandons her because
illness is not welcome in their family.
The Wilcox evilstreakisrevelaed early
on when on her deathbed, Ruth leaves
her childhoodhome, Howard's End, to
Meg, only to have her family decide
that Ruth was out of mind when she
wrote that, if she did at all.
MegnoticedRuth's husband, Henry
(a very subtley depraved Anthony
Hopkins) from the beginning, and he
her, after his wife's death. Much to his
children's chagrin, they marry, though
the sensative, progressive Meg has no
ideawhatshe'sin for-Henry'sdouble
standards of sexual mores, scheming
step-children, Evie (Jemma Redgrave)
and Charles (James Wilby) with an-
noying(butfunny)spousesPercy Cahill Margaret Schlegal (Emma Thompson) holds the hand of Henry Wilcox
(Mark Peyton) and Dolly (Susan
Lindeman),andherown siblings,Helen decision to basically remain true to entertain Edward (Steve Waddington)
especially, acting very strangely. Marlowe's original dialogue. The and his twice-banished, cheeky lover,
The sub-plot of the struggles of a sparse look ofithe sets, mostly "rooms" Gaveston (Andrew Tierman). Earrings
sensative, intellectually curious clerk, in a spacious stone castle, fits wellwith and pumps on Edward's son, the boy
Leonard Bast Prince Edward (a
(SamWest)andI I expected either a tedious art film, heavy-handed without great performance
the wa a purpose, or the play recreated in a modern setting byJody Graber).
thred oanoh iahpuposes 's symbolize the
responsibilty, without purpose ... Its very simplicity ... m kes Jan Pan' rince's sympathy
Jacky (Nicola social statements fit right in--- with his father,
Duffet), adds a - - though because of
socially conscious dimension to Marlowe's original language retained his age he is under the dominance of his
Howard's End, making the Wilcoxs by Jarman. By updating Edwardll in suffering mother, Isabella (Tilda
blas, self-centeredattitude towards the costuming,.set decorations, some ac- Swinton)andherlover, theconspiraring
world most unbearable. tions, and the type of extras he puts in consortMortimer(NigelTerry).Jarman
In fact, it is the Schlegels life of talk a couple of scenes, Jarman's social is never particularly heavy-handed in
ofradicalpoliticsleading to(misguided) statements on homosexuality mirror hischosenimagery,buttellsMarlowe's
action on Bast's behalf that brings the the subtleties in the script. For ex- tale of Edward II's love and fall in a
Wilcoxs down, humiliated in a most ample, protestors in contemporary most provactive fashion.
satisfying way. streetclothesshow theirsupportforthe Edward II opens at the Michigan
In the end, justice is served to both King in aconfrontion with police "pro- Theater on Friday.
the families and to Forster's novel. tected" in riot gear. Modern dancers -Annette Petruso
Howard's End is a triumph of the well-
done package.
Howard's End opens at the Ann
Arbor 1 & 2 on Friday.
-Annette Petruso
Edward I
dir. Derek Jarman
Going into Derek Jarman's much
touted"moderninterpretation"ofChris-
topher Marlowe's drama Edward II, I
expectedeitheratediousartfilm,heavy-
handed without a purpose (like
Prospero's Books) , or the play recre-
ated in a modern setting without pur-
pose. Instead, the 91-minute EdwardlI
rarely overdoes anything, and its very
simplicity at its core makes Jarman's
social- statements fit right in with his