MovieChat Forums > A Handful of Dust (1988) Discussion > THE NEWS OF JOHN'S DEATH.

THE NEWS OF JOHN'S DEATH.

posted 18 years ago by national_bouton-1
9 replies | jump to latest

I haven't seen the film since it first came out when I was 22, but I have never forgotten that extraordinary moment when K.S.T. learns that "John" has died and, assuming it's John Beaver (her lover) she crumples, and when she realizes that it's not Beaver but her SON John, for a moment she has a look of relief. She collapses, but I'm not sure if it's just for the grief of losing a child or whether it's an acknowledgement of her preferring that it was her son who'd be dead rather than her lover.

K.S.T. is a superb actor, both onscreen and onstage. I have seen her in both Chekhov's THREE SISTERS and Pirandello's AS YOU DESIRE ME in London and she was stunning in both (the best Masha I've ever seen).

[–] Brennan-8 18 years ago

How cool -- I was also 22 when this film came out, and haven't seen it since. K.S.T. is very good in this film, but I also admire James Wilby & Rupert Graves -- both of those actors are very underrated, at least in America.

Do you remember the ending? I'm terrible about forgetting the ending to films; it's some kind of mental block. I just remember that it was something very ironic and upsetting.

[–] aavv 18 years ago

saw this film few minutes ago on local TV. Nothing ironic about ending, Brennan. Camera shot on fellas grave (in Britain), stating that he died in Brasil (when he didnt die).

[–] Keely 17 years ago

Hi, Brennan -- I think you're referring to the entire last segment in Africa with Alec Guinness kidnapping James Wilby so he'd have someone to read to him, and not just the final shot.

[–] inf0man 17 years ago

Brazil, not Africa.

www.what-a-character.com

[–] Casino-Royale 16 years ago

Who played the role of John (the son)? I can't see him credited anywhere.

[–] circus14 15 years ago

Actually the name of the son is john Andrew and the actors name according to imdb is Jackson Kyle

---I don't know enough to be incompetent.---

[–] 15 years ago

[deleted]

[–] dizexpat 12 years ago

To get the full impact of Brenda's reaction to her son's death you must read the novel.

The line practically leaps out from the page.

"And take that filthy dog out of here!"

[–] surly_human_sidekick 12 years ago

I agree it leaps from the page in the novel and is shocking... So my reaction to it in the movie was originally disappointment.

However, how as an actor are you supposed to play this line? Histrionics would have been terrible. Retrospectively, I thought Scott-Thomas did a beautifully understated job.