What a great movie - the acting on all levels was superb. This is not Mamet's usual setting but his handling of it was wonderful.
And the twist at the end is that there really is not one. I thought the boy was guilty and expected a "Witness for the Prosecution" type ending.
I borrowed this tape from our local library and noticed that it is out frequently (judging from the date stamps).
Pamela - I cant believe you thought Ronnie was guilty lol. There is no way he would have put his family through that ordeal, especialy his father who was increasing becoming a concern for the family. The film was indeed great though. Absolutely love it and all the performances were spot on.
Hello RoobyRoo -
it is always a treat to get a response to a posting. Yes, it was indeed a great, thought-provoking film and isn't that what any good work of art is all about?
Thanks for taking the time to send your thoughts.
pamela
You might say the twist is in how the whole plot unfolded. We see nearly none of the trial, save for one good scene that establishes Sir Robert's proficiency, none of Ronnie taking the stand, nor what surely must have been a brilliant and moving summation by Sir Robert. Yet, we still get a sence of it all through other scenes. Brilliantly done and quite unexpected. Maybe it's preconditioning or just appreciation of some of the excellent courtroom dramas out there, but this story does not give you what you might expect or even desire. As in real life, many pinnacle events come second-hand, yet this does not necessarily diffuse their impact. Instead we get a glimpse of much more besides just the trial.
shareby some cosmic twist of fate, I was just talking about this movie yesterday and decided to see it again. The subject of that discussion led from a more general discussion of great movie "love pairings." I said that the Jeremy N/Rebecca P combo in this film had to be a real standout.
Thank you for your response. I will keep it in mind when I re-view the movie.
I think it has to do with the fact that the story was a play, and that the staging of a court room scene is problematic in theatre. Better to not go the route of showing the courtroom and just show the upshot as it is done here. I have seen in theatre where the courtroom set impeded the progress and believability of the story.
My accountant says, "1 + 1, 40% of the time, equals divorce".
Actually, the scene with Sir Robert when he made the speech wasn't in the courtoom. I believe it was part of a debate in the House of Commons. If I'm not mistaken, wasn't the first hurdle whether or not there could even be a trial since the defendant was technically in the Navy and thus was not entitled to sue the government?
shareOne of the aspects of this film that intigued me was the word play. As an American, I find the nuance and almost rythmic use of the English language by upper class Britons to be thoroughly enjoyable. Example(POSSIBLE SPOILER): When Desmond comes to see Catherine with his offer of marriage proposal, he asks her if she has some idea of his intentions. Catherine responds "Yes, Desmond, I think I do." He seems somewhat taken aback by her forwardness to which she adds "I ought I know Desmond have done what is customary in cases like this and pretended I had no idea." Absolutely fascinating! This is not a movie for those not capable of following intellectual dialog or those who are used to everything being explained in black and white. The subtle nuances are richly textured and require close attention. Believe it or not, the sexual tension between Catherine Winslow and Sir Robert is palpable yet very genteel and civilized. He is clearly smitten with her though he'd never go so far as to state so. The closest he comes is the ending (POSSIBLE SPOILER) when Catherine tells him" I doubt we shall meet again" to which Sir Robert replies "How little you know about men." It was clearly his way of letting her know that he planned to call in the future!
shareThis is one of my favorite films and one which I watch more than once. I agree with you about the English dialogue by English actors (made even more so by the David Mamet script). There was an on-line poll about screen chemistry and I added Rebecca Pidgeon and Jeremy Northrup (I was the only one who did so).
If you have no already done so, watch any of the films made from Oscar Wilde works. The dialogue is wonderful (start off with the "Importance of Being Ernest").
Thank you for your response. I so wish that we had a movie group in our area with your POV. We do have a couple of groups but they just want to see Holywood dreck.
I agree with everything posted -- the film is, indeed, wonderful -- but want to correct the record: Mamet wrote virtually none of the dialogue in "The Winslow Boy." It is nearly all the work of the late great English playwright Terence Rattigan.
Mamet arranged the scenes into cinematic beats, to be sure, and he added some nice visual touches. But referring to the "great Mamet dialogue" is, in this instance, improper. It is "great Rattigan dialogue." If you enjoyed it, I encourage you to check out more of Rattigan's work.
thank you for this info.
I spent part of this sultry afternoon (in NC) watching the Criterion DVD of "Wages of Fear." Could only watch the second half in small bits since the tension is really there.
It is always good to hear from someone who is so knowledgable about films.
Watched this film again last night and it is superb. The subtle interplay between Jeremy Northam and Rebecca Pidgeon is wonderful. Agree with the earlier comment re Oscar Wilde and if you are a fan of Jeremy Northam check out An Ideal Husband (1999). He more than holds his own with Minnie Driver and Cate Blancett
shareOh but there is a twist at the end. The twist is that, ultimately, it isn't a courtroom drama at all ... SPOILER
its a courtship drama as much as anything else.
Oh but there is a twist at the end. The twist is that, ultimately, it isn't a courtroom drama at all ... SPOILER