MovieChat Forums > Angel (2007) Discussion > If it is based on the Elizabeth Taylor b...

If it is based on the Elizabeth Taylor book...

posted 18 years ago by urania_fic
14 replies | jump to latest

If the title page is to be believed then this is based on a novel by the English author Elizabeth Taylor. It was on my reading list in school but I never got round to reading it. Wish I had read it now! Although it might be a good thing I didn't, as I always compare films and their source material! Anyway, here's the outline of the book plot stolen from Amazon.co.uk:

It is the turn of the century and Angelica Deverell is fifteen years old. Her mother, a widow, keeps a grocery shop in a dreary provincial backstreet, working hard so that Angel can 'better herself'. The headstrong Angel, however, rejects her mother's sacrifice and retreats into a world of romantic dreams. Alone in her room, she plots her escape route, spinning fables at once extravagant and fanciful. To those around her this is simply folie de grandeur, but Angel knows better. She knows she is different, that she is destined to become a fˆted authoress, owner of great riches and of the mysterious Paradise House ... Highly diverting, this extraordinary novel charts the rise and fall of a popular novelist, and brilliantly evokes the life of Marie Corelli, the famous writer of romances. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Writing stories that are extravagant and fanciful, fifteen-year old Angel retreats to a world of romance, escaping the drabness of provincial life. She knows she is different, that she is destined to become a feted authoress, owner of great riches and of Paradise House ...After reading The Lady Irania, publishers Brace and Gilchrist are certain the novel will be a success, in spite of - and perhaps because of - its overblown style. But they are curious as to who could have written such a book: 'Some old lady, romanticising behind lace- curtains' ...'Angelica Deverell is too good a name to be true ...she might be an old man. It would be an amusing variation. You are expecting to meet Mary Anne Evans and in Walks George Eliot twirling his moustache.' So nothing can prepare them for the pale young woman who sits before them, with not a seed of irony or a grain of humour in her soul.

It sounds very interesting indeed. I love Ozon, of course, and the cast looks ace. Romola's great, so glad to see Lucy Russell as I thought she did a great job in "L'Anglaise & le Duc" and I've been wondering why I haven't seen her on the big screen and the wonderful Sam Neill and the goddess Charlotte Rampling and I'm not familiar with Michael Fassbender but on a shallow note he looks great and Ozon is a master of casting.

Of course, knowing the IMDB the info on the title page could be totally wrong!

[–] n-h-long 17 years ago

The film is indeed based on the Elizabeth Taylor novel. First published in 1957, it is set in England of the early 1900's. An unsettling book, with the off-centre gaze that marks Ozon's other work with Charlotte Rampling. Can't wait to see this one!

[–] mjtastic 17 years ago

I'm read the book now and I must say that it is a good read so far. Angel is not the most likely character but she is witty.

[–] JamesPeach 17 years ago

Angel is not the most likely character but she is witty.

Agreed! She must be one of the most deluded characters in fiction; highly unlikable, in fact, she's just like the characters from her imagination.

[–] rasberry_blossom 17 years ago

how is it written?

From angel's point of view or from third person?

[–] JamesPeach 17 years ago

If I remember correctly, it's third person. It's a quick read, you can probably finish it in two days.

[–] JamesPeach 17 years ago

Have you read it, raspberry?

[–] rasberry_blossom 17 years ago

I have read it now, the character of Angel kind of reminds me of Becky Sharp from Vanity Fair.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0241025/

[–] zumarrad 16 years ago

I'm very fond of the book - I've read it several times - and my first thought on a movie (which I haven't seen yet but will) was that it will be hard to translate Angel herself to film. She's quite a monster, really, but people care for her despite themselves even as they look down on her. Also, Romola Garai is WAY too pretty. Angel should be odd-looking - striking, but not a beauty.

[–] alteanime 16 years ago

I have seen the poster in Paris march 2007 and wanted to see the film since then,now I bought the dvd!And I loved the film...I like angels character who lives in her dreamworld without wanting to see reality.
great cast!!!
and now I know that there is a novelist called elizabeth taylor...not the great actress!LOL

[–] boogaloo2 16 years ago

Can those who have read the book answer a couple of questions please ?

Any significance in the "Paradise" on the gate turning around ?

Mention was made of her father and her mysterious origins but neither was expanded upon or explained further in any way ( unless my attention had wandered )

Thanks

[–] waterlilly85 16 years ago

The Paradise refers to the illusion of happiness Angel thinks she has hence the name of the house she always longed for, always wanted has its name as Paradise as well.

No mention of her fathers origins in the book though. Its the same in the book its lightly touched upon but not that much.

[–] boogaloo2 16 years ago

Thanks for the reply but I thought that the Paradise house was in fact the same house, ie she bought it ? Maybe I'm looking for too much significance but it did seem odd that the sign was the wrong way round in the first place.

[–] spimpernel 11 years ago

I think that is just one of those "goofs" in movies. Of course it makes more sense for the house's name on the gate to be facing as you enter, but in that first scene the camera moves in from the house toward Angel standing outside the gate and maybe they didn't want to break the movement by turning the camera around 180 degrees. So they fudged the placement of the word on the gate for that one scene, and hoped no one would realize it was unrealistic.

[–] 11 years ago

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