MovieChat Forums > An Inspector Calls (2015) Discussion > Could have been better - spoilers

Could have been better - spoilers

posted 9 years ago by badgerking10
5 replies | jump to latest

I've never seen the stage version. But, as it's been running very successfully in theatres for decades, I presume it must have plenty going for it... The big problem with this version was the fact that it was so ridiculously slow to get going - it would really have benefitted from losing 15 or 20 minutes and being tightened up... It was very contrived and was basically a polemic about how the rich should be nicer to working class people... David Thewlis' performance was interesting... Everyone else was fine, but unmemorable... Had Gerald forced himself on Eva..? As it was, I was left feeling he'd treated her kindly and didn't really deserve to be lumped in with the people who'd treated her badly... Then, there was the coyness over whether we should interpret Eric's "roughness" with her as rape and the doubt over whether she entered into both sexual relationships freely or felt obliged, because she needed the financial support... I suspect the latter. But, it was all left a bit too vague for my liking... Once it FINALLY got going, it did intrigue me just about enough to stick with it. But, as I said, it could have been better.

[–] Prismark10 9 years ago

Of course its contrived and a parable. Its the whole point of the stage play and the Alistair Sim film adaptation that introduced the flashbacks.

JB Priestly unlike some of the later angry young men of the 1950s and 1960s British theatre remained a socialist all his life and his play was meant to be moralising. Discarding an employee for wanting better wages for everyone, having someone sacked from a shop because you had a bad day, not giving charity when you have set up a charity to give it to those fallen on hard times.

I expected the film would be modernised but it looks like they did not hence why the sexual relationships were kept vague. At least it will stop people complaining of plays getting modernised!

Its that man again!!

[–] markd3-2 9 years ago

I was captivated from the start. In my view, any moral ambiguity does not negate the point that each person did in fact play a role in the ultimate death / suicide of the woman. The woman's own motives also don't exonerate the role everyone played in her death. And the moral ambiguity in my view is on point, it's meant to be ambiguous. Things in life are not black and white and there's a fine line between acceptable behavior and crossing the line. It's not always crystal clear where that line is but if we're not careful than we can find ourselves contributing to the downfall of another human being.

[–] Jonesy_1 9 years ago

I have seen the stage version, and I didn't enjoy it half as much as I enjoyed this version.

"Be safe, be happy, and don't let anyone make you afraid." David Coverdale

[–] lancer165 8 years ago

Felt that the gravitas made an impact on the viewer. Great to see Miranda still looking stunning and David Thewlis is a professional actor. Enjoyed all the work I have seen First saw him as a fould mouthed rapist. How long ago was that?

[–] holly-4ever 8 years ago

Haven't seen the play, either, but I couldn't walk away from this once I started to realise where it was headed. Yes, the first 10+ minutes were slow, as they set up the scene and followed the style of the play...but that ending (and Thewlis) blew me away.