TOPSY TURVY
A film review by Mark R. Leeper
Capsule: Mike Leigh takes a break from his
films about the lower classes to give us a sort of
concert film docu-drama about the first production
of the Gilbert and Sullivan operetta THE MIKADO,
performed by the famous D'Oyly Carte Opera Company.
Many different personalities come together and many
plot threads are woven together to tell the
complete story--or at any rate as much as you would
want at one sitting--of how the production came to
be. Rating: 8 (0 to 10), high +2 (-4 to +4)
The Savoy Theatre, London, March 14, 1885, saw the world premiere performance of the Gilbert and Sullivan operetta THE MIKADO, quite possibly the most popular operetta ever written. Mike Leigh whose films of late have dealt with the slice of life problems of the lower classes instead this time tells us the story of the birth of this operetta, one that almost did not make it to the stage after a production beset with problems.
As the film opens Sir Arthur Sullivan (Allan Corduner) is ailing. As he sees the end of his life coming, he wants to get on to writing serious music. Sullivan would like to write a major serious opera. He had written the scores for several William Gilbert (Jim Broadbent) comic librettos, but he has decided that he should get on with his serious writing while he still could. Gilbert had come to the end of creative streak and his new plays were sounding a lot like his old plays. Sullivan wished to remain friends with Gilbert, but wanted no more to do with their partnership. Gilbert, whom Broadbent plays as witty without being really intelligent, is bewildered at the loss of his partner. In a nick of time a traveling fair from Japan gives Gilbert the inspiration to set a story in Japan.
For once it may be good for the viewer to know ahead of time that the story is leading to the production of THE MIKADO. Otherwise the first half-hour or so would seem aimless and pointless. Watching the elements collect in the early stages of the formation of a classic is much like watching the dust collect in the early stages of the formation of a star. There is not much to see.
Speaking of stars, this film has been cast with very few. Leigh has chosen mostly lessor luminaries but nonetheless quality actors for nearly every role. He intends the draw to be curiosity about the subject matter rather than to see any well-known actor's next film. On seeing the film I had to say that the only face familiar to me was that of Jim Broadbent, and him I knew from BBC imports. This is an intelligent policy with so many good but unknown actors to choose from in Britain.
By the second half of the film it is clear what we are seeing. We see some extended shots of the preparation, much as we would see in a current documentary. In very realistic style we will see three or four actors on a stage going over the minutiae of how to pronounce the words of the script and where to put emphasis in the lines. Acting seems to have changed very little in 115 years. Elsewhere we see negotiations over what will and will not be worn for costumes. Through it all Gilbert is demanding to tyrannical. In one incident he cuts a well- liked song a day before production making very clear that the cast has performed it excellently, but that his own song is at fault. The cast is willing to take Gilbert's treatment, but rebels because they think the song should be performed.
One stylistic problem is the detailed inclusion of a scene in a bordello. It seems out of place with the rest of the film and certainly it would seem that the nudity could be implied rather than graphic. The scene seems to be calculated to give the film a more profitable rating, as there is little else in the film worthy of more than a PG-rating. Arthur Sullivan's dilemma of having to choose between creating popular crowd-pleasing entertainment or high art revisits an argument carried on in such films as SULLIVAN'S TRAVELS and THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD. Leigh who wrote and directed is clearly a fan of Gilbert and Sullivan as a duo and would clearly vote for Sullivan's staying with popular art. Most of the film takes place in rooms, but the film creates a very credible version of England in the 1880s.
Mike Leigh gives us a very credible view of what it must have been like to be present at the production of THE MIKADO. It gives more than a little insight into similarities and differences in the creative process 115 years ago and today. I give it an 8 on the 0 to 10 scale and a high +2 on the -4 to +4 scale.
Mark R. Leeper
mleeper@lucent.com
Copyright 2000 Mark R. Leeper
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