AN AWFULLY BIG ADVENTURE
A film review by Sue Roberts
Copyright 1995 Sue Roberts
Portman/Wolfhound Productions together with British Screen and BBC Films. Directed by Mike Newell Script by Charles Wood from the novel by Beryl Bainbridge Starring Alan Rickman (O'Hara), Hugh Grant (Meredith), and Georgina Cates (Stella.)
AN AWFULLY BIG ADVENTURE is a lot more subtle than its title might imply.
Atmospherically staged against a backdrop of post-war Liverpool, young Stella gets to experience more than just work behind the scenes. The film manages to capture her youth, the observer whose innocent conclusions dissolve into confusion, then gradual understanding of everyones behaviour.
The significance of the telephone, like so many of the details which seem initially inconsequential, turns out to be a clue of infinite relevance. As the light dawned one was reminded of the style of another novelist of the period, Agatha Christie. The director manages to convey an atmosphere of artless simplicity whilst filling the frame with the artifice of the theatre. It is not until afterwards that one realises just how frightfully clever he has been in laying the trail!
I loved all the bits where Meredith Potter gets to explain "What the play is about." What might he have made of this tale? Why should the seduction of a young man seem wrong whilst that of a young girl appears acceptable? And who can see that people are mistaken to apply double standards?
Alan Rickman as O'Hara is utterly charismatic. In this moving performance he captures the unwitting carelessness of a man perceived by all as a realist and yet at odds with reality. It appears at first glance to be a relationship of maturity attracted by young love, but perhaps Stella may be the most aware of what she is doing as "Peter Pan" unfolds....
And what an array of talent in the supporting cast. All exquisitely characterised. Bunny, (Peter Firth) Geoff-ew-ry, (Alan Cox) and Prunella Scales (Rose, the theatre manager) to mention only a few.
Heaven knows what Liverpool F.C. will make of the soccer match! However, this is a sensitive and thought provoking piece of cinema.
Sue Roberts chrisrob@cix.compulink.co.uk
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