TWELFTH NIGHT
A film review by Scott Renshaw
Copyright 1996 Scott Renshaw
Grade: B // Worth a Matinee
(Fine Line)
Director: Trevor Nunn. Screenplay: Trevor Nunn, based on the play by William Shakespeare. Director of Photography: Clive Tickner. Producers: Stephen Evans, David Parfitt. Starring: Imogen Stubbs, Helena Bonham Carter, Toby Stephens, Nigel Hawthorne, Ben Kingsley, Mel Smith, Richard E. Grant, Imelda Staunton, Stephen Mackintosh.
MPAA Rating: PG (adult themes) Running Time: 125 minutes.
Reviewed by Scott Renshaw.
There is a sub-category of Shakespeare's comedies referred to by scholars as the "problem plays," and thought TWELFTH NIGHT is not technically one of them, it is rather problematic in its own right. Though primarily a farcical tale of confused romance, mistaken identity and sexual politics, TWELFTH NIGHT also includes a sub-plot in which a character is humiliated, imprisoned as a lunatic and released to vow his revenge on his persecutors. Trevor Nunn's adaptation of the play retains that sub-plot, which makes the film quite faithful. At the same time, it is only that dark business in an otherwise bright and breezy film which prevents TWELFTH NIGHT from being as successful at traditional Shakespeare as WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE'S ROMEO AND JULIET was successful at the un-traditional.
The central plot of TWELFTH NIGHT involves a woman named Viola (Imogen Stubbs) who survives a shipwreck which apparently claims the life of her twin brother Sebastian (Stephen Mackintosh). Stranded in the unfriendly nation of Illyria, Viola disguises herself as a boy named Cesario to go into the service of the Duke Orsino (Toby Stephens). Viola is then given the task of wooing the beautiful Olivia (Helena Bonham Carter) on Orsino's behalf, but not only is Olivia unreceptive to Orsino's suit, she falls in love with the messenger she believes to be a boy. Viola, meanwhile, has fallen for Orsino, creating a rather unique romantic triangle. To complicate matters further, Sebastian turns up alive, resulting in no end of confusion.
It is easy to turn TWELFTH NIGHT into a rather trivial farce, if an entertaining one, but Nunn has opted for a surprisingly sensitive rendering of the tale. Imogen Stubbs is an appealing Viola whose unrequited love is a source of both pain and frustration, and her defense of the depth of a woman's love is given a confident strength. Perhaps most unconventional is Nunn's choice of making the reunion between Viola and Sebastian the emotional climax of the film rather than the joining of any pair of lovers, yet it works thanks to a carefully established prologue and the restrained work of Stubbs. Helena Bonham Carter is simply wonderful as Olivia -- smart, sexy, seductive and _very_ funny -- leaving a somewhat stiff Toby Stephens as the only squeaky wheel in an otherwise smooth, clockwork romantic comedy.
The more broadly comic secondary plot involves the machinations of Olivia's drunken uncle Sir Toby Belch (Mel Smith) and her maid Maria (Imelda Staunton) against the fussy, dour steward Malvolio (Nigel Hawthorne of THE MADNESS OF KING GEORGE). The scheme involves persuading Malvolio that Olivia loves him, inspiring him to uncharacteristic behavior which eventually lands him in a madhouse, and the set-up for that scheme presents Hawthorne with some priceless comic moments. Hawthorne is an actor with a remarkable range, which results in the curious case of him pitching portions of his performance in a way which makes Malvolio too sympathetic. A scene in which the fool Feste (a wry, philosophical Ben Kingsley) impersonates a cleric to further taunt the imprisoned Malvolio should be simply amusing, but Hawthorne seems so genuinely confused and tormented that his comeuppance seems dreadfully unfair. When he interrupts the revelry of the united lovers to swear his vengeance upon those who tricked him, it truly spoils the festive mood. It is an unusual instance where a less accomplished actor, who might have played the role quite broadly, might also have maintained a lighter tone.
TWELFTH NIGHT may be uneven, but is still largely appealing, thanks to the talented cast and the unique design of the film. The locations in Cornwall allow for some marvelous, liberating exteriors, and the late 18th century settings and costumes allow Nunn to balance TWELFTH NIGHT on the border between period piece and contemporary romance. Kingsley and Smith make particularly inspired choices for their roles, lending humor both subtle and expansive, and Richard E. Grant is a perfect dim-witted fop as Sir Andrew Aguecheek. Trevor Nunn's direction is unexpectedly restrained in small moments between Viola and Orsino given Nunn's recent history staging massive stage productions like CATS and LES MISERABLES, but his over 25 years as director of the Royal Shakespeare Company have not been forgotten so easily. TWELFTH NIGHT is a problematic play, but Nunn has served it well, making it a revel with a dark side that can't eclipse the bright.
On the Renshaw scale of 0 to 10 days of Christmas: 7.
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