Based on a 1924 Noel Coward play, “Easy Virtue,” starring Jessica Biel, Kristin Scott-Thomas and Colin Firth, is an affecting look at British upper crust hypocrisy. As with most of Coward’s plays, the enjoyable aspect of this movie is the dialogue and nearly every line is crackling with wit. The story opens in 1920s England where the favored son John (Ben Barnes) has returned to the family home to show off his older American wife, Larita (Biel). Needless to say, John’s mother, Veronica (Scott-Thomas), is not pleased. John’s two sisters have mixed reactions, with Marion (Katherine Parkinson) turning up her nose and Hilda (Kimberly Nixon) seemingly fascinated. Only John’s father, Colonel Jim (Firth) offers a genuine welcome.
By clothing Larita in white, black and silver with special lighting, director Stephan Elliott gives her the appearance of being a bright light among dreary and uninteresting people. Jim, too, is a compelling character, a man so affected by his losses during World War I that he’s broken and lost. Scott-Thomas is effective as the antagonist of the piece. Firth and Scott-Thomas are at home with this sort of material and are especially adept at delivering Coward’s biting words. But Biel holds her own and does as well in this period piece as she did in “The Illusionist.” The laughter found in “Easy Virtue” requires the audience to pay attention, but if you appreciate this, you’ll enjoy this movie. 5/6/09
1 comment:
It’s amazing how well this story holds up after 85 years. Noel Coward's acerbic humor oozes through in each line of this satirical comedy. Colin Firth is such a versatile actor and he can play these roles so well. The last thing we saw him in was "Mama Mia", a completely different role, but no less effective. Kristin Scott-Thomas is also well-casted in her portrayal of the uppity and domineering English lady of the manor. I give this film a 4 bagger out of a possible 5 (popcorn)
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