Once in a long while, a film truly deserving of the title "beautiful" comes along, and although we are early yet into 1998, it is safe to say that "Mrs Dalloway" is one of the most beautiful films that will be overlooked at Oscar time next year.

Based on Virgnia Woolf's rambling, stream-of-consciousness novel, the film lacks the spontaneous and searing quality of its source, but it more than makes up for it by providing the audience with Vanessa Redrgrave, who IS Clarissa Dalloway. Her performance alone would be worth the price of four tickets for this film, but director Marleen Gorris, who helmed the over-praised "Antonia's Line" also offers us many other sundry pleasures to further augment her film.

Set over the course of one day, the film opens with Clarissa Dalloway, a society matron, preparing for a party later that evening. Although she speaks of frivolous pursuits such as buying flowers and worrying about her guest seating etc, Redgrave's line delivery immediately alerts us to the fact that Clarissa, far from being as staid and comfortable as her name suggests, is a woman full of hidden frustrations and regret. As she makes her way to the florist, she comes across some characters: a supercilious friend from her youth, and a shell-shocked WW2 soldier (Rupert Graves) whose own personal demons and tragedy will form a parallel story to Clarissa's as the film progresses.

As the day wears on, Clarissa begins to recall her idyllic youth, a time when she was a free-spirit, free of society's conventional mores - a time when she was sought after by two men, and scandalously, a woman. As the film plays out this emotionally taut story, the action onscreen never suffers from any abrupt jumps nor lurches. Everything is elegantly, slowly told, and as Clarissa begins to question the choices of her youth and to regret and wonder about all that could have been, the audience is invited to mine their own memories and feelings, to ponder again their own choices and follies - the power and depth of such participatory film-making lends the film much of its weight and gravity, and ultimately challenges its audience by confronting them with one woman's lifetime of "what ifs" in order to drive home its message of living.

As Mrs Dalloway, Vanessa Redgrave - one of the greatest actresses alive who I am convinced can pretty damn well play whatever role she jolly well chooses - gives a superlative performance. The heart, soul and center of the film, she embodies the very person of her character, from her voice, physical manner and appearance and being, and truly brings to life the enigmatic and troubled woman. The rest of the cast perform superbly as well, and casting of the roles is uncanny in both matching talent to requirement, and in matching appearance to theme of the film - see this exquisite creation for yourself and experience a state of existence long denied modern film-goers: euphoria.

---

© Copyright 1998. If you've got anything to add, write me at terrybrogan@hotmail.com. Or don't. Whatever.