I found one !

Yes, after two tiresome hours of net hunting, I found a newspaper review in which the author seemed to have actually enjoyed Mr & Mrs Fitch:

In "John Lithgow, Jennifer Ehle star in wickedly funny "Mr & Mrs Fitch" off broadway", the author Robert Feldberg tells us that

Played with great panache by John Lithgow (which you might expect) and Jennifer Ehle (a fine dramatic actress unveiling a shining talent for comedy) [...] what makes the play such fun is the seamless collaboration among writer, actors and director Scott Ellis, who never let's the evening momentum flag.

The Fitches' great shared joy is their love of language. They never use one word when 10 will do; they don't speak plainly when it's so much more satisfying to be clever.

Second good news is that we have a video of Mr & Mrs Fitch premiere party which took place on Monday, February 22, in which Jennifer Ehle gets to speak about her role, and some nice pictures of it.

(Director Scott Ellis, Actors Jennifer Ehle and John Lithgow, playwright Douglas Carter Beane)

The other reviews...well, it's really a simple story - they all seem to have been built on the same pattern (it's quite impressive - and always disconcerting - to see such unanimity...) - a pattern which can be summarized as : Laughs are there but a plot is missing (The Washington examiner)

First part of the reviews: the set is great, the actors are good...

Romping about designer Allen Moyer's ultra-glam setting, complete with a spiral staircase and a grand piano, an aristocratic Lithgow and a bewitching Ehle do their considerable best to evoke Scott and Zelda, Noel and Gertie and the Lunts are rolled into one. (newjerseynewsroom.com)

John Lithgow, an actor who can play comedy with a heavy hand and make it seem
extraordinarily right, is the former [Mr Fitch]; a lower-tier newspaper gossiper feeling pangs of frustration for wasting his life on a trashy column instead of
writing that novel lingering in his imagination. Jennifer Ehle has an endearing quality as the Jersey girl who fell in love with Manhattan, and conveniently, with one who makes his living surveying its nightlife. (broadwayworld.com)

Lithgow and Ehle are working hard to be amusing. (curtainup.com)

...But, second part of the reviews, the play, stuffed with bons mots, epigrams, inside jokes, social and intellectual references and arch put-downs, falls to rise interest during two hours:

It doesn't take long before their repartee sounds more like a debate in which the content is only as good as the speed with which it is delivered. (curtainup.com)

What might have been mildly amusing as a one-act eventually gets strained to the breaking point, and a plot element involving the pair's making up a fictional character who suddenly takes on a life of his own is far too silly to make its intended satirical point (reuters.com)

Quantity has taken over quality in Beane's latest play...(...) The barrage of
self-satisfied quips is so relentless that the show quickly becomes numbing (...) It doesn't make sense, like anything else in this bewildering, sloppily plotted comedy. (nypost.com)

I certainly forgot other reviews of this type - sorry for their authors, but they're all quite the same! - the meanest one being Joe Dziemianowicz's at NY Daily News.

More original ones includes Cindy Adams review with 10 reasons why the Fitches' are not real journalists - I thought that was obvious, given it's theatre...- and, more funny, how it could be fixed.

An article well informed on all the references (87 !!) mentioned in the play. You can complete it if they are some missing.

Before the rush

In a few hours opens the official premiere of Mr & Mrs Fitch at the Second Stage Theatre, and Playbill.com gives us three first pictures of Jennifer Ehle and John Lithgow on stage:

(Photos by Joan Marcus)

Before the rush of critics that will flow then, two early and mixed reviews:

- one from the Opinionist, who underlines that

If it were possible to assemble a substantial evening of theater out of clever one-liners, gifted actors and crackling chemistry, Douglas Carter Beane's Mr & Mrs Fitch would be a smashing success. Starring the equally adept John Lithgow and Jennifer Ehle, the story (which is the weak link here) concerns two married Manhattan gossip columnists ....

Naturally, complications arise, but unfortunately they don't pile up quickly enough to sustain the insubstantial plot of this full-length play. By the start of act two, the effervescence turns a little flat...

But, in the end, "it's hard not to enjoy yourself when these two are savoring such saw one-liners as "Gossip is just news that's interesting" (...) "Theater, you know, that thing movie people do when they want to announce they're available for television".

- the ShoNuff Lives begins with

The talent is outstanding: Douglas Carter Beane, John Lithgow and Jennifer Ehle. The barbs are vicious, pernicious and delicious. The play, however, is a disappointment.

The part on Jennifer Ehle is particularly laudatory though:

Ehle, who's somewhat less known outside the theater community, is a marvel. Having seen her in the Coast of Utopia trilogy (not to mention her rocketing to fame in the BBC's Pride and Prejudice), I know what she's capable of. Here, her mannered accent warbles a bit, but she smiles deliciously with every witticism launched. She hobbles around on unseemly heels, but does it with grace and elegance. I'd watch her read from the phone book, but she has about as much to do here. The play is very much centered around Mr Fitch, and Mrs Fitch is basically a compliment to him, another gorgeous object that helps him operate his world.

Overall, it's not a bad night in the theatre, but it's essentially disappointing because it could be a great one given the talent involved.

You can see a tiny second of Ms Ehle and Mr Lithgow in the play at this View video or here (thanks Tez!), while John Lithgow is eagerly answering his fan questions (maybe yours?) in this one.

Finally, for those of you unlucky readers who can not make the trip to NYC to see Fitch with your own eyes and make your playbill signed by the actors, you can always write to the Second Stage Theater to ask for a signed playbill. It seems to have worked pretty well for a couple of fans.

News and Miscellany

Excitingly, Moviefone.com has included Jennifer Ehle in the cast list of The Greatest, further corroborating what we learned from Entertainment Weekly and Variety this past week (see previous post). Though JE-centric information is still nearly impossible to come by, Femail has a nice interview with Pierce Brosnan about the film and The New York Daily News has interviewed Susan Sarandon. Also, here is a link to the May 18, 2008 article from Variety which first announced the movie and reported that filming would begin in the summer ('08) on the East Coast.

In other news, we are only days away from Pride and Glory's release on DVD. Blu-ray.com has a lengthy and detailed review from Kenneth Brown, part of which is definitely worth repeating here:

[...] Moreover, the actresses featured in the film -- Jennifer Ehle (playing Francis Jr's terminally-ill wife), Lake Bell (as Jimmy's suspicious wife and the Tierney's only daughter), Carmen Ejogo (as Ray's weary ex-wife), and Leslie Denniston (as the boys' faithful but knowing mother) -- that hold the film together and give the scenes that take place at their respective homes resonance and credibility. Sure, they only pop up for minutes at a time, but they give the male characters legitimate anchor points that define their every decision and motivation. In fact, anyone who wants to shrug off the film as entirely cumbersome or cliche need only refer to the heartbreaking scenes between Ehle and Emmerich to see exactly why this familial cop-drama is a substantial step above the average junk littering the genre. [...]

The article also includes this lovely screencap, much to our benefit. Somewhat echoing Brown's sentiments is Katherine Monk of the Calgary Herald, who declares:

[...] Despite being laden with cop movie cliches, this Gavin O'Connor drama is so earnest, and so desperate to be grounded in some believable reality, he finds traction on the shoulders of the supporting characters such as Jon Voight, who is brilliant as the alcoholic dad, as well as Jennifer Ehle, who draws the moral sword as a mother and wife dying of breast cancer. [...]

Another review at DVD Town includes a description of the special features, while the review at The Philadelphia Inquirer is very short and sweet:

Pride and Glory, which is due out Tuesday from Warner ($28.98 DVD, $35.99 Blu-ray, rated R), is arguably one of the best police thrillers of the decade. A tense, violent meditation on police corruption and brutality, it features scorching performances by Edward Norton and Colin Farrell.

Miscellaneous

• Interestingly, Roger Friedman of FoxNews recommends Jennifer Ehle for the part of Maid Marian in the upcoming film Nottingham. Filming will supposedly begin in March of this year. (Too bad Ms Ehle will be more happily engaged during that time.)
  
  
• Charles Isherwood's review of Oscar and the Pink Lady was published in The New York Times on Friday, and though he was not impressed by the play itself, he unsurprisingly found many things to commend about Rosemary Harris' standout performance:

  [...] An actor of formidable intelligence, refinement and warmth, Ms. Harris has a shelf of well-deserved awards and a long and distinguished history of stage work. She is among a small handful of performers who could induce me to endure a play about a dying child writing letters to God. (Did I mention the dying takes place during the Christmas season?) But I’m afraid even her imposing talent, indisputably on view in this solo show, in which she instills bright life into both the title characters — the ailing boy and an Irishwoman who befriends him — could not make endurance rise to the level of enjoyment. [...] Ms. Harris’s bravura performance might well be sufficient enticement to get you to pay Oscar and friends a visit. Under the direction of Frank Dunlop she impresses with her energy, the precision of her characterizations and the nimble shifts of voice, from the rough brogue of Granny Pink to the feisty piping of Oscar. She plays numerous other roles, too, including several more sick children with funny nicknames like Bacon and Einstein and Popcorn. Her acting always has a natural glow, and boy, does that glow get a workout here. [...]

• Someone get the smelling salts! Mr Darcy is worth even more than we thought. According to The First Post:

  A portrait of actor Colin Firth as Mr Darcy (left, with Firth and Jennifer Ehle, right), which was commissioned as a prop for the BBC's 1995 adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, has fetched £12,000 at Bonhams in London, double its estimated price. The painting was accompanied by a signed letter from Firth, in which the 48-year-old star claimed Mr Darcy "has weathered better than most of us."

• Were you among the happy few who got to see Jennifer Ehle in The Coast of Utopia two years ago? Then indulge in a trip down memory lane and describe your experience to the folks at Lincoln Center, who write:

  Please share one of your most memorable experiences seeing theater at Lincoln Center in 150 words or less. A selection of these remembrances will appear in the summer issue of the Lincoln Center Theater Review's Anniversary Issue and on our website.

  Visit the Lincoln Center Theater website for more information, and thanks to Jodes for drawing our attention to this.

To see or not to see? That is the cuestion...

Insert favourite 'review' synonym here

Filmic thoughts this weekend continue to arrive from Spain and Poland, where Pride and Glory opened on January 1 and 9 respectively.

First up is La Opinion de Granada which (according to Babelfish) says:

''The secondary stories like the part dedicated to the disease of Abby provides some of the sequences with more force of a film that surpasses the two hours of length."

A plus, do we think?

Marginally more decipherable to fellow unfit linguists is a piece from La Republica Cultural - which usefully sums up its stance with the phrase 'Interesante filme'. (To work out the rest, dust off that Spanish dictionary or try Babelfish's web page translation for an amusing gist). Meanwhile, any native translations/amateur decodings of Poland's Kino Domowe piece will be gratefully received.

Representing the Anglosphere, Video Business are not overflowing with enthusiasm, considering the film 'adequate' and 'palatable' and predicting (derogatively it seems) that 'fans of such raw, gutsy fare will be suitably entertained'. South Africa's The Witness left the film more satisfied, summing up with 'good cop, bad cop...good film'. Criticisms are aired but counterbalanced with mentions of realism-enhancing filming techniques and 'exemplary' acting.

Upcoming dates

Of course you are all extremely organised and not in need of another reminder, but just to occupy blogly space:

• Rosemary Harris' NYC run of Oscar and the Pink Lady starts on Friday January 16 at Florence Gould Hall. Tickets can be booked via the above link. The FIAF also draws our attention to a platform with writer Eric-Emmanuel Schmitt which is taking place at Le Skyroom on January 22.
• In the realm of DVDs, Pride and Glory is released in Region 1 on January 27 and Region 2 on March 2.
• Before the Rains is welcomed in Region 2 on March 9 and is already spreading joy in Region 1.

AOB

• The oldie on the right (seemingly from the Daily Mail in 1999/2000) is included for no other reason than it was absent from our photo albums and has not previously been posted as a visual (although chances are it is archived somewhere in the glorious depths!)
  
• Finally, further to the ex-Utopian newslies from the last post, Martha Plimpton is the subject of Robert Kahn's fast chat at PopMatters, while the WSJ's article on the Bridge Project includes some philosophical wisdom from Ethan Hawke:

[...] Mr. Hawke recently completed a year-long commitment to Mr. Stoppard's 'Coast of Utopia' trilogy on Broadway, and was so satisfied with the experience that he thought he was done with the stage for a while. But he decided that working in Chekhovian naturalism and Shakespearean style back to back was too intriguing to pass up. "Theater's my first love," says Mr. Hawke. "This was an opportunity that offered me the possibility of learning. I try to commit to things based on an imagined obituary. If I were dead, this would sound like an incredibly cool thing to have done." [...]

Catch up

Many apologies for last week's last of posticity, everyone! The blog was forced to take an unintended vacation due to blogger time issues. A couple of important events took place in the meantime.

On Monday evening (Nov 10), Jennifer Ehle was one of the presenters at the 24th Annual Artios Awards, a ceremony which honors excellence in casting. She can be seen (looking lovely in red) at WireImage and GettyImages, and, if you have a magnifying glass, at PatrickMcMullen.com. (Search for "Jennifer Ehle" in all cases.) This last site has photos from previous events that I don't recall seeing before, so be sure to check those out as well.

The other newsworthy event is that Pride and Glory made its way to the UK on November 7. According to The Guardian, the film did well at the box office during its opening weekend:

[...] In fact, the prize went to New York cop thriller Pride and Glory, starring Edward Norton and Colin Farrell, which debuted at No 5 with £396,691 from 258 screens. [...]

What follows is an Ehle-centric sample of the UK reviews, which (you'll notice) bear many striking similarities to the US reviews:

• Anthony Quinn of The Independent feels that the movie is on the hackneyed side, but the acting sets it apart. Moreover, he says Norton and Farrell are “fine,” but he asserts that “Emmerich and his ailing wife (a shaven-headed Jennifer Ehle) are considerably more than that.”
• The Evening Standard's Derek Malcolm basically concurs and notes:

  [...] O’Connor paints a dark, dank and gloom-ridden view of New York and his actors, who include the excellent Jennifer Ehle, notable as Francis’s cancer-stricken wife, are certainly no slouches. [...]

• In a discussion of the film's tragic flaw, Stella Papamichael of Digital Spy comments on the underutilization of Ms Ehle's talent:

  [...] Arguably, the fatal flaw is that O'Connor doesn't stick closely enough with Jimmy, to let the story unravel through his eyes and give us the luxury of a few surprises along the way. Instead there are dead-end detours into All The President's Men territory as the editor of The New York Post gets a whiff of the stink, a maudlin sub-plot involving Jennifer Ehle (wasted) as Tierney's cancer-ridden sister, and scenes of a loopy Colin Farrell threatening to iron a baby's face. [...]

Even more catching up

Last week, Michael Kabel reviewed the film for BlueMovieReviews. Like many others, he thought Noah Emmerich and Jennifer Ehle's scenes brought the movie a much-needed breath of fresh (acting) air:

[...] One thin sliver of beauty arrives about halfway through, when Francis presents his dying wife with a Gaelic band promising “love eternal.” It’s a sweet scene, played expertly and without bathos by Emmerich and actress Jennifer Ehle, that detracts from the rote events happening elsewhere in the plot. In fact, coupled with a later scene of Francis defusing a hostage situation, you might wish the movie was about Francis and starred Emmerich’s perfectly-tuned performance, instead of Norton’s and Farrell’s faux macho histrionics. Emmerich (The Truman Show, Beautiful Girls) has made a career of playing non confrontational beta male types; his performance here is a revealing breath of fresh, unmannered air. [...]

Be sure to check out the comments after the review.

Finally, The Optimist at the Two Gays and a Movie blog is also quite complimentary of Jennifer Ehle's performance:

[...] Ehle is exceptionally moving as the dying mother undergoing chemotherapy, who remains strong for her husband, but shows in a poignant scene how devastating it is for her to have to be taken from her child. [...]

Photo Op-timity

Lookie! Here is the much desired "evidence of Jennifer Ehle's growth and health" that I mentioned last time. That is, photos from Pride and Glory's New York premiere can be seen at Getty Images, WireImage, FilmMagic, WENN, Tangled Magazine, and Rex Features, which has some particularly adorable photos of Ms Ehle. (Search for "Jennifer Ehle" at all of the sites.) I've also downloaded some of the pictures into our photo album. Enjoy!

On behalf of the blog team, many congratulations to Ms Ehle!

Screenings + clips, caps, and quotes

First, Special Agent Ann posted at our Chat Extension to let us know that 1) Jennifer Ehle will be attending the New York premiere of Pride and Glory on Wednesday, October 15 and 2) there are free tickets to said premiere! (See the Extension for the details.) Unfortunately, Tez discovered that all of the tickets are gone. That part is disappointing, but on the bright side...Jennifer Ehle + Premiere = Red carpet photos a.k.a. long-awaited "evidence of her [continued] growth and health."

Tickets to the premiere may be unattainable, but if you live in the Washington D.C. area, you can win a pass to see an advanced screening of Pride and Glory (the date has not been specified). All you have to do is be one of the first 40 people to leave a comment at Reel Screening - Pride and Glory. Include your name and the answer to this question: What or who is the "Pride and Glory" of your life? See FilmGordon for further instructions. As of now, there are 17 spots available, so go to it!

Clips

To help raise awareness of Pride and Glory's upcoming release, Collider.com has posted seven video clips from the movie, courtesy of Warner Brothers. (Before you get your hopes up, none of them feature Ms Ehle.)

Caps

Our photo album is now home to a bunch of screencaps from Before the Rains. They have all been taken from the Linus Roache Livejournal community, where many additional (i.e. non-Jennifer Ehle) caps can also be seen.

Quotes

• Many thanks to our precious Blog Mother Tez for calling our attention to the following three links. The first is a piece from Emanuel Levy, which discusses the characters and performances of Pride and Glory's leading actors. (Reader be warned of potential spoilers.) Here is the so-fabulous-you-have-to-read-it-twice part:
  

  ~Jennifer Ehle~ Abby Tierney's illness turns out to be not only a crucible but also a catalyst for her husband. "One of the ironies about Abby is that even though she has cancer and is in the last stage of her life, in my opinion she is the strongest and most grounded character in the movie," says Emmerich. "In fact, her strength resonates so palpably that it transforms Francis and gives him the strength to be a better man. Their relationship is so beautiful; it's a true love."

  Abby is played by award-winning stage actress Jennifer Ehle, who comments that in coming to terms with her own approaching death, "Abby reminds her husband of his own moral code and lets him know that the most loving thing he can do for her now is to be the man she married and trusts with the lives of their children."
  
  "Jennifer is an incredibly gifted actress," says Gavin. "She was totally committed to the role. I hope I have the opportunity to work with her again; she's one of the greats."

  One of the greats, indeed! Good to know she's still a 'director's darling.' The article ends with these lovely sentiments from Gavin O'Connor:
  

  [... ] "Every member of the cast brought so much to their roles," states Gavin. "My attitude has always been that even if an actor is in only one scene, that character has as much value to the story as any of the leads. Every piece of the puzzle means so much because all those pieces accumulate to complete the story. I was so proud of all the actors in the movie because they truly poured themselves into their characters."

• More of the same plus a bit more can be found at Wild About Movies.


• The film didn't quite make the grade for critic Emanuel Levy, who gave it a mediocre "C," but Levy also found many things to commend. For example:
  

  [...] The film's strongest scenes involve the femmes and family gatherings. As Abby Tierney, Francis's terminally ill wife and mother of their young children, Jennifer Ehle is truly heartbreaking. Her illness turns out to be not only a crucible but also a catalyst for directing her husband in the right direction. Though she has cancer (she's already bold) and is in the last stage of her life, Abbey is the saga's strongest and most grounded character, knowing the difference between right and wrong. [...]

• Regular folks seem to agree that Jennifer Ehle is the yay within the nay - A film blogger thought the movie itself was "dull" but couldn't resist saying: "I must just mention the shaved head of Jennifer Ehle. She had a tiny role but she was amazing and totally without vanity."

Just for fun

• A bookish blogger has written a thoughtful review of Alpha Male while simultaneously reminding us why we-the-blog exist.


• Lastly...it has finally happened! I am talking about Meryl Streep Syndrome (MSS) in reverse. Let's hope it spreads and becomes something of an epidemic.
  

  [...] So I was in the shower, and all of a sudden I was all, OMG. MERYL STREEP GIVES OFF THE JENNIFER EHLE VIBE. [more]

Invigorating the cop drama

• Pride and Glory has revamped its official website, and besides looking super spiffy, a new photo of Jennifer Ehle as Abby has been added. Just click on the gallery and flip through the Tierney family album to see it.
• In his "Fall Movie Preview," Peter Travers of Rolling Stone encourages everyone to see Pride and Glory:

  Director Gavin O'Connor grew up in an Irish family of New York detectives. Maybe that's why his searing police drama feels so lived-in, heartfelt and brutally honest. Edward Norton excels as Ray, the cop caught between an old-school father (Jon Voight), a brother (Noah Emmerich) who looks the other way and a brother-in-law (Colin Farrell) who's lost his moral balance. O'Connor (Tumbleweeds, Miracle), who co-wrote the story with his brother Gregory, invigorates the cop drama, makes it personal again, but for two years his dynamite film has been trapped in the limbo of studio politics and the vagaries of distribution. You now have the chance to see O'Connor's labor of love. Take it.

• Two more Amazons have joined the ranks of viewers who loved Before the Rains:

  ~ Love It! ~ This movie was amazing... The writing was great, the acting perfect and the directing superb! Linus Roache shines as always. Just remember to look for hidden meanings and always expect the unexpected!

  ~ Beautiful cinematography ~ Before the Rains is an enjoyable movie with everything going for it. Breathtaking visuals complimented with good acting and a strong storyline makes it a winner. There may be some scenes which wouldn't make much sense to a Western mind but I do think the movie is true to it's timeline of India before independence, the fragile Brit-Indian relationship and finally the endless superstitions some of which continue to prevail to this day.

• Rains was also shown at the Independent South Asian Film Festival in Seattle last night. Don't forget that Pride and Glory will be making its US debut at the Woodstock Film Festival next week (Oct 2).

P.S. You might be amused to know that "Jennifer-Ehle-as-Elizabeth-Bennet" has become an adjective used to describe other actresses:

[...] Miss Maria Dorrillon (an impassioned Laura Doddington) and Lady Mary Raffle (a very Jennifer-Ehle-as-Elizabeth-Bennet Ursula Early) are causing concern for Maria's caretaker Mr Norberry (Michael Burrell) with their wild behaviour, and their flirting and spending. [...] ~ Thisishampshire.net

An eclectic post

The Pride and the Glory

• Good news, everyone. A fab new trailer for Pride and Glory was released a couple of days ago. On the downside, it includes even less footage of Jennifer Ehle than the first one! Still, the movie looks very exciting. Both Trailer 1 and Trailer 2 can be seen at youtube.
• In response, Filmstalker has posted some musings and speculations about the upcoming film and hopes that the trailer does not turn out to be one huge spoiler, but rather, "just the beginning of the thriller." (Perhaps Ms Ehle is the movie's secret weapon?)

Out and About

• The Irish Independent reports that Jennifer Ehle was among the elite guests invited to attend one of director Richard Colgan's "post-show soirees" at the Lincoln Center Festival in July:

  Move over P Diddy. Irish impresario Michael Colgan is being credited with reinventing the ritual of the "after-party" during the Gate Theatre's critically acclaimed Beckett Season at the prestigious Lincoln Center festival.

  Instead of hosting one big bash to celebrate the sold-out performances of acting A-listers Julianne Moore, Cynthia Nixon, Ralph Fiennes and his Schlinder's List co-star Liam Neeson, Colgan treated the countless celebs who flocked to see his work to a series of post-show soirees -- held backstage in the fuss-free dressing rooms of the various stars.

  Those who made the cut for 'Colgan's List' --including Lauren Bacall, Laura Linney, Kevin Kline, Susan Sarandon, Meryl Streep, Jennifer Ehle, Aidan Quinn, Natasha Richardson, Lori Anderson and Lou Reed -- report that the late-night sessions were, as Time magazine lauded "Gate: Beckett ... as comic as it is cosmic."

  (Note whose name precedes Ms Ehle's.) For more information regarding the Gate Theatre's Beckett Season in New York, visit Playbill.

Wishful Casting

• We don't have any genuine casting announcements to make at the moment, but "the Shelver" over at The Shelf Life blog has included Jennifer Ehle in a "dream cast" for a movie based on the new novel Guernsey Literary And Potato Peel Pie Society. Here is a description of Sophie, Ms Ehle's suggested character:

  [...] Sidney's sister Sophie is Juliet's closest friend. She and Juliet have known each other since boarding school and Sophie is Juliet's touchstone. Jennifer Ehle would be perfect! Juliet is wooed by a rich American publisher who appreciates her intellectual attributes as much as her physical ones. He's a little cocky, and very, very self-assured. Dermot Mulroney fits the bill perfectly. [...]

  Sounds intriguing, methinks, but how about Jennifer Ehle as Juliet instead?! She's overdue for another strong leading role and Juliet sounds like a good fit:

  [... ] The book is told primarily from the point of view of Juliet Ashton, a reporter for the Spectator during WWII, and now a writer in search of a meaningful subject for her next book. [more]

The Rain Gauge

• The wonderfully named Betsy Pickle of the Knoxville News Sentinel lauds all four members of the Before the Rains acting quartet:

  [...] Bose gives an outstanding performance as T.K. He has a way of watching what's going on around him so intensely that his thought processes are impossible to misread. Roache ("Law & Order," "Priest") is perfect as the pleasant, new-experience-embracing entrepreneur who reverts to type when things go south. Das is compelling as the sensual but ultimately naive Sajani. Ehle ("Pride & Prejudice") brings more to the screen than the loving wife she first seems. [...]

• Jeremiah Robert Wierenga of Boise Weekly speaks of the "always charming Jennifer Ehle," but wishes the film had been longer so the characters could have been more fully developed: (*slight spoiler alert*)

  [...] I rarely feel like a film deserves more than two hours of my attention, but in this case 98, minutes simply isn't enough. More detail on the Indian independence movement would have helped flesh out the story, and although all the actors admirably portray their characters, you can see there is much more to each of their stories. Henry's belief in his own omnipotence is shattered, but we don't get to see the aftermath, nor are we satisfied with his conflict over throwing T.K. to the wolves. We barely glimpse the depths in Sajani and Laura, both of whom love Henry and are crushed by his betrayal. [...]

• A blogger in South Africa, who attended the Durban Film Festival, saw "beauty in Before the Rains."

  That was all I wanted to say. I experienced the beauty in tonights gem of the film fest. I wish I could see it again.

Leapin' Lizzies

• Many thanks to the fan who sent us the links to these high-resolution photos from Pride and Prejudice. Enjoy!

(My apologies for the late postiness, everyone. I had a K9 emergency this weekend.)

Hamlet / The EIFF

Hamlet

• Yesterday evening was the opening night of Shakespeare in the Park's Hamlet. Ms Ehle (described by Brian Scott Lipton as 'lovely') attended as did former Utopian Ethan Hawke, while David Harbour was among the cast. The above photos constitute the majority from Getty Images. (See Wireimage and Theatermania for gorgeous variations on a theme.) For more about the production, visit the Public Theater's website.

Before the Rains at the EIFF

• Secondly, the 62nd Edinburgh International Film Festival kicked off today and will run through to the 29th. Before the Rains is one of 142 films appearing, and forms part of the 'Gala' section. It will be shown tomorrow (19th) and Friday 20th. There is no sign of any cast/crew attendance at present. Post-festival, the film will be released on July 25 in the UK, before making its way to Australia, New Zealand and Russia.

• Also, Mark Kilian's beautiful soundtrack for the movie, released by Lakeshore Records, is now available on iTunes. (A reminder that a snippet of the score can be accessed on the official Before the Rains website).

• In the press arena, the Herald's Alison Rowat briefly highlights the film as one of sixteen to look out for over the festival. IndieWire also mention that Rains drew 'huge crowds' at the recent Maui Film Festival in Hawaii.

• Blog-wise, it is a mixed verdict from viewer Creative Loafing but he does give some interesting thoughts - some important, some slightly less important:

On the visuals:

[...] Before the Rains is filled with stunning landscapes and handsome period costumes, with expert cinematography that makes even the most mundane objects sparkle like the artificial dirt at Disney's Animal Kingdom. [...]

On the character of Henry Moores:

[...] [Moores is] a British plantation owner who doesn't understand all the fuss over colonialism, since all he wants to do is build schools, hospitals and a road to transport spices across India. "Today tea, tomorrow cinnamon," crows this self-described "man of the future," a benevolent dictator who sincerely loves India, even as he snags, depletes and discards her resources. [...]

On feet:

[...] The film takes place in 1937 in the Kerala region of India, where the bottoms of the locals' feet are never dirty despite everyone walking around barefoot all day. [...]

• Lastly, the words of Edinburgh writer Matthew Turner are largely synoptic, but he does consider Ms Ehle 'as lovely as ever'. In summary, he says:

[...] The cast do their best (Bose and Das are particularly good, though Ehle's rather wasted as Laura) but the end result is rather underwhelming. ... Watchable enough, though and the scenery is fantastic. [...]

Ivanov

• As you may have guessed, 'to be or not to be' is still the question here, but we'll keep you posted!

(Photo from Wireimage)

The Talented Ms. Ehle

First, thank you to Ann for drawing our attention to this aww-inspiring picture of three Theatre World Award winners!

Next, visit MSN Movies to see a short clip from Before the Rains (labeled "I need your help").

The critics are still chatting about Before the Rains - prepare yourself for another wave of reviews, starting with the "yays."

• Pop Syndicate calls the film "poignant and stirring," and says it has been "directed with great sensitivity." Furthermore:

  [...] Merchant Ivory has always delivered to their fans films that possess great beauty and intelligence coupled with smart casting. Before the Rains is no exception with the addition of an exotic locale, southern India. [...]

  Their final advice: "For those of you who like [your] history stirred with romance and stunning vistas, Before the Rains should be placed high on your go-to list."
• World Sikh News explains:

  [...] [Before the Rains] unfolds along expected lines — the classic Merchant Ivory costume movie from which we expect exotic scene-setting and just as exotic love affairs, only to wind up in much deeper waters. Touching and thought- provoking, “Before the Rains” doesn’t set out to change our conception of how conscience came to grief as British imperial glory died, but it achieves even more. It makes us reflect on how we ourselves will feel when the dispossessed of the world rise to ask us for dignity, freedom, and love without past taints of condescension and guilt.

• Pegasus News describes it as "a beautiful, sad, thoughtful film about the waning days of British colonialism in India." Regarding a certain character:

  [...] When wife Laura (Jennifer Ehle) and son Peter (Leopold Benedict) return to the plantation, Sajani has an increasingly difficult time playing second romantic fiddle. For his part, Henry experiences a sudden difficulty in expressing his physical affections to his lovely wife, going so far as to intentionally overturn a vase from the bedside table when Laura attempts to saddle up. D'oh! [...]

  An interesting observation re the four elements (ie the landscape):

  [...] Whether director Sivan intended to or not, he's woven into the story a quadrant of elemental themes: water cleanses, fire transports, air presages change (in the form of monsoon rains) and earth abides, while the road laboriously scraped from the hillside reverts slowly to its native state.

• Gapers Block heartily enjoyed the film:

  [...] As you can probably surmise, Before the Rains is loaded with juicy melodrama, which I usually loathe, but here it's handled beautifully. Perhaps this is part of the reason the film has been released under the Merchant-Ivory banner (although the team had nothing to do with the film's production). I love seeing Roache play a leading role for once, even if his character is a bit of a coward as he dismisses his loving words to his mistress the second his wife arrives on the scene. But the real discoveries here are Bose and Das, both of whom are major stars in India, and I'd love to see more of in Western productions. The film has passion, rebellion and a terrific sense of time and place. For those of you looking for a little escapism without giving up your need for human drama, Before the Rains is the one for you. [...]

• Kvue.com has a short, but sweet review, which asserts that the film is “beautifully made” and is “a deeper, richer, movie going experience.”
• Here are some nice words from Pioneer Local:

  It centers on illicit love, but "Before the Rains," directed by Santosh Sivan . . . is not a story of scorching passion. It's a tale told coolly, with stylized restraint that transforms it into a beautifully crafted metaphor for the decline and fall of the British Raj. . . "Before the Rains" may veer too often into visual travelogue mode. But after all, it is that enigmatic, dramatic country that's the heart of this tale.

Moving onto the mixed reviews:

• Beth Wood of the Union-Tribune says that although the movie is predictable, "it is saved by its beauty and well-etched performances." She adds that "the talented Jennifer Ehle does a lot with the little she has to work with as Henry's wife and mother of their son." However, she can't help but noting, "For a movie that decries the subjugation of women, its relegation of the female leads to such secondary roles is baffling."
• Similarly, the Bitter Critic praises the "arresting visuals" and the performances, but claims they are not enough to make up for the poor screenplay. She specifically applauds Ms Ehle, if not her role:

  [...] Before the Rains boasts a first-rate cast. Jennifer Ehle, who here plays Moores’s wife Laura, is just always a pleasure to watch no matter which thankless role she’s stuck in. [...]

• Jessica Reaves at The Chicago Tribune finds the movie somewhat disappointing and is not impressed with either Jennifer Ehle's wig or the role of Laura:

  [...] Meanwhile, Jennifer Ehle, her hair the color and texture of straw, is stuck in the unfortunate role of Moores' unfailingly supportive and accommodating wife. [...]

• The San Francisco Chronicle reiterates that Laura is a lackluster role, though Jennifer Ehle makes the most of it:

  [...] [Roache] is ably supported by Bose, as his loyal assistant, Das as his lover and Ehle as his wife - a lackluster smiling role, until the scene when she finally stops smiling. [...]

• Roger Ebert enjoyed many aspects of the film, but finds he can't quite recommend it:

  [...] "Before the Rains" is lushly photographed, as we would expect, by Sivan himself. It's told sincerely and with energy. It enjoys its period settings and costumes, and even its conventions. In a movie with plenty of room for it, there isn't a trace of cynicism. I am growing weary (temporarily, I think) of films that are cynical about themselves. Having seen several films recently whose characters have as many realities as shape-shifters, I found it refreshing to see a one-level story told with passion and romanticism.
  But I can't quite recommend it. In a plot depending on concealment and secrecy, Henry and T.K. make all the wrong decisions, including a cover up that almost seem designed to fail. [...]

There are more mixed feelings at The Philadelphia Inquirer and City Paper.

For those of you who are interested, the "nay" reviews can be found at: The Contra Costa Times, A.V.Club, The Bolingbrook Sun, The Washington Post, The Mercury News, The San Diego Union-Tribune, and The Star Tribune. Read at your own risk; some of them are quite harsh (though none have anything negative to say about Jennifer Ehle, of course).

On a more cheerful note, two bloggers saw Before the Rains and loved it. The World is my Oyster gives it two thumbs up, and Movie News and Views writes, "Do check this film out and try to see it on the big screen. It is a real beauty."

Please do check it out if it is playing near you! If you have seen the movie, we would love to hear your thoughts about it. Please feel free to share your opinions with us at the Chat Extension or the Forum.

P.S. Apologies for the one-day post delay.

When it Rains, it pours!

So many exciting things to post about! First, it looks like Jennifer Ehle will be returning to Russia, figuratively speaking. She will be appearing alongside Kenneth Branagh in the Donmar West End production of Ivanov later this year! This is no ordinary Ivanov, but a new version of the Chekhov play written by none other than Tom Stoppard. Yes, this is the real thing: Jennifer Ehle in a Donmar production of a Stoppard play/adaptation! Mark your calendars for 12 September - 29 November 2008. Wunderbar, no?! Here is how the Donmar West End website describes the new Ivanov:

His marriage is in crisis, and his evenings are spent negotiating loans, avoiding love affairs and fighting to resist the small town jealousies and intrigues which threaten to engulf his life.

Kenneth Branagh plays the title role in Chekhov’s explosive portrait of a man plagued with self-doubt and despair which vividly captures the electrifying atmosphere of Russia on the brink of change.

There is a caveat, however. We can't find any "googlable" (Tez's word) confirmation that Jennifer Ehle has been cast in the play. But, the news came straight from the horse's mouth: listen to the Leonard Lopate interview at WNYC.org. Ms Ehle appeared on Lopate's radio show on Thursday in order to discuss Before the Rains. The interview is about 17 minutes long and can be downloaded in MP3 format - a very interesting listen! Flickr has kindly posted this photo if you would like an image to go along with the audio. Note - if you haven’t already done so, you can listen to last year’s Leonard Lopate interview with Jennifer Ehle and her fellow Coast of Utopia castmates at WNYC.org.

The other exciting news is that Before the Rains was released in New York and Los Angeles yesterday. The Rains naturally brought in a flood of reviews:

• Newsday concludes: "The film is well-acted, a broad colonial allegory, and again, visually gorgeous."


• The New York Times explains:
  

  Fatal culture clash, imperialist entitlement, forbidden passion between master and servant: the ingredients of the Indian director Santosh Sivan’s period piece “Before the Rains” may be awfully familiar, but the film lends them the force of tragedy. [...]

• The Village Voice mentions the "wonderfully headstrong Jennifer Ehle" and claims:
  

  [...] Director Santosh Sivan imparts a vastness and a sense of wonder to the film, qualities reminiscent of a Thomas Cole painting: They remind you why the Brits thought conquering India was a good idea in the first place.

• There is more praise at New York Magazine:
  

  [...] But the screenplay, by Cathy Rabin and Dan Verete, builds nicely, and the cinematographer turned director, Santosh Sivan, likes to break up the verdant images with bits of encroaching nature: a frog, some bees, the flies on a cow’s eye. Before the Rains is more engrossing as the focus shifts from Henry, who’s not a bad man, just a spineless one, to Sajani, who thinks her English lover will give her a freedom she has never had—and finally to T.K., who gets stuck cleaning up his sahib’s mess. Rahul Bose has a winning presence—eager with a touch of wariness or wary with a touch of eagerness, and never entirely at home. He keeps the movie from seeming too comfy—a good thing.

• MaryAnn Johanson at Flick Filosopher is completely taken with the film:
  

  [...] We don’t know who seduced whom: we’re the ones who get seduced by Before the Rains from the get-go. Renowned Indian director and cinematographer Santosh Sivan (Bride & Prejudice), in his first English-language movie, introduces us to Henry and Sajani as lovers in a scene that may be one of the most erotic things I’ve ever seen on film. There’s absolutely no nudity, it’s not graphic in the least, but it is smokin’ hot. Ouch. [...] This is a movie made up of shivery delicious moments, beautiful little artistic ahas! that make you remember why you fell in love with movies in the first place. [...]

• There are some interesting comments at TV Guide:
  

  [...] A resolutely old fashioned story of personal tribulations played out against a backdrop of political turmoil, Sivan's film is well acted, beautifully photographed and oddly reassuring. It comes perilously close to suggesting that the injustices of colonial rule were the product of morally weak and misguided individuals rather than a system that empowered and enriched foreign interests at the expense of locals. Though based on an original screenplay by Cathy Rabin, it feels like a handsomely mounted literary adaptation [...]

• Hollywood.com is chock full of positive quotage:
  

  Before the Rains fascinates, enveloping you in its gripping story and lush locations. One of the most ravishing and breathtakingly beautiful films to come around in a long time.

  On the acting:
  

  Law and Order star Linus Roache returns to his comfort zone in English art-house cinema in past movies like Priest, capturing just the right balance between an ambitious man looking for upward mobility professionally and satisfaction personally against a turbulent backdrop of emerging nationalism in India. Love scenes with the gorgeous Nandita Das are sensual and believable--the stuff of classically tragic movie romance. Das is a real find. Not only does the camera love her, she acts with great poignancy as a woman trapped in traditions her heart will not let her follow. The other big female role goes to Jennifer Ehle, a fine actress stuck with a rather thankless role as “the wife.” Along with Das, the other standout in the cast is Indian superstar Rahul Bose, who makes his “right hand man” conflicted and convincing as a man smack in the middle of two worlds with only one way out, caught up in events drifting out of his control.

  On the direction:
  

  Often foreign directors taking on their first English language projects flounder as something gets lost in the translation and they stray too far from roots they are comfortable with. For Indian director Santosh Sivan, the choice of this fascinating, if somewhat soapy story, is perfect. Based on an Israeli short film Red Roofs, the setting, characters and time period have been changed but its universal truths remain, with Sivan working in a new language while shooting in his native land. He successfully walks the fine line between a starkly realistic approach and melodrama, landing somewhere in the middle. Perhaps key to his triumph over the language barriers is the international feel of the whole enterprise and the choice of Indian actors who are able to make the leap themselves. But without question the key ingredient to Sivan’s vision is his own stunning, jaw-droppingly gorgeous cinematography. When director and cameraman are the same, the results, at least in this case, are really something to watch.

• There are also a handful of not-so-good reviews, including those at The Los Angeles Times, The New York Post, Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, and Time Out New York. Pfft. To each his own.

In other Rains news, the film was shown at the Asian American Film Festival yesterday, and it will continue to make its way around the world by appearing at the Edinburgh International Film Festival at the end of June. This photo is from the Q&A session at Tribeca, courtesy of Flickr.

P.S. Here is more evidence that Jack O'Brien is made of awesome, in case you needed any.

Postdiluvian

Before the Rains' New York premiere at Tribeca has brought a ton of articles, interviews and other goodies, presented here in classic Jerryblog chaotic listage. Enjoy!

• CW11 Morning News has video of a brief interview with Jennifer Ehle talking about Before the Rains, travelling to India with Rosemary Harris and the family, and (almost) spending the night with a certain Mr Clooney.

• Santosh Sivan speaks to the Times of India about composer Mark Killian winning the music award at the Houston International Film Fest and also gives some good news about upcoming release internationally:

  "I’ve got 12 National Awards in all, so winning awards is not a big deal for me," admits the shy cinematographer-filmmaker. "This is a non-formula, non-Bollywood film and Hollywood’s Mark Kilian (Rendition, The Bird Can’t Fly) is the first non-Indian composer to be honoured internationally for an Indian film."
  
  He decided to use Kilian in Before The Rains because he didn’t want a ‘typical’ soundtrack with strings, harmonies and ragas denoting the green stretches of Munnar. “I wanted an element of the unexpected in the music. I think Kilian’s work gave my film an extra dimension. And I shot the greenery in a non-typical manner,” says Santosh. He has yet to release the film in India. “It’s not easy to do that with an English-language Indian film in mainstream theatres,” he complains. But Before The Rains is opening commercially in New York and then goes to the prestigious Edinburgh Film Festival in June, where it will open at the posh Metrodome. “It then goes for release to the UK, Australia, New Zealand and Russia. I suppose the film has now acquired a life of its own beyond the country of its origin,” laughs Santosh.

• Metrodome lists the release date as Friday June 27th 2008.
  
• The Before the Rains official site has been updated since I last saw it and includes a note from Deepak Chopra. You can also listen to the gorgeous soundtrack there.
  

  [...] In America, we've enjoyed a spate of films that read like nuanced short stories ("In the Bedroom", "Little Children", "The Savages"), and now it's a delight to find such layered sophistication coming from India. "Before the Rains" fully deserves to stand in that company. It unfolds along expected lines -- the classic Merchant Ivory costume movie from which we expect exotic scene-setting and just as exotic love affairs, only to wind up in much deeper waters. Touching and thought-provoking, "Before the Rains" doesn't set out to change our conception of how conscience came to grief as British imperial glory died, but it achieves even more. It makes us reflect on how we ourselves will feel when the dispossessed of the world rise to ask us for dignity, freedom, and love without past taints of condescension and guilt.

• Terrible questions and entertaining answers in an audio interview with Jennifer Ehle, Rahul Bose and Linus Roache .
  
• Reuters' Frank Scheck reviews Rains and gives a so-so verdict; "minor entry in the Merchant Ivory canon", he calls it.
• Darrell Hartman of the NY Sun has quotage from Mssrs Sivan and Bose as well as Nandita Das. Here's Mr Bose:

  [...] "['Before the Rains'] is really the best example of a collaborative effort between East and West: the rigor and stringency of American writing, the almost anal attention to detail by the producers — India is a more savoir faire kind of a place. You have actors from both sides. You have a production designer who's won awards in India, and he'll be collaborating with a guy in Los Angeles who's been doing Indian music." [...]

• Video interview with Mr Bose at IBN.

  Rahul Bose says, "What's the personal issue? A friend on one hand, and on the other hand loyalty to your village. Loyalty to Moore or customs of his village. So TK's character has at one point in time to choose between the two."

• Rains is being claimed for Mother Britain at Cineuropa.

  In this beautifully shot film, an English spice baron, played with appropriate class privilege mixed with angst by Linus Roche, is the very model of an English ex-patriot, with a wife and young son in tow. [...] The impossibly handsome Indian actor Rahul Bose gives a startling performance as a man torn between modernism and tradition, a metaphor for his entire country.

• Report about Mark Killian's live performance of the soundtrack, from Rhythm Village:

  Mark Killian’s performance followed later in the evening, after a screening of Santosh Sivan’s film Before the Rains, which features an original score by Mr. Kilian. He performed pieces from the soundtrack, accompanied by a bansuri flutist as people left the screening, which beautifully represented a defining feature of Rhythm Village -the ability to extend the film going experience beyond the theater.

• Rains makes E. Nina Rothe's top five films of the week:

  Another film opening that same weekend will be Santosh Sivan’s “Before the Rains”. Once again, this is a visually stunning film, superbly acted by Indian multiplex hottie Rahul Bose as well as Linus Roache, Jennifer Ehle and Nandita Das. A character study into the depths of fear, loyalty and love, the ending will leave you breathless. It is a Merchant and Ivory production, which should give you some insight into the incredible quality of cinematography and acting at work here.


• Filmiholic has a couple of shots from the Rains press conference at the Indian Consulate, including one with Ms Ehle. Wireimage has 14 more and Getty Images has a few from the film's Tribeca premiere. Further pics of Ms Das, Mr Bose and Mr Sivan at Rediff.






• 3.5 stars from Notes from the Jaman Lounge:

  [...] Beautifully played by Bollywood mainstay Bose and by Roche, with an effective portrayal of East-West tensions, “Before the Rains” is a worthy addition to the Merchant-Ivory catalog, and an impressive cross-cultural achievement for director-cinematographer Sivan.

• A full 5 stars on the other hand from Lisa Martini of Time Out NY.

  This love story is set against civil unrest in India in 1937. Henry, a charismatic Brit, and Sajani, his sultry love interest, try to forge a romance but are caught up in a constant downpour of loss and despair. T.K., the other primary character, is a youth trapped in a class struggle, who feels conflicting loyalties to both his Indian family and his British employer. You become quite fond of T.K. as he navigates his way between two vastly different worlds—his family's simple village and the British upper-class society. As the frenetic story moves to its conclusion, these worlds converge, with T.K. the better for it. It's a brisk film that keeps you engaged until the end.

• Peter Martin on Twitch reviews the flick at the Indian Film Festival of LA:

  [...] The film presents historical scenes of peaceful civil disobedience, road building through the forest, and village life, but too often it feels like the pages of a pretty pictorial are being turned. Sivan, who also served as cinematographer, fills every frame with beautiful visuals; if only he was able to bring more life to the proceedings, the film as a whole might have been more galvanizing.

• Video interviews with producer Doug Mankoff and Linus Roache at the AFI Dallas fest.
• Iefilmi recaps some of the film's press notes and critical response to it.
• Snip from New York Cool's Frank Avella, in an overview of Tribeca:

  The Spotlight section focuses on films that have already acquired U.S. distribution but have yet to be released including work by such esteemed directors as: Oscar nominee Julian Schnabel; Guy Maddin and Tom Kalin. This section includes the powerful feature, Before the Rains, which is most impressive for four potent performances by Linus Roach, Rahul Bose, Nandita Das and Jennifer Ehle.

• Robert Levin at UWire:

  Indian director Satosh Sivan makes his English language debut with this picturesque melodrama that's filled with strong, stark emotions and symbolic, painterly visuals. Fast-paced and rife with characterizations, it stars Linus Roache as Henry Moores, a British man sponsoring the construction of a road in South India as the independence movement flairs around him. The narrative follows the local fallout from the discovery of the married Moores' affair with Sajani (Nandita Das), his housekeeper from the local village. There's not much in the way of cinematographic subtlety, but the movie looks great and maintains old-fashioned dramatic appeal.

• 3/4 stars at Screen Comment blog:

  After one look at this visually stunning new picture by the team of Merchant Ivory you might think, well, this isn't fair, director Santosh Sivan has had the benefit of a terrific cast in the persons of Linus Roache, Jennifer Ehle and Rahul Bose. Place them in the lush surroundings of 1930s India and other filmmakers might be at a sharp disadvantage. But Sivan triumphs with this historical epic set against the mounting nationalist uprisings of 1930s India and earns his stripes among today's top filmmakers. (***/4)

Today marks the 3rd anniversary of this here blog! Have some cake for us. For a blast from the distant past, have a peek at Internet Archive to see what the Ghost of Blog Past looked like. However, this last year has belonged to Team Kate & Abi (currently caught up in academics) so will leave it to them to review their first year helming el blog. Guys, thanks for the hard work, the endless linkies, the wit...and the occasional sly leg-yank (Pine Terrace!). I could not be prouder or more grateful. Here's to the next three years!

Very little time + very little news = very short post

No flourishes or cheesy commentary today - just links, straight up.

• Here is another photo of Jennifer Ehle at the Monte Cristo Award ceremony, courtesy of Playbill.



• Before the Rains was the recipient of the Grand Remi Award at the WorldFest-Houston Film Festival.



• Cinematical refers to Before the Rains as one of the highlights of the opening night of the Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles.



• There's a not-so-good review of Rains at IndieWIRE, where the Tribeca critics categorized the film as "Constipated Beauty."



• However, to counter that is a positive review at YRFilms:

  Bollywood A-list cinematographer and art house director Santosh Sivan is one of the few directors who has the double duty of lensing as well as directing his own films. He returns with another stunning film after THE TERRORIST left us craving for more of his talent.This film based on a short Israeli film called "Yellow Asphalt: Red Roofs" is about the conflict an Indian man who's torn between his loyalty to the British and his native villagers after he witnesses his boss having an illicit affair with a married maid that threatens his existence in the volatile colonial India of 1930s. A great story with a sumptuous setting along with a superb cast including Linus Roache, Rahul Bose, Nandita Das and Jennifer Ehle makes this film a must see. Sivan brings his magic behind and in front of the camera and makes him one of the best directors in India.

• I saved the best for last: The Michael Clayton shooting script is available for download at Big Screen Little Screen. (Thanks for the tip T!)

Rainbows, Rains and Rockefeller

Greetings all!

On Monday night, Ms Ehle was one of many well-known faces who went along to the Rockefeller Plaza's Rainbow Room to support playwright Neil Simon, who was receiving the Monte Cristo Award from the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center. (Photo from Theatermania).

The Courant have more information, revealing that Ms Ehle was also more than just a spectator in the event:

[...] The 80-year-old Tony and Pulitzer Prize-winning writer...was feted with dinner, speeches and scenes performed from his plays. ... Among the performers were Lucie Arnaz...and husband Laurence Luckinbill, who did a scene from "Chapter Two;" Jennifer Ehle was poignant in a scene from "The Good Doctor"; and Bob Dishy and Dick Latessa scored huge laughs with a scene from "The Sunshine Boys". [...]

• Before the Rains meanwhile continues to make its way round the film festivals. With the Sarasota Film Festival having recently ended, the Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles (IFFLA) began yesterday and will continue through April 27. For any in the vicinity, Rhythm Village note that Before the Rains soundtrack composer Mark Kilian will be performing tracks from the film live tonight between 9 and 9.30pm. The film itself will be shown tonight at 7.15pm.

• And just when you thought that was it, the Tribeca Film Festival also starts today! That festival will run through May 4, with Before the Rains being screened April 29, May 1 and May 2.

In other news:

• The Kudzu Gazette speak to John Ehle about the aforementioned NCSA name change:

John Ehle, a founding father of the school, thinks the name change is a “tricky” situation. “It [NCSA] is not a university,” Mr. Ehle said in a phone interview. “If it is characterized as a university it will become the only university in the system that picks its students based on auditions and portfolios.” He went on to add, “The school has a dynamic chancellor and maybe he can make it work out, but I don’t know what will happen after he leaves.”

The Carolina Mountains Literary Festival also report that Mr Ehle will be one of many authors participating in that event which is being held September 12 and 13 in Burnsville, North Carolina.

• Jeffrey Wells at Hollywood Elsewhere stands up for Pride and Glory and lists Jennifer Ehle as one of those who give a 'special' performance in the film. There is only one thing that puzzles him:

[...] (Her) head is shaved in this thing - what's that about? [...]

• And very lastly, the Pittsburgh Post Gazette have a nice piece on ex-Utopian Erika Rolfsrud, while Tom Stoppard makes Oxford University smile by speaking to their student newspaper, the Cherwell.