TWO MOVIE REVIEWS
TILL MARRIAGE DO US PART (Italy, 1974)
Producers: Pio Angeletti and Adriano de Micheli; Directed by: Luigi Comencini. Starring: Laura Antonelli; Co-starring: Alberto Lionello, Michele Placido, and with Jean Rochefort; Script: Luigi Comencini, Ivo Perilli; Photography: Tonino delle Colli.
Till Marriage Do Us Part does not aspire to greatness, which is to say that it is not a classic, but rather a tongue-in-cheek look at the pleasures of the flesh. Its opening montage of turn-of-the-century pornographic postcards gives a broad hint of what is to follow.
Laura Antonelli possesses qualities, not just physical, which make her a favourite of at least this viewer. She has a quality of composure, which carries through a lot of the time. Her part in Wifemistress also displayed this talent in a more dramatic role.
The plot of Till Marriage Do Us Part involves Laura Antonelli in sexually-oriented situations most of the time. There is one lesbian encounter which does nothing to move the story forward.
Of the three male leads, probably the most interesting is Michele Placido, who plays the part of the chauffeur (of a period piece car that on occasion refuses to start when cranked).
Worthy of mention in the settings are several shots which appear to be taken on the grand outdoor stairway of an ornate Italian villa. These and other outdoor locations add up to excellent photography.
by Ed Jull
THE SAILOR’S RETURN – A LOVE STORY
January 9th, 1980
I was today invited to a screening of The Sailor’s Return, a film opening Friday at Cineplex. I enjoyed it so much that I felt compelled to write a short review expressing my thoughts.
The film is based on a novel of the same name by British writer David Garnett. The story is set in a small Dorset village in the England of the mid-nineteenth century. William Targett, a former sea captain, returns to his home country with Tulip, his African wife (a princess in her native Dahomey) and their small son. They open a pub, appropriately called “The Sailor’s Return.” Tulip, the wife, is quite a novelty in the big city, where the boat docks, but less so in the rural community. The men who frequent the pub, more or less accept the situation but the women do not, especially Lucy, the sister of Targett. Targett at first adopts a “to hell with them” attitude but later, in the hope of their union gaining acceptance by the locals, agrees to have his son Baptized by the Parson, much to the horror of his wife who does not understand this “foreign” ritual, and fears it. The couple also undergo a Christian marriage ceremony. However, nothing Targett can do, short of sending Tulip and their son away, will satisfy people, and the tragedy that results is predictable.
The colour photograph is quite beautiful and the music score, the sparkling sailor-like dance that introduces the Captain and his wife and the muted drums heard at times throughout suggesting the African Continent, Tulip’s home, is most appealing. A fight scene in which William Targett and an over-the hill boxer engage is well staged, with the blood and violence thankfully played down.
The main roles are played by Tom Bell as Targett and Nigerian-born Shope Shodeinde as Tulip. Both are fine. Bell gives a likable, manly, and sympathetic performance, and the beauty and grace of Shope Shodeinde strongly suggest the proud aristocracy of Tulip’s background. Mick Ford as Tom, the Potboy, also gives a likable and engaging performance.
I though we might be in for a real “Hollywood” ending in a scene where Tulip approaches the edge of a high cliff looking out over the water, but this is gratefully avoided. She returns to the pub which is by now under new management and chooses the only way possible for her to find acceptance by the community.
Jack Gold directed a touching and intelligent love story, full of joy, laughter, and sorrow, all the human qualities of life that make this film a treat to see and to write about.
by Barry Chapman
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