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Empire Admin -> Unfortunate film of an amazing life (19/5/2006 1:22:13 PM)
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I have to say that I enjoyed the film for the sake of the film, and in the main do not agree with Sam Toy. However, I will say that Dunmore's picture of the Earl's life is sadly lacking. This was a brilliant if sometimes misguided person, whose poetry ranged from the sublime to the ridiculous, as did the rest of his life. To only show the last 4/5 years of his life, and in such a dark, humourless, cynical and souless way, is such a waste of a character. There was so much more that could have been achieved if the Earl had been partrayed honestly and the earlier years of his life had been included in the film. As it is, the relationship with his mother is unrealistic,, where are the group of wits with whom he spent so much time producing lampoons on the activities of the restoration court - we only see Etherage and Sackville, no Sedley or Saville or Buckingham or others. And there was no attempt whatsoever to explain why and how his childhood/upbringing influenced the grown man and his final cynicism with life and the restoration court. All we see are the final 4/5 dark years of his life, when alcohol and veneral disease had already almost ruined him. No sign of the brilliant, witty, gifted and sparkling, if eratic and wild youngster of his late teens and early 20's. No sign of the more heroic aspects of his character. And the portrayal of his relationship with Lizzy Barry is completely wrong. This could have been a great film, as it is, it skims the surface of a great life with a contemptuous, sneering and disparaging outlook, that in now way reflects the true nature and spirit of the man. What a waste!
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