This was the closing film at the London Film Festival, and I must admit that I’m at little disappointed with it. Based on a novel by Rosamond Lehmann, The Echoing Grove, the film tells the story of Rickie Masters (Paul Bettany), his wife Madelaine (Olivia Williams), and in particular her sister Dinah (Helena Bonham Carter). Rickie’s having an affair with Dinah, miscarries Rickie’s baby, and for a time sees to it that Rickie and Madelaine’s marriage is at an end. Then an illness comes along, and a mother intervenes. The filmis set in two time frames – the mid thirties, and just after the war, when the sisters meet once more. This is melodrama pure and simple, and is undoubtedly well acted, with Bettany showing a much more restrained performace than some of his recent films.
But I was left dissatisfied in the end. The revelations (as always there must be) were nothing special, and the story really didn’t work well on the big screen.