Wed 21 Jul 2021
A Movie Review by Dan Stumpf: A GOOD WOMAN (2004).
Posted by Steve under Films: Drama/Romance , Reviews[9] Comments
A GOOD WOMAN. Lions Gate, 2004. Helen Hunt, Scarlett Johansson, Tom Wilkinson, Milena Vukotic, Stephen Campbell Moore, and Mark Umbers. Screenplay by Howard Himelstein, loosely based on Lady Windermere’s Fan, by Oscar Wilde. Directed by Mike Barker.
Whothehell did they ever think was gonna go see a movie called A Good Woman?
A pity, that title, because this is an excellent, film: moving, witty and romantic, even as it runs over Wilde’s play with a mulching mower.
For starters, writer Howard Himelstein moves the action from London to Italy, the scenic towns near Naples, a visual treat beautifully exploited by director Mike Barker. Then he turns Mrs. Erlynne (Helen Hunt) and the Windermeres (Johansson & Umbers) into Americans, the latter two vacationing in luxury, the former penniless and on the prowl.
From there, Himelstein touches on the play in fits and starts, tossing in Wildean epigrams of his own composing, opening out the action, and rearranging scenes while flirting with the original story line: Mr. Windemere seems to be having an affair with the predatory Mrs. Erlynne, and when Mrs. Windermere finds out, she flees to the amorous Lord Darlington (Stephen Campbell Moore) leading to a tense confrontation on his yacht, where Truth rears its ugly head and promptly ducks back down again when Love shows up.
All this would be plenty enough for an enjoyable movie, but again, Himelstein gives us more: two wonderfully thought out and affecting scenes (not in the play) that Ms Hunt caries off movingly, just by hiding her emotions, so we can read our own feelings into the thing.
All of which got fed to the lions. The critics sneered, turned thumbs down, and audiences turned the attention to the cinematic gladiators and chariot races on other screens at the multiplex. Too bad. They missed a fine movie.
July 21st, 2021 at 7:33 pm
I found it entertaining too, but they should have said “Vaguely suggested by Lady Windermere’s Fan” rather than based on.
July 21st, 2021 at 7:43 pm
Lady Windermere’s Fan is a personal favorite, as is most of Oscar Wilde’s work. Leave it at that.
July 21st, 2021 at 8:19 pm
I liked two versions of “Lady Windermere’s Fan”.
The 1923 silent version directed by the great Ernst Lubitsch.
A 1985 TV version made for the BBC.
Agree that Wilde is a great playwright.
Pretty sure this review has a typo: there should be a letter “r” in the middle of Windermere.
July 21st, 2021 at 8:34 pm
Oops. Sorry. Didn’t catch that. Thanks!
July 21st, 2021 at 9:38 pm
Was Howard Himelstein inspired by “It’s based on Oscar Wilde’s play except where I’ve improved it.” – Camille in Cookie’s Fortune?
July 21st, 2021 at 10:54 pm
I really ought to see that movie.
July 21st, 2021 at 11:10 pm
There was a 1925 silent with Ronald Colman, Bert Lytell, and Irene Rich as Mrs. Erlynne, and Irene was the attraction — well worth the time. Most of us have seen her play middle-aged mothers for John Ford in Fort Apache and with John Wayne and Gail Russell in Angel and the Badman. All good, but this was a revelation as I knew it would be.
July 22nd, 2021 at 6:55 pm
Now I’m the one with a typo!
Meant to say the Lubitsch-directed version was from 1925.
This is the same movie Barry likes.
Mark Umbers (in the first photo) is all over British TV.
He was especially good as the suave villain in the Father Brown episode, THE HONORABLE THIEF.
July 23rd, 2021 at 3:52 pm
I had forgotten Lubitsch, a great director, with delicate taste; sort of Billy Wilder sweet.