THE BROWNING VERSION
UK, 1994, 97 minutes. Colour.
Albert Finney, Greta Schacchi, Matthew Modine, Julian Sands, Michael Gambon, Ben Silverstone, Jim Sturges.
Directed by Mike Figgis.
Older viewers may remember the excellent 1951 version of Terence Rattigan's one-act play, I'he Browning Version, with Michael Redgrave excellent as the desiccated classics teacher. Andrew Crocker-Harris?, and Jean Kent as his younger but brittle and faithless wife. There was also a BBC version with Ian Holm and Judi Dench.
For some reason, this Figgis version has been updated to the 90s (with little appreciable effect). Terence Rattigan's plays have been given a reappraisal in recent years after being dismissed by the "angry young men" playwrights such as John Osborne. But Separate Tables and The Winslow Boy are still very interesting plays, exploring British social issues.
Aibert Finney shows what a fine and subtle actor he is with his interpretatlon of Crocker-Harris?. Greta Scacchi is ideally cast as Laura, though she seems to have more tenderness than expected. The rival teacher has been Americanised with Matthew Modine. However, the film has a very British tone with Rattigan's dialogue and with the detail of the routines of the private school (crlcket included). Michael Gambon does a headmaster turn with great flair and Julian Sands is good as Crocker-Harris' successor. Ben Silverstone makes a very sympathetic Taplow. Intelligent entertainment.
1. The work of Terence Rattigan? His themes? From the 1940s and 50s? The Britain of the period? Adapted to the 1990s?
2. The British atmosphere, the education system, traditional schools, elitist, the schools and their ethos, the students – the old traditions but dramatised in the 1990s?
3. The visuals of the school, the village? The traditional school, beauty? Classes, laboratories, interiors, halls? The cricket matches? Homes? The musical score?
4. The audience identifying with the characters and the situations – or not?
5. The school: Tom Gilbert and his arrival, the audience going into the school with him, his hopes, meeting Frank Hunter, in a rush, meeting the students, the disciplinarian and his control of the students, the Cromwells for punishment? The assembly and the manner of the headmaster?
6. Andrew Crocker Harris, Albert Finney’s presence, appearance, age, his severity, his impassive behaviour, the Hitler of the Lower Fifth? Fifteen years at the school, love of the classics, giving marks no less and certainly no more? His interactions with Taplow, in class, Taplow’s laughing at the joke, his politeness, the boys and their criticisms? Gilbert sitting in on the class, lacking control? Crocker Harris’s disapproval? The final class, his reading of the Agamemnon? His illness, being moved on, his new job?
7. His life at home, fifteen years’ marriage to Laura, the tension? The initial love, yet incompatible? The end of love? Laura and her public face, her genial manner with the headmaster? Her relationship with Frank, meeting him early, looking at him? The issue of not getting the pension? Her visiting the town, flirting with Frank? Her criticism of Andrew as weak, at the cricket match, Taplow’s gift and her cynical remarks?
8. The classics, Crocker Harris’s love for the classics, his own translation in couplets, not published? His not getting the pension and the explanations from the headmaster? The exception for the master injured during the football match? The headmaster wanting him to speak first, to give the climax to the champion cricketer who was leaving? The headmaster, Lord Baxter, their discussions with Crocker Harris – during the cricket match, pausing for applause?
9. Taplow, his being picked on, the bullying in the shower, the insults from the prefect, the dormitory, the worms in the prefect’s bed? His wanting to change to science? Intelligent, his knowledge, watching the science class, interactions with Frank? In class with Crocker Harris, his laughter, his politeness? His browsing the bookshop, seeing The Browning Version, buying it?
10. His gift to Crocker Harris? Crocker Harris weeping? Laura and her harsh remarks about Taplow’s motives, doing an imitation, getting on Crocker Harris’s good side? Frank, going after Crocker Harris, reassuring him? Laura and her later apology?
11. Frank, his talk with Crocker Harris, urging him to make a new beginning, his past relationship with Laura?
12. The headmaster, over-jovial, public relations? The head of the board?
13. The staff, the various teachers, the wives? The choirmaster?
14. The concert, everybody present?
15. Laura, the decision to leave, her packing, Foster waiting for her, Foster’s comment to Crocker Harris?
16. The speeches, the cricketer and his surprise, his awkward speech, the applause? Crocker Harris, his speech, going down into the body of the hall, his apologies, his failure of the students? The farewell from the teachers?
17. Laura, coming into the hall, hearing Crocker Harris, her saying that it was well done? The farewell and her leaving? Crocker Harris and the prospects for his future, a new life?
