A WINTERS TALE

US, 2014, 105 minutes, Colour.
Colin Farrell, Russell Crowe, Jessica Brown Findlay, Jennifer Connelly, Will Smith, William Hurt, Eva Marie Saint, Kevin Corrigan, Matt Bomer.
Directed by Akiva Goldsman.

No, this is not Shakespeare. In some ways, far from it. But it is one of the oddest films to come around for a long time.

It is probably prudent for a reviewer to give a warning: anybody with any trace of cynicism should avoid this film. Even those who are not prone to cynicism may find it a bit too twee or fey.

Very early in the film, a character states that the light in the sky may be from an angel’s wing as somebody changes from being a human to becoming a star. Not your usual comment. But the film continues in this vein, with the presupposition that everyone has a miracle within them, and that they need to be alert so that they can help another person with that miracle.

In looking at the list of strong actors in the cast, one wonders what it was that attracted them when they read the script. Colin Farrell is the main actor, first seen in 2014 sequence where he is rummaging in a box and finds a nameplate for a boat, City of Justice. Then the action goes back to 1895, to Ellis Island and a family trying to migrate to the United States only to be rejected because the husband has lung problems. They want their baby to have a happy life in the United States and lower him into a little boat, City of Justice, and set him towards the New York skyline. As one did!
Most of the action, however, takes place in 1916. This time Colin Farrell (with the strangest of hairdos, no credit to the credit for hairstyling) is a thief, being pursued on the New York docks by a ferocious looking Russell Crowe, as if he had stepped out of the Gangs of New York. Fortunately for Colin Farrell, there is a beautiful white horse standing by and he senses that this is a rescue. Indeed it is as he mounts the horse and it flies over the waterfront gate – later this white horse is going to do a considerable amount of flying.

Meanwhile a young woman is suffering from consumption, Jessica Findlay Brown, cared for by her anxious father, William Hurt, and her young sister. When Farrell enters to rob the house, he encounters the young woman and it is love at first sight. Again, pursued by Russell Crowe, he mounts the horse which leads him (as might be expected) to the country house of the young woman.

No more plot except that it has many tears and Russell Crowe wreaking vengeance on Colin Farrell.

Back to 2014, Farrell is still there in New York, but his memory has gone. He draws an image of a person with red hair on the pavement, we all assuming that it is the young woman of a century before. But not quite, some twists to the plot, and encounter with a little girl (with red hair) and her mother, Jennifer Connelly. And, sure enough, Russell Crowe is still about but wants to do a Wings of Desire kind of thing and becoming human to finally destroy Farrell.

And then there is a nice pleasure for movie buffs, Eva Marie Saint, 60 years on from On the Waterfront) appears as the old (very old indeed) version of the little girl from 1916 – and all the mysteries solved, a miracle, light, and another star in the firmament.

This is an adaptation of a novel by Mark Helprin, written and directed by the veteran Akiva Goldsman, who has made some strong films (A Beautiful Mind, Cinderella Man – as well as The Da Vinci Cosw and Angels and Demons!) which means that it is a big surprise that he has written and directed this piece of fantasy.

1. The appeal of the story, the film? Romantic? Miracles and Angels? Lights and Stars? Devils Incarnate?


2. Not for cynics, twee, fey? Sentiment?

3. The strong cast, the writer director and his high-powered career?

4. Fantasy and reality, plausibility or not? Lucifer on earth? Devils and Angels? Miracles?

5. The shift in time, the opening in 2014, Peter Lake, 42nd Street, the station, the box, City of Justice, his bizarre hairdo?

6. The shift to 1895, Ellis Island, the migrants, the tests, the wife free from illness, the baby? The husband and his lung condition, the appeal? Lowering the baby into the boat, City of Justice? Sending it to the shore?

7. The transition to 1916, Peter Lake, Colin Farrell and the different odd hairdo? His being a thief, fleeing Pearlie? Pearlie’s look, New York thugs, the pursuit? The white horse, Peter getting on, flying away?

8. Peter at 42nd Street, looking through the roof, his box? His friend in the station, an angel, guiding him? Pearlie pursuing him?

9. Peter leaving, the horse, outside the house, entering, trying to open the safe, Beverley playing the piano, discovering him, inviting him to have a cup of tea, his falling in love at first sight, the change in him, his riding away?

10. The scene in the home, a rich family, Beverley and Willa, Beverley’s illness, fever and temperature, playing Brahms, the delay in her leaving for the holiday?

11. Peter and the horse, arriving at the Penn’s house, his talk with Beverley’s father, her illness, the fever, Peter and his helping her father to fix the boiler? The party, New Year’s Eve, dancing, Beverley’s request for the sexual encounter? Lying on the bed? Her death? Peter failing to keep her alive? The irony that he was later to discover that he was her miracle?

12. Pearlie and the attack, Peter on the bridge, the fall into the river, surviving, losing his memory, but having a mission?

13. Pearlie, his going to visit Lucifer, the surprise of Will Smith being Lucifer, hidden underground, giving permissions, Pearlie disobeying in going beyond
New York? The 21st century visit, Pearlie wanting to become human, persuading Lucifer?

14. The 21st century, Peter not ageing, his amnesia? Virginia and the chance encounter with Abbey? Peter and his continually drawing the redhead on the pavement? Pearlie and his becoming human? His thugs? The pursuit? Virginia as a journalist, researching with Peter, the microfiche, the pictures, Peter with Beverley? His going to Virginia’s house for the meal? Abbey and her seizure, dying? Peter, trust, the horse, searching for the old Penn house, the bed, reviving Abbey?

15. The newspaper, the Penn family, the museum? The chocolate from the past, the indication of the house? Meeting Willa, her delight, recognising Peter, helping him? Looking into the heavens?

16. Peter, his miracle, the fight with Pearlie, on the ice, Pearlie’s death? The horse? Peter becoming a star?

17. How acceptable a fantasy? The 21st century imagination?