VENUS
UK, 2006, 95 minutes, Colour.
Peter O’ Toole, Jodie Whittaker, Leslie Phillips, Vanessa Redgrave, Richard Griffiths.
Directed by Roger Michell.
The poster for Venus shows a reclining nude in classical pose swigging a bottle of beer. That gives something of an indication of what this film is about. The screenplay is written by British novelist, Hanif Kureishi, who has written a number of films over more than twenty years, including My Beautiful Laundrette, Sammi and Rosie Get Laid, London Kills Me, The Buddha of Suburbia, Intimacy and The Mother. It has been noted that Kureishi is interested in unusual and offbeat relationships.
Which, with the poster, is a useful way of reviewing Venus. The unusual relationship here is between an ageing actor in his seventies and a naïve young twenty something who has come up to London from the country looking for a job. In the meantime she is caring for her uncle, another ageing actor. While the presentation of the relationship indicates the sexual implications, it is very reticent in its plot line and visuals. Where it goes overboard (and potentially alienating some of the older audiences for whom the film was made) is in its too-frequent four letter dialogue which draws attention to itself rather than enhancing plot or characters.
Despite that objection, Venus has a lot going for it. It is something like a contemporary version of Pygmalion as the actor tries to develop the character, culture and self-confidence of the girl. She is played by theatre actress Jodie Whitaker in her screen debut. This is one of those auspicious debuts since she is completely convincing in her naivety, her general insensitivity (symbolised by her quaffing beers and being unaware of who wrote lines from Macbeth) as well as the gradual (and partial) transformation.
The star of the show is the actor, one of those perfect roles for Peter O’ Toole. If this were to be his acting swansong, he could go out happy. He uses all his familiar mannerisms as well as his deliberate delivery of lines. Since he portrays an actor, this fits. But he brings an intelligence to his role of a self-centred, philandering thespian who never quite made the headlines, so that his attitude towards the girl, whom he nicknames Venus as he tries to instruct her about art and his behaviour, remains interestingly challenging. There is a great deal of pathos in the performance as O’ Toole does look weather-beaten and his character is quite unwell.
The surprise of the film is the performance of Leslie Phillips as the uncle. Phillips is familiar from decades of movie roles as a debonair rogue. This is the debonair rogue in old age, now a hypochondriac, yet relying on his theatre memories and his friendships – but unable to stand the young girl who is looking after him (in a slapdash way). Phillips is very good indeed. In the supporting cast are Vanessa Redgrave and Richard Griffiths.
Direction is by Roger Michell who had made Kureishi’s Buddha of Suburbia and The Mother and who has made a variety of films including Persuasion, Titanic Town, Notting Hill and Changing Lanes.
1.The title and its evocation? Godess of Love, focus on love and sexuality? Venus in art? Jessie and the nickname Venus? Her final posing for the picture?
2.The work of Hanif Kureishi? Novels, screenplays? His perceptions of British life, relationships? Unusual relationships?
3.The London setting, north London and its streets, flats, cafes? Trafalgar Square and the bridges over the Thames? The Royal Court theatre? Nightclubs? London as a character? The feeling for London?
4.The strong cast, the tour-de-force performance by Peter O’Toole?, by Leslie Phillips?
5.The musical score, the range of moods, the different songs, illustrating characters and times?
6.The world of the theatre, the play (and its language)? Actors and performance? References? The fans? The obituaries? The funeral – and celebrities?
7.The portrait of Maurice Russell? Peter O’ Toole’s performance? Character, his age, his career? Ageing and alone, his prostate troubles, the cafes and the chats with Ian, with Donald? The friendship with the waitress at the café? The memories of his relationship with Valerie, the bonds with her, going to visit her, some money, relying on her advice? Her comments about the past and his walking out on her and the children? The portrayal of the dying man in the television episode? Taking the cakes home? His friendship with Ian, their discussions, cutting his toenails, changing the light bulbs? Meeting Jessie? Reaction to her, interest in her, the background of the Pygmalion story? Seeing her drink at home, eating the noodles? The TV? Her style of music? Taking her out, advice for modelling, the art class and his making a clatter? Taking her to the art gallery and the nude painting? Taking her to the theatre, her reaction, going back or not after interval? The Shakespeare quote, her retort about writing Lucky Lucky Lucky? (And Peter O’ Toole’s career and the fiasco of his performance as Macbeth?) The nightclub, the music, getting her the drinks? Taking her to buy the dress, trying all the dresses on, his having no cash? Her anger with him? His taking her to watch the filming, his collapse during the scene, his determination to go again? Payment, buying the earrings? His infatuation with her, her cautions, the ride in the taxi and the taxi-driver watching? Only touching her, kissing her neck three times? His operation, the results, impotence, signing himself out? His delight in her, calling her Venus? Their talks, financing the tattoo, seeing the boyfriend across the street, letting them use his house? His outings with Ian, going to the club, going to the church, the memorial of the actors? Their waltzing together? The clash with Ian, his criticisms about Maurice’s attitude towards Jessie? Donald and his friendship, intervening? Going home, the boyfriend attacking him, the collapse, his illness, the ambulance, Jessie offering to stay? Taking him to the sea, talking, walking along the beach, paddling (and the echoes of the opening of the film with the sounds of the sea, the painting in his house)? His quiet death? The obituary, his friends talking, the funeral, Valerie and her talking with Jessie, the good that he did in changing Jessie’s life?
8.The portrait of Jessie, her age, experience and lack of experience, her mother not wanting her, going to help with her uncle, her being a slob, the drinking, sleeping, TV, getting in front of it, not being able to cook the fish? Her uncle’s complaints? Her response to Maurice? Going out, the modelling and its failure, her self-consciousness? The theatre and the interval, the club? The question about Lucky Lucky Lucky? The dress and her anger at his not having the money? Watching the filming, the earrings? Their walking, talking, the intimacy, touch, the limited kisses? The tattoo, her boyfriend, the house, and the boyfriend knocking Maurice over? Her decision to take care of him? Going to the sea, the pathos of his death, her response? The funeral, realising the celebrities were there, the discussions with Valerie, Valerie taking her in? Going to the art class and posing? Becoming Venus?
9.Ian, Leslie Philips and his performance, age, career, character? His life in the theatre, fussy? The café, the talking with Maurice and Donald? Helplessness at home, Maurice helping him out? The visit to the club with Maurice, the church and the memorials, the waltz? Taking in Jessie, his exasperation, his complaints, her drinking, television, the halibut, his wanting pre-nups? His angry reaction to Maurice? The fight, Donald’s intervention? Discussing Maurice’s death and the obituary? The full treatment in the paper?
10.Valerie, her past, her character, her disabilities, the children, Maurice leaving her? His visits, helping her out with money? Her listening to him, sympathy? Her reflection on their past relationship, love, falling out of love? At the funeral, glad that Maurice paddled before he died, their offer to help Jessie?
11.Donald, the actor, the chats in the café, observing, stopping the fight?
12.The sympathetic waitress at the café, her talk, the newspaper?
13.Jessie’s boyfriend, unprepossessing, tough, the tattoo, the house, his calling Maurice Granddad, knocking him over?
14.The doctors, Maurice’s medical examination, for the prostate trouble, in the hospital, the operation?
15.The TV studio, the filming of the episode? Maurice as a corpse? The taking of the cakes? The filming of the period film?
16.The re-creation of the theatre world? Insight into personalities and characters? Infatuation, age differences? People being able to transform each other?
