mgh@hou5h.UUCP (Marcus Hand) (03/19/85)
I went to see A Private Function a couple of weeks back and I still haven't read any reviews, so here goes... A Private Function ++++++++++++++++++ by Marcus Hand Michael Palin (Monty Python, Rippin' Yarns), Maggie Smith (Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, California Suite and many others) and Denholm Elliot (Raiders, Making Love, etc.) team up in this unlikely sounding comedy about a chiropodist (Palin), his socially ambitious wife (Smith) and local dignitaries led by the town doctor (Elliot). Essentially, the story revolves around the efforts of the three local professionals to put on a dinner to honour the wedding of Princess Elizabeth and Philip during the serious rationing of immediately post-war Britain. I won't spoil the intricacies of the plot by spelling out the details, but suffice it to say that many comic situations arise through various peoples reactions to a large contraband pig being especially bred forthe occasion. Michael Palin demonstrates his brilliant sense of timing and love of the incongruous repeatedly. Maggie Smith shows just the right mixture of enthusiasm and disdain for the antics of the principles. She is practical yet very concious of image, the elegant hostess, yet once in a while her accent slips. All the while she is caught between becoming one of the social elite and the realities of life -- looking after a slightly crazy mother who steals food, caring for her chiropodist husband with his naiive but honest ambitions, and earning her crust teaching snotty nosed children to thunder around on out-of-tune upright pianos. Denholm Elliot is superb as a very unsympathetic family doctor who seems to have forgotten his hippocratic oath and begrudges the beginnings of socialised medicine, "Do you realise that any one of THEM can walk in off the street and DEMAND treatment?" Scheming, conniving and horribly snobbish, Elliot is magnificent in his uncompromising mean-spiritedness. The movie is based on a short novel by Alan Bennet, and takes place in a small Yorkshire town. Consequently, those of you who enjoyed the scenery of "All Cretaures Great and Small", the James Herriot vet series, will get another chance to see some of those splendid hills. I don't know who the technical credit goes to -- look at an advertisement in the paper -- but whoever they are, they have done a craftsman like job on this movie, just the right amount of pace, beautiful photography, etc, tec... Two final points: while watching the movie it occurred to me that there was a deeper message about the corrption of the new middle class by the old underpinning the comedy, but it was so lightly played that I wasn't sure if it was intentional. Secondly, this movie has been chosen for the gala opening of FILMEX in LA this year, an unusual accolade for a comedy. Do go, I hope you enjoy this movie as much as I did. PS. In NY it is being shown with a bizarre short (c. 5 mins) about a mouse called Dr. DeSoto, who was "a very good dentist, indeed" because he never hurt any of the animals he treated. Of course, he wouldn't treat the dangerous ones like cats, but all the others held him in very high regard. The cartoon is narrated by Vivien Stanshal of Bonzo Dogs Doodah Band, and Mike Oldfield's Tubular Bells fame and is as charming and witty as it is short. I hope it continues to play with the main feature when this movie gets out on general release. have been in -- Marcus Hand (hou5h!mgh)
nosmo@pyuxqq.UUCP (P Valdata) (05/30/85)
Have any Michael Palin/Monty Python fans seen A Private Function? I haven't seen anything about it on the net. The audience, when I saw it, seemed to be grouped into those (like me) who thought it extremely funny, those who thought it extremely funny but who wouldn't dare admit it, and those who were totally repulsed. I thought Maggie Smith did a fantastic job, and I thoroughly enjoyed the performances by Michael Palin, the woman who played Mother, and the pig. Pat Valdata pyuxh!nosmo
jordan@greipa.UUCP (Jordan K. Hubbard) (05/30/85)
In article <711@pyuxqq.UUCP> nosmo@pyuxqq.UUCP (P Valdata) writes: >Have any Michael Palin/Monty Python fans seen A Private Function? >I haven't seen anything about it on the net. The audience, when >I saw it, seemed to be grouped into those (like me) who thought >it extremely funny, those who thought it extremely funny but who >wouldn't dare admit it, and those who were totally repulsed. I liked it. I thought it had to be one of the strangest plot premisis I've ever seen. In fact, the whole movie sort of left you saying "gee. that was unlike any comedy I've ever seen before!". Kind of like a slice out of a situational comedy. Lots of good situations, comedy but no real beginning or ending! Like I said. I liked it. It was highly original. Now, has anyone seen 'My new partner'? A good film! Predictable in parts, but excellent character acting makes this irrelevant. I give it 3 stars out of 4 for comedy. And another 'now, has anyone seen', has anyone seen 'birdy'? I thought this was an EXCELLENT film, but no one has talked about it! Are you ignoring it?? DON'T!!! -- Jordan K. Hubbard @ Genstar Rental Electronics. Palo Alto, CA. {pesnta, decwrl, dual, pyramid}!greipa!jordan "Ack ack!". - William the feline
citrin@ucbvax.ARPA (Wayne Citrin) (05/30/85)
I felt that this film was funny, but not funny enough. It never reached that manic level that films of this sort should. For example, if the whole cast had chased the pig through the streets, it might have been more satisfying. Also, I could never sympathize with Palin for wanting to enter that society, and his character hadn't grown at all by the end of the film. The only character who was at all sympathetic was the accountant (and the pig, of course). Wayne Citrin (ucbvax!citrin)
johnt@utai.UUCP (John Turner) (06/04/85)
Just a followup comment on _A Private Function_ we saw this as a second choice, but were very glad to have seen it. It seems to give a very good feel for postwar (just) england. The movie was really funny, and I recommend it highly. John Turner