If you have seen (and presumably enjoyed) the 1971 Ken Russell musical THE BOYFRIEND then you will most likely enjoy Stephen Fry's adaptation of Vile Bodies. It does tend to trail off but so does the lives of these vacuous young things. Sort of campy-Coen too. The art direction and period setting is excellent and those craftsmen are deserving as much acclaim as Shirley Russell in the late 60s......and awarded an Oscar if one is nominated. I presume it was not a huge budget.....I have heard $15m USD which is pretty good and very well spent. More Moulin than Chicago and very Boyfriend. As a 'smart set' satire of modern young Brits zooming about in drug soaked gin hazes of the last days of the gramophone dance party 20s, BRIGHT YOUNG THINGS is a sarcastic title indeed! The last act detour into the 30s and war years is a strange epitaph but I guess solidly ties up all the story threads. Good surprises and some tattered excellence after all the snazziness of the first hour.
Review of Bright Young Things
