Bright Star (2009)

User Rating:

9.2/10   

Director:

Jane Campion

Writer:

Jane Campion (screenplay)

Release Date:

15 October 2009 (Netherlands)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Plot:

The drama based on the three-year romance between 19th century poet John Keats and Fanny Brawne, which was cut short by Keats' untimely death at age 25. |

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Thomas Sangster	...	Samuel Brawne
Abbie Cornish	...	Fanny Brawne
Ben Whishaw	...	John Keats
Paul Schneider	...	Charles Armitage Brown
Kerry Fox	...	Mrs. Brawne
Samuel Barnett	...	Joseph Severn
Roger Ashton-Griffiths	...	Shop Keeper
Samuel Roukin	...	John Reynolds
Olly Alexander	...	Tom Keats
Sebastian Armesto	...	Mr. Haslam
Antonia Campbell-Hughes	...	Abigail O'Donaghue
Joyia Fitch	...	Dilke Maid
Jonathan Aris	...	Leigh Hunt
Sam Gaukroger	...	Messenger Boy
Alfred Harmsworth	...	Charles Dilke Jnr.
Adrian Schiller	...	Mr Thompson
Gerard Monaco	...	Charles Dilke
Sally Reeve	...	Landlady
Edie Martin	...	Margaret 'Toots' Brawne
Will Garthwaite	...	Human Orchestra

Country:

UK | Australia | France

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Certification:

Ireland:PG

Filming Locations:

Elstree Studios, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, England, UK

Company:

BBC Films

Trivia:

The Hyde House and Estate in Hyde, Bedfordshire substituted for the Keats House in Hampstead. Jane Campion decided that the Keats House (also known as Wentworth Place) was too small and "a little bit fusty".

Beautifully crafted piece of cinema

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

I just had the pleasure of watching this at the Grand Lumiere in Cannes FF.

I knew nothing of this film before I went in and it had no names attached which enticed me, is it only me who is sick of 'star vehicles'? It was immediately obvious this film was about John Keats the poet and I was at first a bit perturbed that it may be just another BBC backed period drama with the costume department drawing the bulk of the production budget. However once we had got passed the Victorian family portrait vignetted scenes, the film took on a more deep and involved tone, one that focused on the blossoming of the romance between fanny Brawne and Keats.

Keats friend in prose, Charles Brown came over as an abrasive Scot, keen to ensure that the young girl didn't take Keats eye off of his work. His accent will no doubt prove a problem for some audiences.

The core of this film though must be the performance of Fanny played admirably by Abbie Cornish. The depth and emotion of her portrayal were nothing short of brilliant. She carried herself well but her despair at Keats various departures and her reactions to the low ebbs of his illness were totally believable and added the desired weight to what would have otherwise been another frock show.

Ben Whishaw was brilliant as the frail, emaciated Keats, racked with the tuberculosis that killed his brother and would soon take his own life. One thing I did think whilst watching and that was that we never really saw Keats working away, burning the midnight oil, scratching out his poems, of which he wrote many in a short space of time during the latter part of his short life. We did however see much of his inspiration for his work and of course the title of the film is a poem said to be about the relationship of the night sky to his beloved Fanny.

The photography was brilliant, much use of natural light and we follow the love story from it's awkward start to it's passionate, bitter and sad end. We see Keats friends rallying after the onset of his illness and they decide to send him off to Italy where it is hoped the air might prolong his frail life. Fanny has to endure much of this in silence since she is not properly engaged to Keats and has no real say in his ultimate departure to Italy and is unable to support herself or accompany him.

The relationship is played out very authentically with none of your Mills and Boon clinches or bed scenes. The most we see is a genuine cuddle in front of the fire or the odd tentative kiss. This makes the pairing seem all the more deep and inferred. The climax must be when Fanny finds out the news from Brown that Keats has died in Italy. The take is unusually long but really hits home and even I found myself wiping away the odd tear as Fanny struggled for breath on the stairs.

A beautiful film documenting a little know relationship. We also see how Keats died almost a pauper and yet went on to become probably the best loved and celebrated of English Poets, up there with Byron and Wordsworth. Yes the costumes were faultless but this film belongs to the talents of Cornish and Whishaw as well as the masterful direction of Jane Campion.

KSE.