Customer Reviews

Oscar and Lucinda

5 star:		(39)
4 star:		(14)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

Most films featuring Cate Blanchett are destined to be brilliant simply by virtue of her luminous presence. I would venture to say that her presence can elevate an otherwise mediocre film to being good. This is no easy feat. Oscar and Lucinda is a somewhat slow moving period picture, and while the subject matter is interesting, it will not engage the interest of every viewer. The movie could be well served with analysis of its complex elements, including its main characters' upbringings, the religious background of Ralph Fiennes's character, and the symbolic nature of the glass church the main characters build at the end. Blanchett is remarkable as the unconventional and gambling-addicted Miss Leplastrier, while the always brilliant Ralph Fiennes plays a tormented and equally gambling-addicted love interest who has been estranged from his deeply religious father. The characters are complex and rich, and the interaction between Blanchett and Fiennes' characters are deeply human and believable. The addictions from which both characters suffer are also quite believable onscreen. I felt that this was an underrated picture hindered only by the fact that it moved slowly. The ending is sad, but most good films do have a sad ending, even if the endings provide some kind of hope.

Based on the excellent Booker Prize wining novel of the same name by Peter Carey, "Oscar and Lucinda" is a gem of movie making but one that, sadly, has been little seen by the public.

Rewarded with only one Academy Award nomination (Best Costume Design) despite deserving more, in the year when the whole world was obsessed with the much inferior "Titanic," "Oscar and Lucinda" fell through the cracks playing mainly in independent movie houses and in those cineplexs that are not terrified of off center story telling and films made outside of Hollywood.

Ralph Fiennes and, in her leading role debut, the marvelous Cate Blanchett, lead an impressive cast in this beautifully shot movie (complete with a gorgeous Thomas Newman score) that tells the story of a love between two quirky misfits in 19th century society.

As part of its "fallen through the cracks" status, "Oscar and Lucinda" was released on VHS in mid 1997, a couple of years before DVD became the norm and has only in the past month finally been made available on this format. Sadly there are no extras here aside from the theatrical trailer. No director's or cast commentary, no making off featurette, not interviews etc. but the look of this feast for the eye film translates well to DVD and is here for all to see in glorious widescreen. It is several years late, but most welcomed and absolutely and unreservedly recommended.

I spent over a year looking for this movie and when I finally found it I wasn't disappointed. This interesting romance between two gamblers thrown together after a card game is enchanting. Every minute adds another shimmering thread to the movie's tapestry. The two lead actors were absolutely marvelous. Ralph Fiennes plays the role of the shy,modest, and moral Oscar surprisingly well and Cate Blanchett is absolutely luminous as the going against society type. If you love period, slightly odd movies of the romantic nature than buy this movie, you won't regret it.

"Oscar and Lucinda" is an elite film, everything you'd want a film to be. Fiennes' painfully sincere portrayal of Oscar is simply wonderful, and Blanchett is absolutely radiant as Lucinda. Fiennes established himself to be my favourite actor since I saw this film (Blanchett was already my favourite actress since I saw her in Elizabeth), and the film itself is one of my favourite movies of all time. The passion between Oscar and Lucinda is rather overwhelming, though it's very controlled. They are comfortable just talking with each other, and that's rare in recent movies. The costumes and soundtrack are a marvel, and my goodness, the directing is so heartfelt. If you haven't seen this movie, you should--it's what the best period movies are like: shimmering, haunting, enchanting, and absolutely stunning.

At first I didn't like the movie because it seemed too pale and almost watery, but after a second attempt I realized that therein lay the beauty. The two main characters are both as fragile and delicate as Lucinda's translucent glass, and in order to see the luster it has to be caught by the light at a certain angle. Once I did fall in love with the movie, I couldn't understand how it was bypassed by the oscars et al., and I think it must be because the protagonists are so quirky. I recently read the Booker prize-winning book by Peter Carey as a follow-up to the enchanting film, and the uniqueness came from the practically complete shunning of the hero and heroine. Not that they were without friends entirely, but the characters were described as having such strange appearrances. It's about time! But it's unfortunate that the film may have been ignored becase Ralph Fiennes was perhaps not his characteristically debonair self (at least on a superficial level), or because Cate Blanchett wore what looked like skirts over pantaloons. Both Fiennes and Blanchett live up to their exquisite potential, immersing themselves in the deeply wounded and yet inspiringly hopeful characters, spun as aptly and flawlessly as a spider web. Watch this sparkle of a movie, and then read the book, too.

This is, quite simply, a beautiful little film. Don't bother to purchase it unless you can find the DVD edition...it must be seen full-screen. The scenery is incredible, and the set designer must be commended for creating the imagery of the marvelous glass church. Ralph Fiennes and Cate Blanchett are perfect...at times they hypnotise. If you missed it at the theatres, which most people did...don't pass this up!

This movie is near the very top of my list of movies for which I CRAVE to be released on DVD but, at least for the time being, it seems to have fallen through the cracks having had its theatrical release just before the DVD format began to take off and not having been a massive hit to have made it a big priority for the studio to get out in the new format.

If you haven't seen this movie go ahead and find a copy of the VHS for watching it in this format is better than not at all. The acting is flawless (this was Cate Blancheet's first starring role) to cinematography superb, the costumes on target, and the story, the musical score gorgeous, and the plot though not a break neck action flick, very involving.

But above all I plead with anyone in a position to help in this matter to please see to it that this movie gets the DVD treatment it deserves, and SOON!

This film is simply perfect. It is extremely rare for me to feel this way about a film. Acting, story, costumes, casting, cinematography, sets (which include the amazing glass church). Perfect. Flawless. Every single aspect works in support of the whole.
This is not to say that this is one of my favorite films. It is not. It is a dark story of introverted characters with obsessive, compulsive behavior. The fullness with which this is explored, in the complexity of family history, religious influence, the restraint of both social construct and insecurity, make this a remarkable gem that deserves the overwhelming word of mouth that this film has accumulated.
If this type of film (period piece, character studies, off beat story and characters) is not your cup of tea, don't waste your time. If this IS your kind of film, don't waste any time - see it now!
Amazing film story telling.

Director Gillian Armstrong does a good job bringing this epic tale to screen. Geoffrey Rush narrates the story of his great grandfather. Ralph Fiennes, who was twice nominated for Oscars for "Schindler's List" in 1993 & "The English Patient" in 1996, does a marvelous job communicating the insecurity and wild love of gambling. His giddy scene with Lucinda on the ship where his eyes light up and he says, "Let's play!" is pure delight. His blazing red hair is an artistic achievement in and of itself. Cate Blanchett that the film credits as "introducing" is a delight as the independent girl who loses her mother and is thrust into the world. Blanchett won the Oscar in 2004 for "The Aviator" & was nominated for "Elizabeth" in 1998. Her performance is nuanced and charming. Ciaran Hinds who has been in films "Miami Vice," "Munich," & "Veronica Guerin" does a great job as the fluctuating Rev. Dennis Hasset. Tom Wilkinson who was Oscar-nominated for "In the Bedroom" in 2001 does a good job as the Anglican preacher who receives Oscar upon his call to ministry and tries to learn Oscar's system of gambling. Richard Roxburgh who appeared in "Moulin Rouge" & "The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen" plays Mr. Jeffris who leads the company overland and slaughters the natives. He does a good job of presenting a variety of character levels in a limited number of scenes. Josephine Byrnes who was also in "Matrix Reloaded" plays the mischievous Miriam Chadwick who eventually becomes mother to Oscar's child. Gillian Armstrong who directed "My Brilliant Career" & "Little Women" didn't receive much recognition for this film, although the film did garner one Oscar nomination for Best Costume Design for Janet Patterson. The acting, cinematography, set design (glass church), costumes and directing of this piece are first rate. The story, however, was a bit depressing, dealing with lovable characters with gambling addictions and an unhappy ending. Still, it's a film worth viewing. Enjoy!

This is a beautiful movie, but please have no misconceptions about what you're getting into. It is not a traditional love story. It does not have a happy ending. You are taken on an incredible journey, and grow to love these innocent people, who burn with passion-- then you see terrible, undeserved things happen to them.

But it is still a wonderful achievement in the arts of filmmaking and film acting. It is a story about the human costs of founding a nation, among many other thought-provoking things. It was shamefully overlooked in 1998, and I do not understand why it has not been released on DVD. I appeal to Fox Searchlight, please DVD this soon.