Class acts fail to uplift movie audience in ‘Browning Version’

Class acts fail to uplift movie audience in ‘Browning
Version’

By Mike Horowitz

Daily Bruin Senior Staff

Paramount is having a tough time figuring out what to do with
"The Browning Version," the stoic, white-collar tragedy of an Abbey
school classics professor. The remake of the lauded 1951 Michael
Redgrave version is well-crafted, but it’s not exactly a movie with
wide commercial appeal.

"Flesh and Bone," and other films have been lost in a mire of
slow platform releases and limited engagements by Paramount before.
The predicament harks back to this summer, when many observers
doubted the studio’s ability to market another off-kilter
production.

Then again, that film was "Forrest Gump."

"The Browning Version" is anything but "Gump"-like. The
deliberately-paced, methodical downfall of the central character
feels like real-time over three days and the emotions and
interactions are so psychologically punishing it leaves you wishing
for something more upbeat like "Sid and Nancy." In short, this film
is "Dead Poets Society" without the happy ending.

Luckily, you’ll have some great performances to gush over as you
stumble back to your car. Distinguished Albert Finney takes
Redgrave’s classic role as Andrew Crocker-Harris, a stern professor
of language whose passion for great literature has slowly been
replaced by iron discipline. He deserves the title the students
confer upon him as much as it dismays him. He is "the Hitler of the
lower fifth." As he is forced out of his job of 18 years, it is a
time of contemplation and reckoning.

Best known for her work in "The Player" and "Presumed Innocent,"
Greta Scacchi plays Andrew’s wife Laura, victim of a loveless
marriage. As her husband is uprooted and her affair with another
professor (Matthew Modine) falls apart, she too is at a life
crossroads.

These two strong performances ground "The Browning Version" and
make any scene with Finney or Scacchi a lesson in fine acting. It’s
also enjoyable to see them interact with lowly rated, but still
over-rated B-list leads like Modine and Julian Sands. Finney can
convey more in a twitch than Modine could in a monologue.

Somewhat puzzling is the appearance of Maryam D’Abo, a relative
of talent who has had limited success on her own in Dalton’s
greatest "Living Daylights" and some independents. She shows up in
"The Browning Version" about 10th in the credits, clocking in
little screentime and even that is with Matthew Modine. My, how the
mediocre have fallen!

This film will slowly disappear at the box office unless it is
propelled by the disposable income of teachers or given awards for
the fine lead performances. Since the former won’t happen until
teachers actually have disposable income, it is suggested the
Academy take a look at Scacchi’s portrayal. If her part is
considered a Supporting Actress role it is certainly Academy Award
nomination worthy, and in a category that has been weak the last
few years, perhaps Scacchi can win it all.

It would be a happy note for what is a downer of a classy
film.

FILM: "The Browning Version" Written by Ronald Harwood. Directed
by Mike Figgis. Starring Albert Finney, Greta Scacchi and Matthew
Modine. Now playing.