ConalTaezali
A perfect little movie, this tale of provincial actors struggling to deliver a production of Hamlet is one that will cheer your Bleak Midwinter if you have any heart whatsoever. Definitely under-rated and one of Branagh's best, it is simply and effectively photographed in black and white, and features a witty, amusing, and at times, hilarious script performed by a stand-out ensemble cast. Although its tale of backstage trials and tribulations will not appeal to all tastes, there is a lot of subtlety and truthfulness to the gentle, genuine sentiment on offer here. Among very few false notes, only Jennifer Saunder's dire caricature as a Hollywood producer really disappoints. The rest of the cast are just terrific. Almost as good a Christmas movie as It's a Wonderful Life, I recommend it.
elsie-1
This was really good. The coming together of a number of people who create a 'family' is so positive in an, at present, negative world. They support each other and offer positive strokes So much film and tv portrays our planet's inhabitants as violent and unpleasant. Children must have a strange idea of the environment in which they are to grow. This did have witty dialogue and no special effects because it had things to say and slightly exaggerated characters who were different from each other. Although it is British it is about eternal values of persistence, commitment which is not financially motivated and thinking about others beside self and therefore applicable to humanity generally. It certainly wouldn't do any harm in our modern world. It did no damage to the image of theatre and film either. No guns or knives, no car chases, no police or ambulances, how quaint, how rare but harder to write.
gianduja
I love this film. It is small, and quiet, and it is rather unexpectedly in black and white. It opens like a documentary, and then slips you right into the role of fly on the wall for the rest of the film. The ensemble is terrific and keep an eye on the facial expressions of the actors who are not actually speaking. A lot of Branagh regulars make welcome appearances. The "look" is wonderfully textured and layered, taking advantage of b/w. Ironically, I prefer many of "Joe's" interpretations of Hamlet to the same scenes in the various film versions I've seen, including Branagh's epic version. Of course, the version they perform is designed for the stage, with a mostly live audience.... My favorite aspect of this film is that it turns a production of Hamlet into a "neo-pseudo-Shakespearean comedy." The parallels between the characters in Hamlet still exist in the players in A Midwinter's Tale. They've been updated and personalized so that Joe's comment that "the play is about loss" works equally well for the film. But, just as almost everyone is dead at the end of a Shakespearean tragedy, everyone is paired up at the end of MT. Of course, as a modern work it can't just end in weddings, but happy endings abound for everyone. The cleverness of this all is that there is naughty, campy, frivolous humour which hides deep emotional pain, uncertainty, and even tragedy. Anyone who is familiar with Shakespeare's comedies will be familiar with that dark edge which contrasts the joyous romping. Then there are the requisite farcical elements to make the parallel complete. The only unresolved issues I had at the end of the film/play were "how will Molly handle the fencing scene?" and "how is it possible for Henry to be both Claudius and the Player King?" But I'm not about to gripe about these little points when everything else is tied up so neatly and well.
Jakob Olesen
Grossly underrated movie, showcasing some of the best performances of an excellent cast. Shows beyond a doubt that B/W movies are not passé. Kenneth Branagh is smoking as the director of this movie about a group of has been/never will be actors, putting on Hamlet during christmas in a church, that has clearly seen better days. The movie is a great piece of evidence, that CG has not replaced proficient acting, and hopefully never will (hint to independence day)
AD
