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Wuthering Heights (1967)
A review of the newly-released DVD (2009)
I received the new DVD yesterday. I've been waiting to see this for so many years I can't express how happy I am to finally see it.
The video quality isn't the best (vintage, fuzzy, black and white TV - this is from 1967 after all, and the BBC has made no promises of beautiful remastering). The DVD menu photos feature color photography of the main actors and they give an idea of how beautiful it could have been had it been presented in color.
Ian McShane as Heathcliff is very young, quite handsome when cleaned up, and a bit of a ham; you can tell he was probably more comfortable on stage than in front of a camera at this point in his career. His facial expressions may be a bit broad at Heathcliff's most dramatic youthful moments, but as Heathcliff ages he seems to get his bearings, and I believe he was very well cast. His beautiful voice is so resonant even at this young age it makes one wonder what he must have sounded like as an infant. He is a great brooder and some of the close-ups of his face are lovely. He looks more like a dark gypsy than any of the other actors I've seen in the role.
Angela Scoular as Cathy seemed comfortable in front of the camera; she is very pretty and has a fresh presence. Watching her in the role I wondered why she didn't go on to do more in her career; she has great charisma on camera. The supporting cast are all very good.
The one unfortunate aspect of the play might be the wigs the male actors were required to wear; at times I found myself amazed at their height. McShane's facial hair as he ages is also quite artificial-looking and stagy. I also would have appreciated it more if the viewer weren't forced to listen to the wind constantly in the film; I'm sure it was there to remind us, even in interior shots, that the moors outside were wild and woolly, but the sound is a bit much in almost every scene.
The interior sets are run-of-the-mill and stagy, but they used real (and breathtaking) locations for the exteriors, and even the houses Miss Bronte based her story upon are featured in the play. The photography of the wild scenes on the moors would have been so beautiful in color, but somehow the fact that it is in black and white lends a sort of ancient feel to the cinematography.
The direction is a bit hit and miss and some of the editing seems choppy, especially near the beginning, but if you are able to put aside modern broadcast standards, somehow it all comes together into a rustic, very atmospheric, ghostly production. By the 3rd and 4th parts of the story you find yourself wrapped-up in it, and the ending has a satisfying emotional resonance I didn't expect.
Although the production values are dated and the video quality is not the best, I would say that as a historical example of the type of TV play available in the UK at the time, a curiosity for Wuthering Heights/Bronte fans, and as a vehicle for the very young McShane's talent, this 1967 version of Wuthering Heights is definitely worth a watch.
182 minutes in length (4 parts). No special features. Subtitles are an option (only in English), and scene selection is possible. Aspect ratio 4:3
A Month in the Country (1977)
Interesting 1967 British Tele-film of Turgenev Play
First released on videotape in 1985 (and still available if you dig for it), this 90-minute British tele-play was produced in 1967. Derek Marlowe wrote the screenplay, Quentin Lawrence directed, and Peter Snell produced. It features mostly English performers who went on to some renown in later years, most notably Susannah York and Ian McShane. York plays the lovely, bored and repressed Natalya who hires the tutor Beliayev (a young and handsome Ian McShane) to give her 10 year old son what she feels she never had in her own life - freedom and the ability to express himself in life. The tutor Beliayev serves as the love object and catalyst in the film, inspiring characters to gain various levels of enlightenment about themselves. It's a good example of Turgenev's ability to create complicated, sympathetic characters, especially women and young men. The picture and sound quality have suffered over the years, but it's worth a viewing, especially for York and McShane fans or students of Turgenev's work.
Freelance (1970)
Also known as FREELANCE - excellent example of McShane's early work
CON MAN was the title this film was given when it was released in the USA on video in 1992. The film's original name when released theatrically in 1971 was FREELANCE. Ian Mcshane was only 28 years old during filming. In virtually ever scene, highly engaging, and charismatic, McShane carries the film with great skill. This film is a good example of his early talent. Anyone mainly familiar with his work in LOVEJOY or DEADWOOD would be surprised to see him at such a young and attractive stage of his life. The film is also recommended for its background of the West End of London during the late 60's-early 70's era. CON MAN is a touching little character study with a bit of intrigue and suspense thrown in, and a nice twist at the end (no spoilers here). I consider it one of McShane's best starring roles and wish he had been cast in more movies like this.
Trivia for fans: In one scene McShane's character, 'Robin Mitchell', is asked to sign his name to a piece of paper. He holds it up against a window several feet from the camera, and yet anyone familiar with McShane's unique signature can see that he proceeds to write "Ian Mcshane" on the dotted line.
The Fifth Musketeer (1979)
Waste of great talent
THE FIFTH MUSKETEER - what a big disappointment. All that amazing talent, all those famous names, and only a couple of adequate performances in the entire film. What went wrong? I have the sneaking suspicion there were too many Chiefs and not enough Indians working in this film. The filmmakers probably found it hard to control the big names, and it shows. Clever dialogue would have made it possible to overlook the tepid, unoriginal script, but alas, there is very little.
Even if I were not an Ian McShane fan I would be forced to admit his characterisation of Fouquet remains the only one in the film which seems fully formed. Even though he plays the villain I found myself cheering him on because he was the only one with any charisma or humour in the entire film. The female performers are appealing. I hear the UK version has some nudity; the US VHS version has been cut to the point of somnambulism.
Trivia for McShane fans: The hijinx appear to all have taken place off-set rather than on. During the making of THE FIFTH MUSKETEER, Sylvia Kristel (of the EMMANUELLE soft porn series of films) and Ian McShane became involved in a highly-publicized, scandalous long- term affair. And McShane has related memories (complete with a spot-on vocal impersonation) of Rex Harrison imperiously barking orders at him to get out of his light during filming. It was that kind of set.
Yesterday's Hero (1979)
Soccer ROCKY
YESTERDAY'S HERO is a slightly schizophrenic film; there is the engaging plot concerning the washed-up, boozy ex-professional footballer played by Ian McShane, and the "pop stars" plot concerning Adam Faith and THREE'S COMPANY's Suzanne Somers.
Both Faith and Somers are adequate actors, but their awful pop music performances are laughable and interminable. Somers must have had some influence in the production, as no sane filmmaker would have featured her endless, insipid stage performances which fill so much screen time. Somers prances and twists around embarrassingly while singing stupid songs, and Faith does his usual ho-hum pretty boy stuff. Fast-forward through their songs unless you are die-hard fans, and you will actually have a nice little character study which is fit for more than one viewing.
McShane portrays the soccer player character with his usual capable aplomb, giving the character a dark pathos and haggard appeal. A film made today, especially in the US, would have cast someone fit and beautiful in the role. It is satisfying to see McShane's scrawny build and tired, convincingly hung-over face in the role, as he truly seems to inhabit the character in the film.
Trivia for McShane fans: Ian McShane's father, Harry, played for Manchester United and other professional teams during the 1950's and 60's. Ian flirted with becoming a soccer player as a youngster but today his fans are happy he wasn't good enough to make the grade.
Freelance (1970)
Also known as FREELANCE - excellent example of McShane's early work
CON MAN was the title this film was given when it was released in the USA on video in 1992. The film's original name when released theatrically in 1971 was FREELANCE. Ian Mcshane was only 28 years old during filming. In virtually ever scene, highly engaging, and charismatic, McShane carries the film with great skill. This film is a good example of his early talent. Anyone mainly familiar with his work in LOVEJOY or DEADWOOD would be surprised to see him at such a young and attractive stage of his life. The film is also recommended for its background of the West End of London during the late 60's-early 70's era. CON MAN is a touching little character study with a bit of intrigue and suspense thrown in, and a nice twist at the end (no spoilers here). I consider it one of McShane's best starring roles and wish he had been cast in more movies like this.
Trivia for fans: In one scene McShane's character, 'Robin Mitchell', is asked to sign his name to a piece of paper. He holds it up against a window several feet from the camera, and yet anyone familiar with McShane's unique signature can see that he proceeds to write "Ian Mcshane" on the dotted line.
Cheaper to Keep Her (1980)
Actually entertaining, and better than expected
I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this little movie. Acting is good all-around, and Mac Davis surprises by being very charming and funny. I had forgotten what a charismatic character he was. He was also quite sexy in his down-to-earth way. Whatever happened to Mac Davis?
The writing is actually quite clever and not just your run-of-the-mill silly comedy story.
The story weaves in and out of various scenarios. Davis plays a private eye who goes after deadbeat husbands, trying to find out what kind of hidden assets they might have. He works for a hard-bitten lawyer played by Tovah Feldshuh. Feldshuh is a bit brittle and hard - it's hard to see what the characters see in each other - but if you can get over that, the rest of the movie is quite entertaining.
It's worth a look just to see Ian Mcshane play a sleazy Dr. Feelgood type of character. As usual, he steals every scene he's in.
Trivia for Ian McShane fans: McShane met his wife-to-be, actress Gwen Humble, on this film.
Torchlight (1984)
Perfectly awful but McShane perfectly chilling
This movie is so bad it's almost great, on the order of a SHOWGIRLS type fiasco. I recommend finding a copy in some bargain bin or video store and inviting a few sarcastic friends over for lots of laughs. Viewers are supposed to care about the couple (Pamela Sue Martin and Steve Railsback) but the creep-factor is so high whenever Railsback is on screen, it's hard not to shiver with repulsion and fear at him. He looks like he's going to turn into a zombie and eat Pamela Sue's head off at any moment. There is no way anyone like Pamela Sue's sweet and innocent character would get involved with the weirdo Railsback plays! Whoever cast this movie has some 'splainin' to do!
That said, watching the downward spiral of Railsback's character into the drug world is highly entertaining, if only because it brings him into contact with a sweating, primped, slick-haired, and fascinatingly evil Ian McShane. As usual, when McShane is on screen, you cannot take your eyes off him. He plays Railsback's drug contact - and as someone else said - would fit right in as a character in SCARFACE or THE SOPRANOS. He acts everybody out of the water in this one. Mcshane once said he'd 'rather be sh*t in a hit than a hit in sh*t." Unfortunately, he was definitely the latter in TORCHLIGHT!