Ealing Studios produced several terrific films over the years. As the oldest film studio that's still in operation (opened in 1902), it's importance and influence on the filmmaking world cannot be understated. During it's "Golden Years", after WWII, some incredible films, such as "Kind Hearts & Coronets", were cranked out. If you liked this film, you should definitely check out "The Ladykillers", "The Lavender Hill Mob", "The Man in the White Suit", and "Dead of Night".
For out purposes, we looked at the film through the lens of Class Distinction. The Caste System is something a little unfamiliar to us here in the United States but Louis' passion and feeling of revenge is something that I think we can all relate to.
- If you had to remake this film and set it here in America, how would you translate the plots points of being a disinherited relative of a Dukedom into the American experience? (I'm looking for concrete & specific ideas, ie - when would you set this, where would set it, since we don't have Dukes and other such royalty what would you replace it with and why?)
Thanks!
David
Ashton Bowers,
ReplyDeletehow i would translate this movie into an American version would be to make it about a rich family sometime during the 50s in California before it was easier to find evidence of murder (DNA, fingerprints, etc). Since there isn't royalty or the caste system i would make it about an old man's will. It would be about a rich old man who has a mansion and quite a bit of family. one of the family members is shunned by the others and isn't really excepted as part of the family, but is still in the old man's will for just a few things. This family member lives in the city and works crappy jobs to live. so this family member isn't happy about it and wants to get revenge while making more of the will go to him at the same time.
Since the United States doesn't go by this type of system that Britain goes by, a translation would be quite different. If i were to translate this into an American version of this it would be replacing kings and queens with what we have which are president and vice president. Instead of being a disinherited relative of a Dukedom, maybe we can have a son or daughter running for president who's parent was the last president in office. Since his/her parent got assassinated by a mysterious person the person running for president wants to find out who it was. By doing so the person finds out that the suspect is running for office. And so the setting might be during the elections where the person would do what ever they can to eliminate everyone from the competition since the clues doesn't lead up to a specific person.
ReplyDeleteIn Britain it was more of a political affliations, so with that being said I can see that if it was to be done in the US that it would mean more "religious affiliations" or like Ashtons finance/business factor. I see as the Mom is shunned by her family for having "relations" with a man, she isn't married too or family simply doesn't approve. Life goes on as the boy grows into a man losing his father at a young age, then suddenly losing his family-oriented mother. To cope with the lost of his mother, He vows to become a holy-father to secretly murder the family that called him a bastard and his mother a harlot. This guy is about to break a lot of the Commandments.
ReplyDeleteThere are a number of locations we could place this; If we wanted the religion to be Christen or Protestant we could place it down South like Georgia, etc,etc.
DeleteIf Jewish or Catholic maybe up East like Manhattan or Boston.
We could also have our main character believe in one religion but dedicated to himself to another for revenge.
While I do think that this movie was pretty slow, it was a very good and actually funny film. With subtle yet dark-as-night jokes that make the movie, and elaborate and comedic death scenes that poke fun at the fancier side of Britain in the 40's. From complex murder plots to inter-changing romance, this movie has all of the ingredients for an awesome murder movie.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite part of this movie was the acting. If there was ever an actor to be praised, it would be Alec Guinness, who plays the Duke, the Banker, the Parson,the General, the Admiral, Young Ascoyne, Young Henry and Lady Agatha. Why didn't this guy win an oscar? The other actor I would like to touch upon would definitely be the main actor for the movie, Dennis Price. He did such a good job as a witty and egotistical man on a plot for revenge, it was kind of astounding. All of the character's witty plots and mannerisms are perfect, and perfectly brought out by Dennis Price.
Now let's see, if I were to remake this movie, I would have it set in the same time period, but in an alternate version of America, where we have adopted the way of royalty. I would actually let the focus of this remake be about how different America would be if we had adopted this kind of system early on. I would definitely put focus on the character, but my main focus would be this theme. I would also change the characters in a way so this wouldn't be a straightforward and uncreative remakes like so many that are appearing these days (Like Psycho, or Herby Fully Loaded). I would make the characters relatively the same, but give them different aspects that fit the story, while at the same time changing the story a tad to give room for these new qualities in the character.
While I would love to write another paragraph about the script I would give this remake, I will instead actually write it! Hope you like the idea.