First, I would like to say that if you didn't see "The Hours", watch it. It is not only complementary to Mrs. Dalloway as a novel, but it is also a very powerful movie.
While the movie introduces new sides to the characters (i.e. Richard with AIDS, Richard committing suicide, or Richard as a gay man) I thought that the adaptations made for an interesting plot line. I was particularly interested in who David Hare decided to pair together in terms of relationships. In the 2001 scenes, Clarissa is with Sally and Richard was with Louis. While the pairing of Sally and Clarissa was not surprising (knowing that in the novel she was fascinated with her), Richard's character was morphed into one similar to Septimus. This was not the only instance where two of the novel's character identities merged. In addition to the 2001 plot line, the undertones of Woolf's life that were portrayed in the other two plot lines added to the power of the movie. Things like the kisses with women - in reference to her alleged affair. Also in the 1950's plot, Kitty comes into the house displaying this mentality that is forced by societal norms of the time. You see this fake interaction broken by the synopsis of Mrs. Dalloway that Lauren Brown quickly spits off. This is telling to the nature of Woolf herself; challenging to the British norms in both her prose and content.
These cinematic characteristics were discrepancies from the novel but they added dimension to the story. They made the storyline of the movie harder to understand, but the additional layers to the character made for a more powerful depiction of both Clarissa and Richard, even Woolf to an extent.
While the movie introduces new sides to the characters (i.e. Richard with AIDS, Richard committing suicide, or Richard as a gay man) I thought that the adaptations made for an interesting plot line. I was particularly interested in who David Hare decided to pair together in terms of relationships. In the 2001 scenes, Clarissa is with Sally and Richard was with Louis. While the pairing of Sally and Clarissa was not surprising (knowing that in the novel she was fascinated with her), Richard's character was morphed into one similar to Septimus. This was not the only instance where two of the novel's character identities merged. In addition to the 2001 plot line, the undertones of Woolf's life that were portrayed in the other two plot lines added to the power of the movie. Things like the kisses with women - in reference to her alleged affair. Also in the 1950's plot, Kitty comes into the house displaying this mentality that is forced by societal norms of the time. You see this fake interaction broken by the synopsis of Mrs. Dalloway that Lauren Brown quickly spits off. This is telling to the nature of Woolf herself; challenging to the British norms in both her prose and content.
These cinematic characteristics were discrepancies from the novel but they added dimension to the story. They made the storyline of the movie harder to understand, but the additional layers to the character made for a more powerful depiction of both Clarissa and Richard, even Woolf to an extent.
Interesting post. I do have to ask where did you get the idea that Richard was gay? I didn't really pick up anything that could have hinted to him being gay. He kisses Clarissa and he also tells Clarissa he loves her before he dies which is something that even the Richard in the book couldn't do. Not that I don't believe it, but I didn't pick up any hints.
ReplyDeleteLouis (who drops by Peter-like to visit Clarissa mid-day) is Richard's ex-lover (he refers to going to Europe after they broke up). The kiss with Clarissa, in the film, is kind of an inversion of the Sally-Clarissa kiss in the novel, in that they both had a brief dalliance with heterosexual affection, but settled into gay and lesbian identities, respectively. So, in the film, it's Richard and Clarissa's kiss as young people that is the private secret they share, an anomaly that nonetheless shades their contemporary relationship.
DeleteI really liked the movie as well. I was surprised that it was so confusing. I found myself asking the question, "Who is that person?" or "What is happening?". An interesting point about the film is that it seems catered to those who have read the book, Ms. Dalloway, prior to watching the film. If you haven't read that book, you probably won't understand whats going on. In my opinion, this is a pretty bad way to go about making a film, simply because its limiting its audience. Other then that, I thought the twists the directors created were cool. Nice post!
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