Still fuming about the woman from Coventry challenging Peter on the Dresden firestorm. Claiming moral superiority over the people who fought in WW2 (including the film’s lead!) by ventriloquising those who died in it. I need stronger words than crass, self-righteous and patronising but it’s a start.
Yeah, it was the sort of patronising guff that can only be written by someone sitting comfortably away from any kind of warfare - either geographically or in time.
The play literally dances on the grave of North By Northwest. There's soft-shoe shuffles, songs, panto audience participation.
It feels a mean thing to do to a lovely film, but fiiiine, if you must. And then the ending happens....
During the final fight, Leonard jumps off Mount Rushmore because of gay oppression, Roger Thornhill says PTSD from the war has left him with a string of broken marriages, Vandamm has a long speech about racism, and Eve Kendall stands for the Senate and wins, in order to fight fascism.
This all comes out of NOWHERE.
Having spent two hours taking the piss out of a rather nice movie, the serious ending feels a swerve.
"How dare you enjoy this film?" the play roars, then sends everyone home with a scolding.
Ick. So much of this is happening these days. I thought 'Present Laughter' and 'The Importance of Being Earnest' were both huge fuck-yous to the fans of those plays.
That’s awful. I was similarly incensed when I saw their last production Bluebeard, which is why I hesitated going to see this, even though I love the film.
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It feels a mean thing to do to a lovely film, but fiiiine, if you must. And then the ending happens....
Sure Nigel Kneale wouldn't mind.
Having spent two hours taking the piss out of a rather nice movie, the serious ending feels a swerve.
"How dare you enjoy this film?" the play roars, then sends everyone home with a scolding.