Basils Liebe

A brit production, where the two leads are american. Basil's older brother had shamed the family, so he was sent away. Basil has always been careful around his dad, but there may be a showdown coming! Father doesn't approve of the young lady for whom basil has fallen. Mannion has become basil's friend, and will try to help. Julia's father agrees to the wedding, but they may not consummate the marriage until it is too late for basil to be dis-inherited. It's okay. The first half is pretty slow. The script is rather sparse, and we feel the desolation that basil feels. Twists, turns, intrigue. In the close-ups, faces, eyes, wallpaper, paintings are quite vivid. In the wide shots, everything and everyone is a bit faded, or foggy. It's possible they did something to the film to give it an aged look, like sepia. Directed by radha bharadwaj. Story by wilkie collins.

I watched this movie on AMC yesterday afternoon. I was glued to my television set for 2 hours. I didn't move a muscle. I must say that most of my faith in Christian Slater is restored. His work in this film is superb. I attempted to explain this movie to someone, but it was just too complicated. The story was excellent! Unfortunately, this film wasn't released in theaters. I certainly would have paid $6.50 to see it again.

"Basil" is a curiously compelling film. I rented it purely because it "looked Victorian" and I was in the mood for something different. It turned out to be very Victorian, a family saga set somewhere in the 19th Century. Wealthy, but not titled, father has two sons. His pompous and hypocritical Victorian "family values" provide the dramatic force for the story -- otherwise, it's just a bland Harlequin-type romance. The father's confrontations with sons over women end each time with decisions totally alien to our modern sensibilities. Very jarring. Jared Leto as Basil is a little strained in his acting, but always nice to look at. C. Slater is surprisingly (and obviously) good in this "historical" role, and he has a secret which provides a twist near the end. The end itself provides a strange turn that may make you wonder if Basil wouldn't have been happier in a new-age commune in modern New Mexico. Of course, it is basically a chick-flick....

I must admit, Jared was the hook, but it was the story that kept me interested. Not quite 'Dangerous Liaisons' or 'The Remains of the Day', but this film was very enjoyable. Jared Leto and Christian Slater both did fine jobs playing Brits and I would recommend this film to anyone.

"Basil" is a film that has all the ingredients of a classic soap opera. There's plenty of love deception, jealousy, a rich man who falls in love with a poor girl etc. But that's not one more and forgettable soap opera like the others. First of all, the film is based on a novel written by Wilkie Collins, one of the most important English writers of the 19o. century (a great friend of Charles Dickens) and that makes a great difference. On the other hand, this film has a nice direction and a fine cast, never sliding in hollow sentimentalism. Maybe the only negative point is that the plot is too predictable but even though you can still have a good time watching the film.