Dean Spanley

Mr. Fisk, Jr. (Jeremy Northam) visits his cantankerous father, Fisk Sr. (Peter O'Toole) every Thursday for the noon meal. The long-standing cook and housekeeper, Mrs. Brimley (Judy Parfitt) always makes the same "hotpot" meal, for that's what Sr. demands. Knowing his father is in a rut and becoming more ornery every day, younger Fisk suggests that the two of them go hear a lecture on reincarnation. Most reluctantly, older Fisk agrees to go. Once there, another attendee asks the man if people can appear again as an animal or visa versa. The speaker says yes. Meanwhile, younger Fisk has gotten to know a gentleman named Dean Spanley (Sam Neill) who was at the "club" and likes an unusual drink, Tokai. Wanting to know the man better, Fisk Jr. asks a dealer (Bryan Brown) for the beverage, which turns out to be very expensive. But, its seems to be the only way to get a meeting with Spanley! Over glasses of the drink, younger Fisk is startled to hear an account of Dean's that he was once a DOG and what happened in his previous life! Well, well. Since the tale is spellbinding, Fisk listens. Will more earth shaking secrets be revealed? You bet! This is a very sophisticated film, told mostly in dialogue, and it focuses primarily on the male characters. Anglophiles will like it or film goers with refined tastes, as there is very little action. All of the acting is terrific, as are the beautiful sets and costumes. Script and direction are up to snuff, too. Therefore, if you admire the cast, as I do, or like the unusual offerings in the cinematic arena, go fetch dear Dean.

Like a fine wine this film moves its way around the palette. Roles are superbly under-played; silence replaces explosion, wry smile for laughter, lingering looks without raised eyebrows. This is a play of manners, a perfectly pitched study in to the calm veil that shields all from underlying raw emotions.

What's it about? Well it has men, women, dogs and wine; it is set in Edwardian England, and if having watched it you think its about man's best friend, then please avoid having children, let your genes stop with you.

To me Dean Spanley was like one of those magic eye pictures; where you may stare for a long time before the mind relaxes and lets you realise what you are looking at - and in this case it is a real work of art.

Be warned this is a deceptively powerful story - take tissues.

In what is perhaps one of the most peculiar of films to be released this year, director Toa Fraser adapts a classic book written by the late Lord Dunsany and translates it into a memorable production of dream-like perceptions. Indeed there is much to be said for a movie which revolves around hotpots, spaniels, the transmigration of souls, Thursdays and fine wine of all things, all the while telling a remarkably profound story of whimsical-like form inhabited by sternly grounded characters unaware of their otherworldly characteristics. It is a rather unique mix of the fantastic with the mundane and cynical; a study of the human spirit, and all the little frivolous things that occupy us without bringing attention to their remote significance. In that vein writer Alan Sharp makes his screenplay an insight into how the ordinary can suddenly be turned upside on its head and given extraordinary resonance. Dean Spanley is, by all accounts, a notably dry experience, but accompanied with the always engrossing performances of the central cast and a wry sense of humour present in the script, the experience like it is central character is warm and comforting behind the rather harsh shell that surrounds it.

The most remarkable of all of the movie's components is its plot, which counteracts against central character Fisk Senior's (Peter O'Toole) callous, very much close-minded approach to life. Going from happenstance to coincidence and then closely followed by an almost prophetic like relationship, Fisk's son strikes up an interesting bond with the local Dean (Sam Neill), who when under the modest influence of the rarest of wines, recalls his past life as a canine. From here on in the feature exposes its most bizarre roots, showcasing a character and story that often perplexes more than intrigues, but amuses all the same. It's certainly an interesting, and for the most part engaging narrative, but for all intents and purposes always feels like second batter to much firmer and more developed elements. This, along with a somewhat overdone conclusion forms what are perhaps the movie's only two major faults, but even then such moments are not without their inherent charm and significance to the remainder of the feature.

It is instead through the character of Fisk Senior and his relationship with his ever unappreciated and frustrated son Fisk Junior (Jeremy Northam) that Dean Spanley is best at documenting and exploring. As a father and a general human being, Senior is a callous, opinionated and close minded bastard; by all means he means no real harm through his stern actions -in fact through his eyes he sees himself as teaching the world a well deserved lesson- but to those around him, he remains a senile old coot not worth paying attention to. Junior is very much his antithesis, no doubt taking more of his deceased mother's genes than his fathers, and as a result the dynamic between the two is consistently engaging to watch and always palpable. Director Toa Fraser does particularly well in directing the two to be familiar but withdrawn from each other, resulting in a relationship that counteracts that between Junior and Dean Spanley.

As mentioned above however, it is within these frequent highlights of the film that only go to make the less tangible moments that exist without Senior's presence more obvious and dubious. Dean Spanley tells a fine, and notably uplifting story, but its heart and core lies within its characters that are most prominent in the forms of O'Toole and Northam. It's worth mentioning then that as the feature goes on, focus on each is given adequate balance, culminating in a clashing of the two characters' stories in a timid manner that is made all the more profound by Mr. O'Toole's performance. It's a somewhat out of place resolution, and one that seems to go against the character of Fisk Senior a little too much, but the emotional payoff that is warranted from such a shift makes up for any out of balance characterisation.

For all its eccentricities, dry humour and rich sense of character however, it must be noted that the experience of watching Dean Spanley certainly isn't for everyone. A drama rooted in classic prose, focusing heavily on character, philosophy and small nuances of psychology and life, Toa Fraser here sticks to his guns and delivers an unapologetically intelligent, cultured and insightful character study kept in check by warmth of heart and unique personality. If there is one major selling point for the feature that will allow all audiences to get something from the feature however, it simply lies within the timeless presence of Peter O'Toole who gives a wonderful performance befitting of his stature and the character in which he resides. It can be a touching, humorous and even thought-provoking experience, but like a fine wine, you're best not to get too involved here; this one's for sitting back and soaking in one sip at a time, and yes, it might be a little syrupy but it's enough to get lost in and enjoy all the same.

• Written by Jamie Robert Ward (http://www.invocus.net)

We found Dean Spanley by surfing Comcast On Demand and were delighted by this witty, thought-provoking and emotional film. It's based on a story by Lord Dunsany, a writer who "imaginatively transforms materials from The Arabian Nights, classical mythology, Celtic, Germanic, and Hindu folklore as well as from medieval lays and quest romances." The cast is amazing for a New Zealand film, the script is excellent, the acting is superb and the climactic scene is totally gripping for all that it takes place in a dinner-table conversation. American film makers should take note of how this is done -- but they won't. Peter O'Toole should get an Oscar for his performance as Fisk Senior -- but he won't. We should all be able to see more movies like Dean Spanley -- but I'm not holding my breath. Don't let that keep you from enjoying this terrific movie. Four enthusiastic thumbs-up for Dean Spanley. (Dean is a title, not a name.)

I urge viewers not to read any summary of this story that reveals details of the plot or its premises. I will only say that the story is mystical and quixotic. Some will like it, some will not, but as you can see on these pages, this film has many admirers.

The story starts with a narration by Young Fisk, who is visiting the elder Fisk at his home. Their relationship is strained and combative. They decide to spend the day together in a rather unusual way. It is the beginning of a journey by Young Fisk that will culminate in some discoveries and some wondrous understandings.

Set circa 1910, as the motorcar becomes a symbol for the declining past and the nascent future, one of the best elements of this film, in my opinion, is its richness of tone. Scenes are shot lovingly, with an emphasis on art, and its beauty, as it occurs in architecture, painting, literature, language, music, and the enrichment of the senses.

"Dean Spanley" reminds one of the joys of the well-written tale, where language enthralls. As a film, it celebrates the well-read line, the poignancy in pauses, the synergy between image and music.

And it gives us some performances to be cherished. Though no performance is dissonant in this film, I particularly enjoyed the performances of Peter O'Toole as the elder Fisk and Sam Neill as Dean Spanley. Do yourself a favor and bask in their prodigiousness.