The new spy thriller set during World War II entitled The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare has the unique distinction of being a somewhat true account of not only a pivotal mission during the campaign, but also of the germination of the character of James Bond – to a certain extent at least.
Ostensibly based on true events documented in recently declassified British War Department documents, the film The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare imparts the tale of an organization created during World War II under the guidance of Prime Minister Winston Chruchill. This “top-secret” unit is comprised of a group of men (and one woman) brought together by Gus March-Phillips (Henry Cavill) to undertake an audacious mission that could alter the course of the war against the Nazis.
Phillips is recruited for this mission by Brigadier Gubbins (Cary Elwes) – otherwise known as “M” – and his second in command Ian Fleming (Freddie Fox...
Ostensibly based on true events documented in recently declassified British War Department documents, the film The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare imparts the tale of an organization created during World War II under the guidance of Prime Minister Winston Chruchill. This “top-secret” unit is comprised of a group of men (and one woman) brought together by Gus March-Phillips (Henry Cavill) to undertake an audacious mission that could alter the course of the war against the Nazis.
Phillips is recruited for this mission by Brigadier Gubbins (Cary Elwes) – otherwise known as “M” – and his second in command Ian Fleming (Freddie Fox...
- 4/19/2024
- by Mike Tyrkus
- CinemaNerdz
Production designer Martyn John recalls showing filmmaker Guy Ritchie at least 24 English country houses for the 2019 film “The Gentlemen.” Ritchie eventually chose the stately home of Basildon Park, Berkshire in the U.K. for that film.
When it came to filming the Netflix spinoff series of the same name, Ritchie sought a home that was an exceptional piece of architecture with faded grandeur. Having researched houses and manors for the film, John had six homes in mind. Narrowing it down was easy. “As soon as I got to Badminton House, I knew that was the one,” says John.
Located in Gloucestershire, two hours away from London, Badminton House was beautiful, grand and faded with lots of cracks in the walls and ceilings. “The Duke had recently died, so there was a new one, and there was all this change going on within the family, and the architecture related to that as well,...
When it came to filming the Netflix spinoff series of the same name, Ritchie sought a home that was an exceptional piece of architecture with faded grandeur. Having researched houses and manors for the film, John had six homes in mind. Narrowing it down was easy. “As soon as I got to Badminton House, I knew that was the one,” says John.
Located in Gloucestershire, two hours away from London, Badminton House was beautiful, grand and faded with lots of cracks in the walls and ceilings. “The Duke had recently died, so there was a new one, and there was all this change going on within the family, and the architecture related to that as well,...
- 3/20/2024
- by Jazz Tangcay
- Variety Film + TV
Mike Binder might just be on to something with "The Search For John Gissing", a business world romp that has the quirky look and feel of an English import but is actually what the film's Yank writer-director-star refers to as a British-American fusion comedy.
Whatever the hybrid, the end result is very much a precious commodity these days -- a comedy that actually delivers the goods with striking frequency.
Factor in a lively Anglo-American cast that's quite up to the droll task at hand, and the film, which had its world premiere at the recent AFI Festival, could find a handsome indie niche for itself with the right distributor on both sides of the pond.
Despite the contemporary setting, there's an unmistakable throwback '60s, "Out-of-Towners"-abroad vibe at play here.
Freshly transferred U.S. businessman Matthew Barnes (Binder) and his equally jet-lagged wife, Linda (the always swell Janeane Garofalo), have just arrived in London, where they're supposed to be met by a company colleague named John Gissing (Alan Rickman) who is ostensibly helping them get settled in.
Not only is their host a no-show, but unbeknownst to Barnes, who's being groomed as his replacement at the international computer firm, Gissing has plotted to make the couple's stay as unpleasant as possible.
When Barnes finally figures out what's going on, he turns the tables on Gissing, and all manners of devious one-upmanship ensue, leading to a mutually beneficial solution.
Binder has some fun with the fish-out-of-water milieu, but he's careful not to overplay the ugly American card or lapse into heavy-handed slapstick.
As has been the case of so many things viewed post-Sept. 11, there is just a bit of irony in a pointed speech made by Barnes about how business is the new war since his generation has grown up without being in the shadow of any significant conflict.
Binder the director, meanwhile, has chosen to give the picture a visual hiccup, often jump-cutting several times in the same scene. It's a technique that ultimately proves more distracting than stimulating.
But he has generously allowed the production enough breathing space for the likable ensemble to strut their stuff.
While frazzled everyman Binder, and Garofalo, who does a mean slow burn, ably hold up the American side of the casting, a dryly wry Rickman establishes the correct comedic mode for the Euro contingent, which also includes his "Truly Madly Deeply" co-star Juliet Stevenson and Owen Teale as officious company execs, as well as Sonya Walger (who also appears opposite Binder in his HBO series "The Mind of the Married Man") as a highly suspect nun.
Only "Topsy-Turvy"'s Allan Corduner ventures over the top as the firm's huffy French CEO, playing it like he's appearing in one of the lesser "Pink Panther" pictures.
Technical attributes are bright, including DP Sue Gibson's crisp camerawork and Martyn John's well-appointed production design, which take good advantage of all those scenic London locations.
THE SEARCH FOR JOHN GISSING
Sunlight Prods.
Director-screenwriter:Mike Binder
Producer:Jack Binder
Executive producers:Peter Savarino, Rod Lurie, Marc Frydman, James Harbaugh, Steve Shields
Director of photography:Sue Gibson
Production designer:Martyn John
Editor:Roger Nygard
Music:Larry Groupe
Music supervisor:Dondi Bastone
Color/stereo
Cast:
Matthew Barnes:Mike Binder
Linda Barnes:Janeane Garofalo
John Gissing:Alan Rickman
Sister Mary:Sonya Walger
Gwenyth Moore:Juliet Stevenson
Francois Fuller:Allan Corduner
Giles Hanagan:Owen Teale
Running time -- 91 minutes
No MPAA rating...
Whatever the hybrid, the end result is very much a precious commodity these days -- a comedy that actually delivers the goods with striking frequency.
Factor in a lively Anglo-American cast that's quite up to the droll task at hand, and the film, which had its world premiere at the recent AFI Festival, could find a handsome indie niche for itself with the right distributor on both sides of the pond.
Despite the contemporary setting, there's an unmistakable throwback '60s, "Out-of-Towners"-abroad vibe at play here.
Freshly transferred U.S. businessman Matthew Barnes (Binder) and his equally jet-lagged wife, Linda (the always swell Janeane Garofalo), have just arrived in London, where they're supposed to be met by a company colleague named John Gissing (Alan Rickman) who is ostensibly helping them get settled in.
Not only is their host a no-show, but unbeknownst to Barnes, who's being groomed as his replacement at the international computer firm, Gissing has plotted to make the couple's stay as unpleasant as possible.
When Barnes finally figures out what's going on, he turns the tables on Gissing, and all manners of devious one-upmanship ensue, leading to a mutually beneficial solution.
Binder has some fun with the fish-out-of-water milieu, but he's careful not to overplay the ugly American card or lapse into heavy-handed slapstick.
As has been the case of so many things viewed post-Sept. 11, there is just a bit of irony in a pointed speech made by Barnes about how business is the new war since his generation has grown up without being in the shadow of any significant conflict.
Binder the director, meanwhile, has chosen to give the picture a visual hiccup, often jump-cutting several times in the same scene. It's a technique that ultimately proves more distracting than stimulating.
But he has generously allowed the production enough breathing space for the likable ensemble to strut their stuff.
While frazzled everyman Binder, and Garofalo, who does a mean slow burn, ably hold up the American side of the casting, a dryly wry Rickman establishes the correct comedic mode for the Euro contingent, which also includes his "Truly Madly Deeply" co-star Juliet Stevenson and Owen Teale as officious company execs, as well as Sonya Walger (who also appears opposite Binder in his HBO series "The Mind of the Married Man") as a highly suspect nun.
Only "Topsy-Turvy"'s Allan Corduner ventures over the top as the firm's huffy French CEO, playing it like he's appearing in one of the lesser "Pink Panther" pictures.
Technical attributes are bright, including DP Sue Gibson's crisp camerawork and Martyn John's well-appointed production design, which take good advantage of all those scenic London locations.
THE SEARCH FOR JOHN GISSING
Sunlight Prods.
Director-screenwriter:Mike Binder
Producer:Jack Binder
Executive producers:Peter Savarino, Rod Lurie, Marc Frydman, James Harbaugh, Steve Shields
Director of photography:Sue Gibson
Production designer:Martyn John
Editor:Roger Nygard
Music:Larry Groupe
Music supervisor:Dondi Bastone
Color/stereo
Cast:
Matthew Barnes:Mike Binder
Linda Barnes:Janeane Garofalo
John Gissing:Alan Rickman
Sister Mary:Sonya Walger
Gwenyth Moore:Juliet Stevenson
Francois Fuller:Allan Corduner
Giles Hanagan:Owen Teale
Running time -- 91 minutes
No MPAA rating...
- 11/29/2001
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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