The day after I finished reading the novel, I rented the latest film of Vanity Fair (2004), starring Reese Witherspoon, Rhys Ifans, Gabriel Brynes, Jonathan Rhys Meyers and Romola Garai. I predicted that Hollywood (again) would ruin a perfectly good English period story into a cheap, shallow, Holly-woody adaptation. I was more or less correct. Firstly, the use of synthetic materials (a big NO-NO in any historical film), modern make up, and modern hairstyles (all minor, trivial details) irritated me, but I am willing to forgive Hollywood as they could never live up to BBC's incredibly high standards in period costume drama.
The casting was surprisingly good Witherspoon was a good choice for Becky as she is well-known, and "pretty" but no great beauty (just as Becky from the novel). Her accent was very good no trace of an American accent and her acting convincing. However, more importantly, the choice of Gabriel Brynes as my lord, the Marquis of Steyne was very interesting. I imagined Lord Steyne to reek of filthy rich aristocratic arrogance, be bald, lecherous, and ugly, whereas Brynes brought a peculiar sense of elegance, wisdom and was strangely seductive. Or maybe this is because I quite like Gabriel Brynes (he's on my list of "liked actors"), although admittedly, I was shocked at how old he looked in the film. Even though Lord Steyne was completely different in the film, this was one interpretation that I quite liked.
The interpretation of Becky Sharp, however, wasn't "harsh" enough. From the book, I thought she is fond of her husband, but not really passionate; in the movie, Becky seems to actually be in love with him. The film makes the audience sympathetic towards Becky; in the book, the reader thinks that Becky made her own downfall. The movie doesn't show the utmost disdain she has towards her child, or how she has absolute control over her husband. It doesn't show how she uses Rawdon as a mere pawn in her game or how she steps on everybody for her own gain.
More than anything, the movie's ending was dreadful. Until the last scene, I was happy - although it has historically inaccurate hairdos, dresses and was generally lacking in character development, Vanity Fair '04 was doing well in packing a lengthy novel into under 3 hours. The last few scenes wrecked this illusion. I should have known that Hollywood could never deliver a story like Vanity Fair decently.
The whole story of Vanity Fair is about the rise and FALL of Becky. The film presented the RISE well, but it never showed the DOWNFALL. Ergo, the point of the story and Thackeray's message is not at all shown, including that legendary line:
"VANITAS VANITATUM! Which of us is happy in this world? Which of us has the desire? Or, having it, is satisfied?"
The casting was surprisingly good Witherspoon was a good choice for Becky as she is well-known, and "pretty" but no great beauty (just as Becky from the novel). Her accent was very good no trace of an American accent and her acting convincing. However, more importantly, the choice of Gabriel Brynes as my lord, the Marquis of Steyne was very interesting. I imagined Lord Steyne to reek of filthy rich aristocratic arrogance, be bald, lecherous, and ugly, whereas Brynes brought a peculiar sense of elegance, wisdom and was strangely seductive. Or maybe this is because I quite like Gabriel Brynes (he's on my list of "liked actors"), although admittedly, I was shocked at how old he looked in the film. Even though Lord Steyne was completely different in the film, this was one interpretation that I quite liked.
The interpretation of Becky Sharp, however, wasn't "harsh" enough. From the book, I thought she is fond of her husband, but not really passionate; in the movie, Becky seems to actually be in love with him. The film makes the audience sympathetic towards Becky; in the book, the reader thinks that Becky made her own downfall. The movie doesn't show the utmost disdain she has towards her child, or how she has absolute control over her husband. It doesn't show how she uses Rawdon as a mere pawn in her game or how she steps on everybody for her own gain.
More than anything, the movie's ending was dreadful. Until the last scene, I was happy - although it has historically inaccurate hairdos, dresses and was generally lacking in character development, Vanity Fair '04 was doing well in packing a lengthy novel into under 3 hours. The last few scenes wrecked this illusion. I should have known that Hollywood could never deliver a story like Vanity Fair decently.
The whole story of Vanity Fair is about the rise and FALL of Becky. The film presented the RISE well, but it never showed the DOWNFALL. Ergo, the point of the story and Thackeray's message is not at all shown, including that legendary line:
"VANITAS VANITATUM! Which of us is happy in this world? Which of us has the desire? Or, having it, is satisfied?"