The first hour of the film is so rapidly paced that it turns what could have been a gorgeous period movie into somewhat lavish melodrama. You can unmistakably tell it was written by Brits, since only they would have this amount of reverence for their king. And despite his clearly abominable conduct, portray him as a paragon of mercy and sagacity. Merivel's storyline is so predictable that you can tell ten minutes in advance how his fall from grace is going to develop. Ten minutes is how long it takes him to be presented with the fake marriage, have a sham wedding, and fall in love with her for real anyway. The pace is so quick that there is no time for anything else. That includes Ian McKellen, who just got squandered in the film.
What totally wasn't wasted is the talent of James Newton Howard. The soundtrack is outstanding, and perfectly matches the fabulous production design.
Unfortunately, the story fails to leave a lasting impression, and akin to recognizing a play turned into a film, I could also tell this was a rather butchered adaptation of some novel.
What totally wasn't wasted is the talent of James Newton Howard. The soundtrack is outstanding, and perfectly matches the fabulous production design.
Unfortunately, the story fails to leave a lasting impression, and akin to recognizing a play turned into a film, I could also tell this was a rather butchered adaptation of some novel.