Friday, September 01, 2006

Because I have such a strong admiration for Emma Thompson‘s writing gift, I wanted to see Nanny McPhee. I knew she had adapted the screenplay and I knew it would be well written. It was.

Mr. Cedric Brown (Colin Firth) has just lost his wife and is now left with his seven children who misbehave so much that all the nannies have run away. Now he is told by a mysterious voice that he should get Nanny McPhee (Emma Thompson) who is a magical woman with special powers.

It’s not of the caliber of Mary Poppins, but it is a good movie none the less. I like Thompson’s subtleties as Nanny McPhee. Colin Firth is solid as Mr. Brown. The kids are adorable even in their horribleness. The secondary characters are slightly cartoonish, but fun in it.

I liked the movie a lot and plan to buy it for our kids to watch when they’re old enough. I’ll probably look for the Nurse Matilda books by Christianna Brand as well - I have a feeling they are fun reads. Interestingly, looking at the site for Brands, they list a UK TV show called Jackanory. I think I remember watching that show when we lived in England.

Anyway, I recommend the movie with 3 stars out of 5.

[LATER]: An example of Thompson’s gift with the written word - her acceptance speech at the Golden Globes Awards when she won for Best Adapted Screenplay for Jane Austen’s Sense & Sensibility:

Thank you very much. Good Heavens. Um, I can’t thank you enough, Hollywood Foreign Press, for honoring me in this capacity. I don’t wish to burden you with my debts, which are heavy and numerous but, um, I think that everybody involved in the making of this film knows that we owe all our pride and all our joy to the genius of Jane Austen. And it occurred to me to wonder how she would react to an evening like this… [Puts down statue on stage, reads paper] And this is what I came up with.

Four a.m., having just returned from an evening at the Golden Spheres, which despite the inconveniences of heat, noise and overcrowding was not without its pleasures. Thankfully, there were no dogs and no children. The gowns were middling. There was a good deal of shouting and behavior verging on the profligate, however, people were very free with their compliments and I made several new acquaintences. There was Lindsay Doran of Mirage, wherever that might be, who’s largely responsible for my presence here, an enchanting companion about whom too much good cannot be said. Mr. Ang Lee, of foreign extraction, who most unexpectedly appeared to understand me better than I understand myself. Mr. James Shamis, a most copiously erudite person and Miss Kate Winslet, beautiful in both countenance and spirit. Mr. Pat Doyle, a composer and Scot, who displayed the kind of wild behavior one has learned to expect from that race. Mr. Mark Kenton, an energetic person with a ready smile who, as I understand it, owes me a great deal of money. [Breaks character, smiles] TRUE!! [back in character] Miss Lisa Hanson of Columbia, a lovely girl and Mr. Garrett Wiggin, a lovely boy. I attempted to converse with Mr. Sydney Pollack, but his charms and wisdom are so generally pleasing, that it proved impossible to get within ten feet of him. The room was full of interesting activity until 11 p.m. when it emptied rather suddenly. The lateness of the hour is due, therefore, not to the dance, but to waiting in a long line for a horseless carriage of unconscionable size. The modern world has clearly done nothing for transport.

P.S. Managed to avoid the hoyden Emily Thompson, who has purloined my creation and added things of her own. Nefarious Creature!

Thank you.

Clever, gracious, and witty.