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Rating:  -
Washington Square, directed by Agnieszka Holland, is a wonderful film! It is definitely better than the previous film version Heiress in 1940s. This fascinating film is a little different from its original, Henry James's Washington Square. But that doesn't matter much. It has its own merits and attractions.
Rating:  -
Any filmmaker taking on a James adaptation MUST make casting his primary concern since all of James' works are character driven. This film was partially successful.
Jennifer Jason-Leigh's interpretation of Catherin Sloper was interesting to me but I found the characterisation taken to jarring extremes. Another review declared at times she appeared so socially backward as to be retarded and I agree with him. Thus it was more jarring to see her one moment squirming and tongue-tied before Townsend, the next moment smoothly inviting him to play piano at her home. I try to refrain from age-attacking actresses but I do feel she was a little too old for the role as well.
Ben Chaplin is gorgeous but I found Townsend unsympathetic in the film. Townsend's character is supposed to retain a certain sympathy and he just couldn't do it.
Finney and Smith were both wonderful in their roles. Finney's vindictive unforgiving parenting of Catherine is very true in my mind. He is brutal, at times violently indifferent, yet it is apparent at times he is reaching for some common thread of understanding with the daughter he resents and despises. His ultimate hypocrisy also sets Catherine free of any more fortun-hunting prospects as well as depriving the Slope dynasty of any hope of continuation. He is just self-destructive enough to do it and be believable.
The costumes and production values of this film were beautiful but the cinematography was just plain weird at moments, with strange camera angles, and the soundtrack is very nice.
In comparison to "The Heiress" (starring Olivia de Haviland) I think "Washington Square offered certain pros and cons. I preferred WS's faithfulness to the story, which presents a more quiet triumph on Catherine's part as opposed to TH's more dramatic resolution. I DO feel deHaviland is much more believable in the starring role. At the same time, I liked WS because I felt it was just more Jamesian. Both have their merits.
Rating: -
I watched this and like it and I bought it but it's not what I call a classic, still it's quite good adapatation of the novel. If you're a fan of the story, I recommend you try to get your hands on the play adaptation of this story "The Heiress" with Montgomery Cliff and Olivia DeHaviland playing the 'ugly duckling.' The story and acting is far surpassed by Washington Square.. it is currently not available on DVD but if you watch TCM you might catch it. It's a 5 starrer. (if that's a word.)
Rating:  -
This adaptation, like 1949's *The Heiress*, is based on the Henry James novel. *The Heiress*, starring Olivia de Havilland, remains as a well-respected piece of work, though less true to James' original story than this new remake, which retains James' original title. It is the story of a awkward, yet loving daughter , devoted to her father after her mother dies during childbirth. The arrogant father holds his daughter in no esteem whatsoever, and considers her, as well as all women, simpleminded. When a young man of good family and little fortune comes courting, the Father is naturally suspicious, but feeling so sure that his daughter could hold no interest for any man, is convinced that the young man is a fortune hunter and forbids her to see him. Leigh is a controversial actress - most either love her or hate her - and she always has a particular edginess and tenseness to her style, like she's acting through gritted teeth. She's not bad in this, and she handles her role relatively deftly - it's just an awkward role for any actress, making the audience want to grab the character by her shoulders and shake her until she comes to her senses. While the character garners a lot of sympathy, she's not particularly likable. The very handsome and immensely appealing Ben Chaplin (previously seen in *The Truth About Cats and Dogs*) plays his role with the exact amount of mystery required to keep the audience guessing whether he is after her fortune, or is really in love with her. Maggie Smith is one of the finest actresses alive and raises the level of the movie considerably with her portrayal of the well-meaning aunt. Finney is marvelous, of course, as the father who threatens to disinherit his daughter for her disobedience, but the daughter is willing to risk that for the man she loves. But does her ardent suitor still want her without her fortune? This is only one instance where *Washington Square* differs from *The Heiress*. Another instance is the ability to stick with it. It is a handsome movie that is as tedious as a dripping faucet, offering too little story in too long of a movie.
Rating:  -
One word to describe this movie PITIFUL.
Do yourself a favor invest in the older version The Heiress,you will not be disappointed
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