House of Mirth

Pros: Nice scenery, costumes, some biting commentary
Cons: Rotten adaptation and boring as mud

Ah, Hollywood's love affair with literature continues with The House of Mirth. Having adapted The Age of Innocence and The Reef, they've swooped down on another one Edith Wharton's excellent novels of class and snobbery and flew away with...

Pros: photography, music, costumes, most of the performances
Cons: some odd castings of male roles

Edith Wharton has been well served on film in recent years. Her three best-known books have all been vividly realized on screen: Martin Scorcese’s opulent “Age of Innocence” John Madden’s bleak “Ethan Frome,” and Terrence Davies’ bleak and opulent “House...

Pros: A Gilded Age tragedy that will break your heart...if you let it in.
Cons: Very slow, deliberate movie. But don't call it "boring."

There are certain actors out there who, whether "typecast" or not, will be forever associated with a certain character they created. Sometimes it's a liability, and the actors may be better off without that association. Here I'm thinking of Jason...

Pros: Gillian Anderson isn't as cartoonish as the other characters.
Cons: People who can't forgive her for her television work will say that she is.

Fans of Robin and the Seven Hoods may remember the scene in which Dean Martin’s character explains to Frank Sinatra that there is only one thing to do in a card game in which your opponent holds all the aces: “Kick over the table.”

Lily...

Pros: Gillian Anderson's masterful performance, gorgeous costumes
Cons: Difficult to follow for those unfamiliar with the story; drags a bit.

Two of the four stars I'm giving this film belong to Gillian Anderson. Without her performance, this film would be somewhat of a clunker, but she manages to lift it above quite a few shortcomings. The House of Mirth is based upon the classic novel...

Pros: Good cast. Good scenes.
Cons: Long, dull, what's the point?

While watching The House Of Mirth I felt like I was watching a miniseries. Or more like, the second part to a series. As the film began, I felt like I was missing something. It just starts, and we are thrown into the middle of...

Pros: Dazzling performance from Gillian Anderson & insightful social commentary
Cons: Slow-moving, plodding pace...not as good as Martin Scorsese's similar "Age of Innocence"

If you only associate Gillian Anderson with FBI agent Dana Scully on TV's "X-Files," you'll be surprised at her admirable, even astonishing, acting range as Lily Bart, the tragic heroine of British writer/director Terence Davies' screen adaptation...

Pros: Lush production values, Gillian Anderson's wrenching performance
Cons: A bit dark and dreadful at times, the ending is NOT uplifting

So I got finally a call from my fabulous friend Leia this evening! She called me from back east after more than two months of silence during which time I thought she was either dead or abducted by aliens. It's simply NOT like her not to call me! And...

Pros: sumptuous, beautiful, well-acted, quirky casting
Cons: the story slowly unfolds; see if you have the patience

Oh, pity poor Lily Bart. She comes from money. She's beautiful. She's stylish, and just smart enough to be entertaining, even beguiling.

But she's not shrewd. She's not clever. And though she's somewhat selfish, she's not ruthless or cruel....

Pros: Incredible performance by Gillian Anderson; production design
Cons: You won't leave feeling mirthful

What's this? A pop Television star meets Edith Wharton? Here's my first reaction: "Bwahahahaha!"

But after seeing the film, I'm not laughing. In fact, I feel apologetic. Gillian Anderson's performance as Lilly Bart in "House of Mirth" was...

Pros: A superb cast led by an excellent Gillian Anderson.
Cons: May be too slow for a number of moviegoers.

Positioning a lavish adaptation of a literary classic for maximum awards consideration is hardly a risk, but Terence Davies' adaptation of Edith Wharton's tale of merciless high society has one huge gamble at its center: playing heroine Lily Bart, an...

Pros: Decent if unspectacular performances, great costumes
Cons: Muddy plot handling

Nestled away in Martin Scorsese's 1993 adaptation of Edith Wharton's THE AGE OF INNOCENCE, almost unnoticed amidst the opulent and meticulously crafted food, the fabulous costumes, and Joanne Woodward's calm narration, was an aura of stifling...

Pros: Superb acting by all; Beautiful cinematography, excellent moosical score.
Cons: Problematic pacing; Shot where??

Ok, the MooCow is gonna come clean: he did not read Edith Warton's excellent period novel about Lily Bart's tragic fall from "good society" in 1900's Moo York City. In fact, the MooCow probably had his head stuck inside a keg of Yeungling Black & Tan...

Pros: acting, directing and scenery all gorgeous and well done
Cons: none

There's plenty of swordplay and bloodshed in Terence Davies's film adaptation of Edith Wharton's "House Of Mirth". Innuendo, rhetoric and insult are the swords of choice. The bloodshed is damaged pride, depression, loss of social power and position and...

Pros: Gillian Anderson, Eric Stoltz, script
Cons: Adaptation from the novel, editing

I studied the book by Edith Wharton in my American Literature Class about a year ago. The movie came to the theater right after we read the novel, but living in a small town I had to wait until the movie came out to rent to watch it. I enjoyed the book...