#peggyashcroft

[thatsmovietalk]

The Nun’s Story (1959) Directed by #FredZinnemann Starring #AudreyHepburn #PeterFinch #EdithEvans #PeggyAshcroft #TheNunsStory #Hollywood #hollywood #picture #film #movie #cinema #films #theater #movies #movieposter #movieworld #movielovers #movienews https://www.instagram.com/p/B_Zz3vtgzuq/?igshid=1k1m7lmzqivpm

[shakespeareplayer]

The Death of York...

…in Wars of the Roses, is brilliant. Once Sinden comes in with “She wolf of France…” that is. Ashcroft’s accent ruins her molehill speech, but her silent work is stunning. Her triumphing is uncomfortable and childlike (which I think is incredible), and once York comes in about Rutland, she begins to crack… it’s pretty stunning. Sindon finally comes into his own here, and it’s a relief to see some work from Ashcroft that I enjoy.

A few choices to steal: Margaret’s napkin of Rutland’s blood is soaked in it. She wipes it across York’s face just drenching him in the blood of his son; The paper crown she puts on him was taken from Rutland by Clifford; The breaking of Margaret (some) at York’s distress over his son. It’s a beautiful choice that humanizes her in one of our last moments to do so.

Onward!

[shakespeareplayer]

Nearing the End of Part 2...

…in Wars of the Roses. Still excellent and incredibly enjoyable.

Two complaints:

Peggy Ashcroft’s accent remains awful and distracting. Googling it, the first reference I found was a Guardian article referring to this as her greatest performance, and mentioning that she maintained an accent throughout to represent Margaret’s foreignness. It’s a choice, I guess. But it’s ruining the performance for me. Maybe it wasn’t as distracting on stage...

I’m hating Barton’s cutting of Warwick. He’s manipulated the text to make him the mover behind much more than he is in the play. Most specifically, he’s blunted York, taking away almost all of his faculty to hand it over to Warwick. Unlike any other manipulation thus far, it really changes and undercuts the character Shakespeare wrote. I can’t imagine feeling any sympathy for him later on.

But that aside, carrying on with glee.