In the Bleak Midwinter (1995)

User Rating:

7.1/10   

Director:

Kenneth Branagh

Writer:

Kenneth Branagh (written by)

Release Date:

16 February 1996 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Tagline:

The drama. The passion. The intrigue... And the rehearsals haven't even started.

Plot:

Out of work actor Joe volunteers to help try and save his sister's local church for the community by putting on a Christmas production of Hamlet...

Plot Keywords:

Christmas | Actor | Play | Homosexual | William Shakespeare

Awards:

1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

Richard Briers	...	Henry Wakefield (Claudius, the Ghost, and the Player King)
Hetta Charnley	...	Molly
Joan Collins	...	Margaretta D'Arcy
Nicholas Farrell	...	Tom Newman (Laertes, Fortinbras, and messengers)
Mark Hadfield	...	Vernon Spatch (Polonius, Marcellus, and First Gravedigger)
Gerard Horan	...	Carnforth Greville (Rosencrantz, Guildenstern, Horatio, and Barnardo)
Celia Imrie	...	Fadge
Michael Maloney	...	Joe Harper (Hamlet)
Jennifer Saunders	...	Nancy Crawford
Julia Sawalha	...	Nina Raymond (Ophelia)
John Sessions	...	Terry Du Bois (Queen Gertrude)
Ann Davies	...	Mrs. Branch
James D. White	...	Tim
Robert Hines	...	Mortimer
Allie Byrne	...	Tap Dancer

Also Known As:

A Midwinter's Tale (USA)

MPAA:

Rated R for some language.

Runtime:

99 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:L | Australia:M | Germany:12 | New Zealand:M | Portugal:M/12 | Spain:T | Sweden:7 | UK:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

England, UK

Company:

Castle Rock Entertainment

Trivia:

Jimmy Yuill Was offered a key role but had to pass because of his commitments to Wycliffe.

Quotes:

Joe Harper: You know the way doctors say that nervous breakdowns can happen very fast and dramatically, sort of a big bang, or there are the other kind which happen very slowly over a period of time. I was thirty-three years old, and this one had started when I was seven months and had just begun to take hold.

Movie Connections:

References "Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers" (1993)

Soundtrack:

Heart of Glass

Wonderful Underrated Classic

This was a film that I wanted to see from the very second that I heard about it. Unfortunately (for one reason and another) I missed it at the cinema and was forced to trawl the depths of video stores to find it. It is a beautifully shot, subtly hilarious piece of cinematic history. Anyone who has ever worked in theatres or have met "theatre types" will empathise with the characters immediately...and anyone who has never experienced the backstage "goings on" of theatres should watch this film to experience the endearing qualities of theatre in its extreme.

Quite simply this film is wonderful and has made me a huge fan of Kenneth Branagh's writing and direction.

My only complaint about this film is that it is impossible to find!! Why can't we buy it on DVD yet??!