The Europeans: The Merchant Ivory Collection
by James Ivory
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Actor: Lee Remick, Lisa Eichhorn, Robin Ellis, Tim Woodward, Wesley AddyDirector: James Ivory
Brand: Image Entertainment
Cinematographer: Larry Pizer
Producer: Ismail Merchant
Writer: Ruth Prawer Jhabvala
Writer: Henry James
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown), Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono; English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono
Format: Anamorphic, Color, DVD, Mono, NTSC, Widescreen
Picture Format: 1.78:1
Running Time: 91 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2003-08-19
Audience Rating: Unrated
Studio: The Criterion Collection
DVD Reviews of The Europeans: The Merchant Ivory Collection
DVD Review: Mid-level Merchant-Ivory
Summary: 3 Stars
"The Europeans" (1979) was the first Merchant-Ivory adaptation of a Henry James novel and was later followed by "The Bostonians" (1984) and "The Golden Bowl" (2000). The story concerns a puritan American family, The Wentworths, who live outside Boston in the mid-1800s. They lead a quiet life filled with temperance and religion, but that all changes when their two European cousins show up for a visit unexpectedly. Artistic Felix Young (Tim Woodward) arrives first and immediately charms one of the Wentworth daughters, the homely Gertrude (Lisa Eichorn). When Felix fetches his sister, Eugenia (Lee Remick), who also is the Baroness Eugena-Camilla-Dolores Munster, she makes quite a splash with the simple Americans. Mr. Wentworth (Wesley Addy) is wary of Felix and Eugenia, but at the urging of Gertrude, he agrees to let them stay at a small house on the family's sprawling estate. We soon discover the reason for their visit - Eugenia, who plans on divorcing her Prince husband, is seeking a wealthy American to marry, which sets into motion the main plotlines.
In many ways, "The Europeans" succeeds and is rather enjoyable. The film has many outdoor scenes shot in various Massachusetts and New Hampshire locations, and the fall scenery is absolutely stunning. It's worth watching the movie for that alone. Merchant and Ivory always show an eye for detail, and the decorations, sets, and costumes are gorgeous - the film's only Oscar nomination was for Judy Moorcroft's costume design. They also got the tone of this comedy of manners nearly right; some of the scenes are genuinely funny and highlight the differences between the Americans and the Europeans. I haven't read the James novella, but the plot description of the book suggests that the movie is fairly faithful.
Unfortunately, the film overall often feels stilted, almost as if it were a play. The major debit is that the actors affect such different styles that they often feel as though they're acting in different movies. Some of this might be purposeful, to highlight the differences between the rough-hewn but disciplined Wentworths and the almost Bohemian Europeans; however, it also just seems poorly aced. Lisa Eichorn is particularly wooden and non-emotive. I actually enjoyed Tim Choate's performance as the immature uncultured Wentworth brother, but his acting doesn't meld with the other more uptight performances around him. In addition, the sets, while beautiful, feel stuffy and museum-like. The movie ends up feeling like second-rate "Masterpiece Theater" instead of first-rate Merchant Ivory. I'd rank "The Europeans" ahead of "The Bostonians," but far behind their masterpieces "Howards End," "A Room with a View," and "The Remains of the Day."
Description of The Europeans: The Merchant Ivory Collection
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