Director: Tim Fywell
Genre: Drama/
Romance
Runtime: 108
minutes
Year:
2003
Starring: Romola Garai, Rose Byrne, Marc Blucas, Henry Thomas, Henry Cavill, Bill
Nighy, Tara Fitzgerald
Description: A love story
set in 1930s England that follows 17-year-old Cassandra Mortmain (Romola Garai),
and the fortunes of her eccentric family, struggling to survive in a decaying
English castle.
I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2020 MOVIE CHALLENGE.
WEEK 46: A COSTUME DRAMA
Review: “Better all that hurt than to have known no pain”. That’s the lesson we
earn from the film “I Capture the Castle”. The film is based on the 1948 book
of the same name by Dodie Smith, who would later become known mainly for her
book “The Hundred and One Dalmatians”.
The story of the film is
told with the help of a voice-over by Cassandra Mortmain who records all the
events surrounding her family in her journal. The film is set in 1930s England.
Seventeen-year-old Cassandra lives with her eccentric family in a remote
dilapidated castle. Depressed father James once wrote a successful book, but
hasn’t had a word on paper for twelve years. Stepmother Topaz is an artist and
nudist. Sister Rose is a beautiful girl with a penchant of luxury; her life
goal is to marry a rich man. And then there is little brother Thomas, a very
smart kid. In addition, the handsome handyman Stephan often visits the Mortmains;
he is secretly in love with Cassandra, but she is not in love with him. One day
the family meets two wealthy young American men: Simon and Neil Cotton. Rose
sees her chance and does everything he can to make Simon fall in love with her.
She succeeds and soon the two get engaged. Ut then Cassandra falls in love with
Simon herself. And is Rose actually happy with Simon.
Although “I Capture the
Castle” is a beautiful film, the story doesn’t seem to work all the time. I
think it’s mostly the motivations of some characters that bother me. I simply
never understand what Cassandra sees in Simon. Simon is clearly in love with
Rose and at first Cassandra even helps Rose to get Simon. But still she falls
in love with him. When there is Stephen, a caring, sweet, kind and handsome man
(come on, it’s Henry Cavill) who would do everything for Cassandra. But she doesn’t
love him back and treats him rather unfairly. He is the winning lottery ticket
girl!
I really did love Romolo
Garai in her role, even though I didn’t always understand her choices. And despite
some negatives, I really did enjoy “I Capture the Castle”.
Rating: 3/
5
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