In This Week’s “Picture This!” Rebecca Redshaw Reviews “The Four Feathers”

By Rebecca Redshaw

Reprinted from NotesFromHollywood.com

Sometimes left over spaghetti tastes better the second day. I’m not sure the same can be said for retold stories.

Remakes certainly have their place in the film business. Occasionally they work well. A STAR IS BORN with James Mason and Judy Garland stood on its own even though it was a retelling of the 1937 Janet Gaynor/Frederic March movie of the same name (which was a remake of the 1932 feature WHAT PRICE HOLLYWOOD?).

A.E.W. Mason published his novel, THE FOUR FEATHERS in 1907. Counting the original black and white silent picture filmed in 1915, there have been six, that’s right SIX, retellings of the story.

The newest interpretation is a Paramount/Miramax release directed by Shekhar Kapur, who also directed another period piece, ELIZABETH. In this film, Kapur addresses the challenge of maintaining the apparently all important code of honor among the youthful British battalion officers while at the same time being true to one’s personal belief. The choice made by Harry (Heath Ledger) and the resulting indignation of his friends and fiancé (Kate Hudson) are the stuff of which the next 125 minutes are made.

The costumes are beautiful, the desert cinematography enticing in a dangerous way, and the music apropos. What’s missing is the heart. I want to go to the library and check out the novel by Mason. Clearly, a story that warrants retelling so many times must have more to it than was apparent this go ‘round.