Coign of Vantage
is an advantageous position and for our Merivel he yaws between said locale and the bowels of contemporary existence.
The film is full of literary allusions to previous works and the religious/social dynamics of the post Interregnum England upon the rise of the Phoenix (Charles II)from the ruins of Parliament/Cromwell's rule over the Three Kingdoms (England, Ireland and Scotland).
Well back the comments: Merivel (Downey) rises to a court position after saving one of the Kings dogs and is venal to the temptations of the usual hedonism. He becomes the unofficial jester and is used to wed one of Charles' Mistress Celia (Polly Walker)as a means to calm her conniptious behavior. A marriage in name only.
And in proper course Merivel falls in love with Celia and makes the mistake of tawdry approaches to Lady Celia. The King banishes Merivel and repossesses his property, and he flees to live with a Quaker Doctor friend of his. (Thewlis) Merivel slowly comes to live with his dull new digs and inpregnates an insane Irish women with an unusual way of walking. Again banished, the two set off for the tepid/fetid plague infested city, London. She dies giving birth and redemption follows upon good works before the Lord under his Quaker friend's name.
The title reveals much more than if the movie were, Robert Downey Junior's Adventures in England. The film has moments of humor, gilded production values subtlety and how doing good for others will bring you true happiness.
Better than most period pieces about the Stuart Dynasty and deserved of its Academy Awards even without use of dead writer's work to be made by Merchant/Ivory.
is an advantageous position and for our Merivel he yaws between said locale and the bowels of contemporary existence.
The film is full of literary allusions to previous works and the religious/social dynamics of the post Interregnum England upon the rise of the Phoenix (Charles II)from the ruins of Parliament/Cromwell's rule over the Three Kingdoms (England, Ireland and Scotland).
Well back the comments: Merivel (Downey) rises to a court position after saving one of the Kings dogs and is venal to the temptations of the usual hedonism. He becomes the unofficial jester and is used to wed one of Charles' Mistress Celia (Polly Walker)as a means to calm her conniptious behavior. A marriage in name only.
And in proper course Merivel falls in love with Celia and makes the mistake of tawdry approaches to Lady Celia. The King banishes Merivel and repossesses his property, and he flees to live with a Quaker Doctor friend of his. (Thewlis) Merivel slowly comes to live with his dull new digs and inpregnates an insane Irish women with an unusual way of walking. Again banished, the two set off for the tepid/fetid plague infested city, London. She dies giving birth and redemption follows upon good works before the Lord under his Quaker friend's name.
The title reveals much more than if the movie were, Robert Downey Junior's Adventures in England. The film has moments of humor, gilded production values subtlety and how doing good for others will bring you true happiness.
Better than most period pieces about the Stuart Dynasty and deserved of its Academy Awards even without use of dead writer's work to be made by Merchant/Ivory.