I finish up my trilogy of Gilbert and Sullivan
related films with this absolutely marvelous love letter not just to Gilbert
and Sullivan but to the creative process and the theater. It builds a powerful
resonant emotional core layer upon thin layer - with what seems initially
to be asides from the main story but eventually you realize they are as much
of the story as Gilbert and Sullivan. Topsy-Turvy was the term used by the
critics at the time to describe the works of Gilbert and Sullivan - in particular
Gilbert as he wrote the libretto and created the story. They are fantastical
and comical with coincidences and twists that lead to happy endings. The
songs are often a fuselage of word play that would challenge any one's tongue
and memory or simply lovely ballads. Gilbert and Sullivan were to collaborate
on fourteen comic operettas before they finally split for good. This film
begins well into their partnership - already famous and wealthy but coming
off one of their less popular works, Princess Ida.
Sullivan is adamant that he has had enough of these comic works. He wants
to write serious music - operas, symphonies - that will bring him the recognition
of serious music critics that he thinks he deserves. To a large degree the
plot line here is the same as in the 1953 film, Gilbert and Sullivan - but
it gives a much fuller picture of the two men - their family life, their
personality, their foibles. It really brings them to life as fully realized
characters. Sullivan tells D'Oyly Carte that he needs a break and goes off
to Paris to partake of the pleasures of the French bordellos which seems
to cheer him up. But he has not changed his mind about composing any more
for Gilbert. In particular, the new treatment that Gilbert has written about
a magical potion that allows the person to become anyone he wants to be.
They are at loggerheads - Sullivan refuses to compose the music, Gilbert
refuses to write another libretto.
It seems the end of their very successful collaboration - until Gilbert's
wife drags him to an exhibition of Japanese artisans doing calligraphy, pottery
and Kabuki. When he gets home he plays with a samurai sword he bought - and
the camera slowly pans in to his blank ruddy face and then a smile comes
to it - and you know what is coming next. The Mikado! The rest of the film
- close to half of the 160 minute running time - is about the creating of
the Mikado - from the writing, composing, rehearsals, interplay between the
actors till opening night. It is rather wonderful.
The period detail seems perfect, the performances are all great - in particular
Jim Broadbent as Gilbert and Allan Corduner as Sullivan but all the others
that fill out the film are so good. - Timothy Spall, Martin Savage, Kevin
McKidd, Shirley Henderson. It took me a while to get into this but by the
end I was totally hooked. It is directed by Mike Leigh which took me by surprise
because most of his films are very contemporary small dramas of ordinary
people but apparently he has a love for G&S and the theater. After this
he made Turner, a period piece about the British painter played by Timothy
Spall. Will have to look for that.
