A Midwinter's Tale (1995) User Reviews

Gets ya where ya least expect it

[lonno · 8/10 · 26 March 2002]

This is a movie that will make you see that when things look their bleakest, as in midwinter, you have to push on. The characters undergo a long journey from strange actor-folk and emerge as people who are near and dear to us at the end. They are the light at the end of the tunnel. Anyone who's been involved with a difficult stage production will identify with this movie. I loved it! "Dear Hamlet, cast thy coloured nightie off..." -D

Midwinter Hamlet Not So Bleak

[NJMoon · 8/10 · 17 February 1999]

It seems Director Kenneth Branagh has the immortal Dane on the brain. The video even comes with the trailer for Kenneth Branagh's bigscreen "Hamlet". This minor canon Bard is a tale of a motley troupe recruited by Joe (Michael Maloney subbing for Kenneth Branagh) to save an ancient church in obviously-named hamlet of Hope. Troupe features nice performances from Richard Briars (veteran of big budget "Hamlet"), Nick Farrell (same; and was Horatio to Kenneth Branagh's Laertes in 85) and mum & daughter Julia Sawalha and Jennifer Saunders (affecting a gawdawful Southern accent) to assure comic impact. The black and white lensing gives a nice indy feel, but the lovingly shot stained glass looks lacking. Joan Collins does a nice turn as Joe's agent.

Ya gotta love Shakespeare! No matter how it's twisted, it's great.

[jambalayaval · 8/10 · 20 August 2005]

Nobody does Shakespeare better than Kenneth Branagh, and this time, he's taken it to a whole new level. Putting together one of the Bard's best works with no money in a cold, damp church at Christmas may sound like a greater tragedy than the play itself. The frustrated actor/director, the cast composed of a band of merry misfits, Joan Collins playing an agent (!) and the god-awful ideas for unique sets and costumes only add to the already engaging tale of passion and deception that is Hamlet. You can't take it too seriously. But the script is intelligently funny, the experienced cast hits their marks, and even those who don't like Shakespeared will be entertained. It's a comedy, it's a mystery, it's a classic...all rolled into one.

A great film to pick up your spirits

[cromwell-3 · 22 September 1999]

I selected this movie from the video shelf because the title seemed consonant with my mood. My girlfriend had just dumped me, my best friend had just broken off with me, and it was raining. The realisation that it was black and white throughout seemed to be perfect. Yet the story, of a struggling actor's frantic attempts to mount a benefit showing of Hamlet to save a church, along with Branagh's comedic editing, begins as a farce, sails along with Coward-like snippets of conversation (along with the use of Coward's song "The Show Must Go On") and develops facilely and elegantly into a moving portrait of the camaraderie of an acting company without one noticing. I didn't realise I wasn't unhappy and in love with all these people until the movie was over and I was beaming quite sunnily (who needs friends and girlfriends anyway when you've got movies?). Julie Sawalha's reading of the line "Let's face it, we're all depressed" may very well have saved my life.

It's heart belongs in the theatre

[RadicalTintin · 7/10 · 19 May 2003]

Kenneth Branagh tries hard to shift the essence of a theatrical

production onto film, and succeeds in some parts but fails in

others. The film concerns the lives of several dysfunctional luvvies

brought together by unemployed actor Joe, played by Michael

Maloney. Producing a Christmas-time Hamlet seems a labour of

love for Harper, and the pragmatic approach to the broadening of

Shakespeare brings together quite a mixed-bag of personalities.

Briers and Sessions stand out as the unlikely 'bedfellows', with the

emphasis on theatrical camp. Briers has the best lines, and

Sessions overacts with apparent glee, but several of the

supporting characters seem lightweight in comparison. There is

the usual mix of tragedy and comedy, but at times it does all rather

seem cliched. Basically, they are all good at heart, but struggle

with personal issues that somewhat sidetrack from the plot. In

places it is highly amusing, but some of the gags fall flat on film,

better suited to the extravagance of a stage production. There is a

pantomime quality to the production, and the black and white

presentation is perhaps an attempt to tone down the characters

and the unreality of the situation. All in all though, the film is about

sacrifice and the unravelling of egos. It will certainly help brighten

the odd gloomy evening, but realistically the film lacks bite and

credibility.

Englishfolks play Hamlet. Hamlet loses.

[dagonet · 9/10 · 17 September 1999]

Cliches be damned, this is a wonderful movie, all about transformations, change, and deciding what is really important. Everyone in this movie becomes a real person, moving away from the stereotypes presented in the beginning, and the comic timing is impeccable. (Don't buy the hype that Jennifer Saunders is a star of this movie, though; she's in it for maybe five minutes. Spend your time watching Richard Sessions' magnificently funny performance instead.) Branagh's Hamlet is dull, dull, dull; Branagh's movie -about- making Hamlet is another shade of wonderful entirely.

Shakespeare at Christmas.

[mark.waltz · 7/10 · 16 December 2021]

The fantastic Joan Collins brings a real light to this comedy documentary-style like film about a small theater company rehearsing "Hamlet" during the Christmas season and all of the obstacles that director and star Michael Maloney faces. Dame Joan plays a theatrical proprietress aiding Maloney along the way, mostly there for telephone calls as you deals with frustration among the sometimes overly sensitive and often egotistical driven cast whose temperamental outbursts are often funny and overly sensitive burst into tears downright hysterical.

Written and directed by Kenneth Branagh, this will obviously be appreciated more by theatre fans and those involved in the business. They will certainly relate to a lot of the things that go on in the rehearsal process, making this a more serious equally funny variation of "Noises Off!" My only issue is that after a while, it begins to seem to be repeating itself, but the cast is hysterically funny throughout. So while this production of "Hamlet" may not win any prizes, the film is hardly an omelet, especially with a man playing Queen Gertrude and a very funny Noel Coward "list" song heard throughout the film.

Wonderful Underrated Classic

[Stu C · 10/10 · 7 May 2002]

This was a film that I wanted to see from the very second that I heard about it. Unfortunately (for one reason and another) I missed it at the cinema and was forced to trawl the depths of video stores to find it. It is a beautifully shot, subtly hilarious piece of cinematic history. Anyone who has ever worked in theatres or have met "theatre types" will empathise with the characters immediately...and anyone who has never experienced the backstage "goings on" of theatres should watch this film to experience the endearing qualities of theatre in its extreme.

Quite simply this film is wonderful and has made me a huge fan of Kenneth Branagh's writing and direction.

My only complaint about this film is that it is impossible to find!! Why can't we buy it on DVD yet??!

A perfect little movie to cheer our imperfect little lives

[ConalTaezali · 10/10 · 15 December 2003]

A perfect little movie, this tale of provincial actors struggling to deliver a production of Hamlet is one that will cheer your Bleak Midwinter if you have any heart whatsoever. Definitely under-rated and one of Branagh's best, it is simply and effectively photographed in black and white, and features a witty, amusing, and at times, hilarious script performed by a stand-out ensemble cast. Although its tale of backstage trials and tribulations will not appeal to all tastes, there is a lot of subtlety and truthfulness to the gentle, genuine sentiment on offer here. Among very few false notes, only Jennifer Saunder's dire caricature as a Hollywood producer really disappoints. The rest of the cast are just terrific. Almost as good a Christmas movie as It's a Wonderful Life, I recommend it.

Intellectually genial comedy - a must-see for the cinephile

[squill · 10/10 · 16 September 1999]

A marvelous comedy concerning a troupe of oddball, misfit actors who travel to a small village to stage a production of "Hamlet". Director Branagh serves up some wonderfully heartwarming sentiments while managing to keep us laugh and on our toes. His excellent direction, a witty script, and stellar acting -absolutely stellar - by the ensemble, add up to an gratifying cinematic experience! Despite a few minor flaws, the film works about 75% of the time, and when it does, it's downright hilarious. Pay close attention to the dialogue - it's venomously funny; and the black and white cinematography, and the sets, are magnificent. Two special treats for the cinema connoisseur - a brilliant Joan Collins, and a surprise cameo from Jennifer Saunders.

A truly grim experience

[mike-hanlon · 1/10 · 21 August 2007]

Am I the only person in the Universe who hated this grim clichefest of a movie? Full of gangrenous, decaying ham, tiresomely twee, this horror ends up celebrating the ghastliest form of luvviedom that it should be sending up. The real mystery is how come so many people liked it. Is it the case that there are a lots of Americans out there who are taken in by this poor-man's Ealing-comedy as something terribly, authentically, 'English'? Could it be that having Kenneth Branagh in it is enough? No idea why this should be - the man is a booming, ghastly luvvie who can't act and can't direct. It was billed I seem to remember as a 'gentle comedy', two of the most terrifying words in the English language. Terrible terrible terrible. No more needs to be said.

A Masterpiece...and it hits so close to home!

[peacham · 10/10 · 28 October 1999]

My wife and I saw this film a week after we completed a production of A MAN FOR ALL SEASONS.( I directed and she was Meg). We had experienced the disasters of Actors who couldn't remember lines,Tech problems, an Vain Egotist causing problems etc. What A joy it was to enter the theatre as see this Branagh gem. the script,acting and Direction were all flawless. ( for those who said the characters were cliche' youve obviously never delt with actors!) the high marks were scored by Richard Briers as the older no-nonsense character actor, John Sessions as the "queen" gertrude , and the Highly underated Michael Maloney in the lead. Maloney has long been a favorite supporting actor of mine and its good to see him as the protaganist for a change. I cannot speak high enough of this film...and to answer Noel Coward's question "why must the show go on?" because if it didn't we would be robbed of this films suberbly directed ending! BRAVO BRANAGH, BRAVO!!

Why must the show go on? - Because it's really worth it!

[javvie · 10/10 · 10 January 2004]

This is a wonderful comedy about actors and the process of acting. A director, brilliantly portrayed by Michael Maloney, is desperate to find a remedy for his depressive mood and has no better idea than to gather unemployed actors around him to stage "Hamlet" in a church. The stunning cast adds a lot to the warm feeling that this movie leaves you with. It is a must-see and the videotape also makes a lovely Christmas present!

Simply magnificent

[morrisonhimself · 10/10 · 4 January 2005]

Rating this movie, I gave it a 10 only because there wasn't a higher number allowed.

Never having previously heard of this, I decided to take a chance on it one afternoon, though I generally avoid HBO, partly out of the lack of anything else important to do and partly because I saw Kenneth Branagh's name.

How serendipitous.

This almost perfect cinema experience moved me to tears, made me laugh, brought me to my feet applauding and cheering -- right here, perhaps foolishly, in my living room.

Branagh is further evidence that God is no socialist: Branagh has looks, talent, and now deservedly has money and probably all the romance he wants to handle. In other words, he has everything, while so many of us have nothing. Proving, as I said, God is no socialist, equitably sharing the wealth.

The cast of "In the Bleak Midwinter" is just simply magnificent. I can accept a quibble that some performances are a bit stereotyped (and one director wrote in this forum that anyone believing that just needs to accompany a troupe), but even if true, so what?

I love theater people.

I love theater people and that is perhaps the main reason I loved "In the Bleak Midwinter." As much as any film and more than most it shows stage actors in all their quirks and foibles, and in all their inherent humanity; it shows how the love for their craft, for their heritage and traditions, motivates them far more than does money or the chance of it, more than fame or the lack of it, and much, much more than does security.

Actors portraying actors often can be seen shifting into another gear, but that doesn't happen here. Director Branagh and the excellent cast of superb performers provide a nearly seamless, nearly perfect production, beautifully written by Branagh.

If there were room, each and every cast member should get a glowing tribute. Each and every one was great (even Joan Collins was great, though I can't help wondering: Is she EVER going to show any age on her?), and each and every one was a standout -- which might seem to be a contradiction, a paradox, but watch "In the Bleak Midwinter." You'll see what I mean.

Bravo, bravo, bravo. "In the Bleak Midwinter" is simply magnificent.

One of KB's best to date

[Stephen-12 · 9/10 · 28 June 1999]

Bizarrely, given its small scale, this may be Branagh's best film to date. Shorn of the over-ambition which hampered Frankenstein and Dead Again, this minor masterpiece (which almost looks made for TV) will be a joy to anyone who's ever worked in under-funded theatre (excuse the tautology).

The cast are in fine form, and the photography is suitably glowing - but the film's greatest strength lies in its witty and accurate script. Obviously born of years of painful experience, the dialogue sparkles with insight and humour. Why the hell doesn't Branagh write more of his own material? Subtly directed, cleverly structured and superbly performed, this is recommended to all Branagh followers, all theatre lovers, and all fans of grown-up British humour. 9 out of 10.

PS The connections with Branagh's own version of Hamlet are obvious, but who is Dylan Judd, who gets offered a three-film sci-fi deal? Could it be Liam Neeson or Ewan Macgregor? Answers on a postcard to Shepperton Studios...

Wonderful film

[elsie-1 · 20 September 2003]

This was really good. The coming together of a number of people who create a 'family' is so positive in an, at present, negative world. They support each other and offer positive strokes So much film and tv portrays our planet's inhabitants as violent and unpleasant. Children must have a strange idea of the environment in which they are to grow. This did have witty dialogue and no special effects because it had things to say and slightly exaggerated characters who were different from each other. Although it is British it is about eternal values of persistence, commitment which is not financially motivated and thinking about others beside self and therefore applicable to humanity generally. It certainly wouldn't do any harm in our modern world. It did no damage to the image of theatre and film either. No guns or knives, no car chases, no police or ambulances, how quaint, how rare but harder to write.

weary, stale, flat, and unprofitable

[Rosabel · 1/10 · 2 July 1999]

What is it with Kenneth Branagh? Why does he fall to pieces every time he steps away from Shakespeare and tries to handle modern stories? Like "Peter's Friends" this is an obvious cartoon about trivial people. Once again, the script is a failure - every plot turn is visible from miles away, like a train wreck at the end of a 5-mile stretch of prairie road. The story, to begin with, is a stale rehash of the "let's find ourselves a barn somewhere and put on a show!" theme. Every character is a cliche, from the nervous little nobody who gets her big chance to play Ophelia, to the outrageous queen who gets to be a literal queen, namely Gertrude. As rehearsals continue, everyone's feelings come out into the open, and it turns out that these earnest thespians may be laughing on the outside but (surprise!) they're crying on the inside. The conventions are dragged out one by one: the two antagonistic actors who find they share a love for David Garrick, the homosexual actor whose son can't accept him, along with the inevitable reconciliation, and of course, the driving force behind the production, the show's Hamlet, who on the eve of the performance must decide whether to leave the show for a once-in-a-lifetime chance to play a big role in America, or stick with his plucky little group of misfits and sacrifice ambition for Art. The only thing that is watchable in this mess is the actual production of "Hamlet" - even with minuscule sets, a jumble of props (including machine guns!), and set in a church, the little bits of the play we get to see are mesmerizing. This is where Branagh shows himself to be a genius - when he is doing Shakespeare, he pours his heart's blood into his work, and it shows. Unfortunately, the less than 10 minutes of "Hamlet" are not enough to compensate for the rest of the movie.

Hamlet as a comedy, what could be better?

[gianduja · 10/10 · 22 May 2002]

I love this film. It is small, and quiet, and it is rather unexpectedly in black and white. It opens like a documentary, and then slips you right into the role of fly on the wall for the rest of the film.

The ensemble is terrific and keep an eye on the facial expressions of the actors who are not actually speaking. A lot of Branagh regulars make welcome appearances. The "look" is wonderfully textured and layered, taking advantage of b/w. Ironically, I prefer many of "Joe's" interpretations of Hamlet to the same scenes in the various film versions I've seen, including Branagh's epic version. Of course, the version they perform is designed for the stage, with a mostly live audience....

My favorite aspect of this film is that it turns a production of Hamlet into a "neo-pseudo-Shakespearean comedy." The parallels between the characters in Hamlet still exist in the players in A Midwinter's Tale. They've been updated and personalized so that Joe's comment that "the play is about loss" works equally well for the film. But, just as almost everyone is dead at the end of a Shakespearean tragedy, everyone is paired up at the end of MT. Of course, as a modern work it can't just end in weddings, but happy endings abound for everyone.

The cleverness of this all is that there is naughty, campy, frivolous humour which hides deep emotional pain, uncertainty, and even tragedy. Anyone who is familiar with Shakespeare's comedies will be familiar with that dark edge which contrasts the joyous romping. Then there are the requisite farcical elements to make the parallel complete.

The only unresolved issues I had at the end of the film/play were "how will Molly handle the fencing scene?" and "how is it possible for Henry to be both Claudius and the Player King?" But I'm not about to gripe about these little points when everything else is tied up so neatly and well.

"..a group of (I suspect) mad, but passionate people"

[Rhiamon · 10/10 · 29 June 1999]

What a joyful romp! This is one of the most entertaining films I have ever seen. Anyone who's ever participated in theatre will feel right at home! Imagine trying to put on a play with only 2 weeks rehearsal....imagine trying to put on Hamlet, with virtually no budget and only 2 weeks rehearsal! Filmed in black and white, the movie very easily translates the bleakness of the situation, but the diverse group of actors learning to relate to each other, their characters and life in general is heartwarming, and at times heartbreaking. Featuring a marvelous ensemble cast with such stellar performers as Richard Briers, Joan Collins, Nicholas Farrell, Celia Imrie, Michael Maloney, and the inimitable John Sessions joined by the enormous talents of Hetta Charnley, Mark Hadfield, Gerard Horan, and AbFab's Julia Sawalha. The film is written and directed brilliantly by Kenneth Branagh.

Shakespeare For Beginners

[Sally_Kirkland · 10/10 · 29 October 2003]

This is a brilliant, totally overlooked film.

If you are new to Shakespeare and do not get the passion for his works, this is the one to see. A fine introduction to the various people that are touched, moved and amused by Shakespeare.

Brilliantly written, brilliantly acted, brilliantly photographed. The best Christmas film ever.

10/10

dude!

[daria-rat · 9/10 · 13 May 2003]

My parents bought this movie, we watched it with the extended family at christmas(we traditionally provide the obscure filmage) and since then i have watched it more times than i can remember. I thought it was brilliant the first time i saw it. Then I made a spoof film of hamlet with my friends and i got so much more of it. I felt like joe through most of production(there was a lot of screaming on my part. My actors kept throwing me new scheduling difficulties every day, it was impossible to keep them focused, and i thought we were going to run out of time). I loved this movie's interpretation of certain scenes in the play. Like the very first bit with the machine gun. hehehe Not to mention the fight between Hamlet and Laertes. (I actually took my cue from that one and made my version like a sporting event, with commentators and all.) Their actors put a lot of emotion into the performance. I loved the actors themselves, they were such a weird bunch thrown together and the development of their relationships was fun to watch. And it worked well in black and white. I just really like it.

Pushed All the Right Buttons

[Bologna King · 10/10 · 4 October 2000]

This wonderful little movie pushed all the right buttons for me. It's about actors and the miracle of drama. It's about people rising to insuperable challenges. It's about people who don't fit in, the "misfits and nutters", managing to coalesce into a unit. It's the history of a dramatic production from casting through rehearsals to performance, with all the reversals and unexpected problems that always arise. And it has Shakespeare.

Sound familiar? It should. This movie shares all the above characteristics with Shakespeare in Love.

What Shakespeare in Love has, besides all that, is a pretty predictable love story and some gorgeous sets and costumes.

What this film has, besides all that, is a lot of laughs and a theme that flows through every frame. Part of it is stated in the real title of the film, In the Bleak Midwinter (Why must some stupid American constantly insist on changing book and movie titles, usually sacrificing subtlety in favour of inanity?), and its reference to Holst's sad little Xmas tune which turns up in the score when the emotions are running high. The bleakness of the depressed characters is underscored by the black-and-white film, the lack of camera tricks or even motion, and the low-budget feel of the film which corroborates the low-budget production of Hamlet.

The other part of the theme is rather emphatically indicated as they all pull into the village ("I think it's a sign!" "Yes, a road sign, love.") of Hope. The script is full of puns about those who have "abandoned Hope", reminding us of Dante's Hell. The awakening of a new hope in the darkest hour of the year when everything is at its bleakest is the message of Christmas, and this is a Christmas story in the deepest sense.

It's probably just a coincidence that the first episode of the world's most famous sci-fi trilogy was called "A New Hope".

The acting is practically flawless. Julia Sawalha is perhaps a bit weak in spots and is filmed in an extremely unflattering way at times, but she more than compensates with a marvelous snippet of Ophelia which is in itself worth the price of purchase.

Many of these actors worked with Branagh on Much Ado and Hamlet; they are obviously having fun and the result is brilliant. Branagh's direction is characterized by unobtrusiveness and understatement which might surprise some.

For most folks out there this will be a funny, feel-good picture which is well worth seeing. If, like me, you believe in Shakespeare, acting, underdogs, Christmas or light at the end of the tunnel this might be the best movie you've ever seen.

Bleak without, cheerful within - I loved it.

[Spleen · 9/10 · 13 July 1999]

Branagh made this around the same time he made Hamlet, and released it just beforehand. It's a movie entirely about directing a production of "Hamlet". He knew his subject, at any rate ... In fact, this film is a good deal better, and certainly more heartfelt, than the "Hamlet" that followed it. It's hard to know why this should be. Branagh is almost invariably brilliant. His previous Shakespeare movies were the best of their kind. I presume it's more or less impossible to care about directing "Hamlet" without caring about "Hamlet" itself. Yet there we have it: Branagh's "Hamlet" is just a tad soulless, while his film about how to perform Hamlet in the face of overwhelming odds is heart-warming, and crackles with energy. (You'll note that there was an omen. The performance we see of "Hamlet" in this movie, although it moves the audience, is dreadful, and belongs to the "let's put Shakespeare's play in any setting but the correct one" school of thought.)

A number of people - including those I saw the film with - complain about this or that cliche. These complaints strike me as being misguided. Is it a cliche to have the production threatened? Maybe; but any movie about people fulfilling a quest would be senseless if there was no danger of them failing to fulfil it. Is it a cliche to have actors fight each other behind the scenes? In a sense; but I fail to see how any but the dullest of films could result if they didn't. In short, these kinds of complaints are complaints against the necessary mechanisms of the play about a play. If they were just they would damn everything in the entire genre. People who make such complaints MAY be saying that in this instance Branagh presented all the necessary elements without verve, or boringly, or something of that kind; but then the charge is just obviously false.

By the way ... I'd like to protest against the use of the inferior title, "A Midwinter's Tale", in Australia (and, I gather, in the USA). "In the Bleak Midwinter" says it better. I trust Branagh himself had nothing to do with the change.

A Shakespearean Feat

[bardlover · 10/10 · 19 January 2006]

One of my all-time favorite movies. Anything Kenneth Branagh directs is magic, and this is one of his finest. Clearly based on his own experience as an avid Shakespearean actor and director (He was a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company before forming Renaissance Films.), he too has often said "I saw Hamlet when I was fifteen, and it changed my life." As a group of misfit actors (including a male homosexual Gertrude)struggle to get their play, William Shakespeare's Hamlet, ready to perform for the children of a small town, they encounter many problems, but in the end find love and the true essence of Shakespeare. Magnificent!

A love letter to theatre,Acting ,Shakespeare & Love

[nitesho-1 · 10/10 · 1 February 2007]

Coming off the financial failure of two big films and the end of his marriage to Emma Thompson, Branagh wrote this witty, touching, and funny ode to the madness that goes on into putting on a show and acting, and the pure joy when ,against all odds, it turns out better than you could ever hope.

Produced by Castle Rock and released on VHS by Columbia(after a small but critically successful theatrical run in the U.S. as MIDWINTER'S TALE), this is a film that deserves rediscovery and a decent DVD release. Seek it out. If you have any love of the theatre, this is a must own.

The cast is full of familiar British faces,(Branagh himself does not appear,content with doing an admirable job of writing and directing) who all make their wonderful eccentric characters real and lovable.The nicest discovery is just how marvelous Joan Collins is at comedy.