Terence Rattigan's popular play received a film translation back in 1951, and although Ronald Harwood's screenplay sets the story in 1994, the look and feel of this incredibly handsome production is of a mannered academia from a bygone era. That's certainly one of Rattigan's themes – professor Albert Finney is being pushed out largely because his teaching tools and studied works are getting too dusty – and the upper-crust school settings certainly enhance a system in transition.

Made before “Leaving Las Vegas,” multi-hyphenate talent Mike Figgis left the writing and scoring chores to Harwood and composer Mark Isham, respectively, and ably concentrated on directing his excellent cast, with added help from splendid French cinematographer Jean-Francois Robin.

Paramount's DVD, while a bare bones release, offers a really beautiful transfer, with lush colors and good grey and blacks during a particularly pretty fireworks sequence. The Dolby 5.1 mix projects some subtle, yet effective ambience, with Isham's moving score fills the 5.1 spectrum during several montage sequences, meant to enhance the sad plight of Finney. A wonderful little film, well worth checking out.

© 2003 Mark R. Hasan