Put simply, this film is rubbish and that is why it has gone straight to video.
The story is hackneyed, the acting poor and the direction atrocious. If this is supposed to be a serious story, why has Hardy written in a comedy Scottish butler? Clive Russell is fantastic but the role does not fit the film. Honeysuckle Weekes is convincing but is let down by a disjointed story that just does not make sense. The genuinely funny moments all come from Beame the Butler, and the serious moments through Weekes. The rest is just badly acted by some fine thespians who are not best served by Robin Hardy who should stop writing, and should never direct again.
This film only exists because the Wicker Man became a cult film. However, if you view that film in it's many versions, it is not as good as it could be, which is probably why it is surrounded in mystique. The current offering has none of that mystique and should be viewed as a curiosity, pressing the pause button as often as possible to make tea or something stronger.
I am struggling to say anything positive about this film. I was expecting an average film but this is just so bad I am generous in giving a score of 1. So here is the spoiler - the cook tending Beames slashed goolies is a fine film comedy moment. Pity the film isn't a comedy.
The story is hackneyed, the acting poor and the direction atrocious. If this is supposed to be a serious story, why has Hardy written in a comedy Scottish butler? Clive Russell is fantastic but the role does not fit the film. Honeysuckle Weekes is convincing but is let down by a disjointed story that just does not make sense. The genuinely funny moments all come from Beame the Butler, and the serious moments through Weekes. The rest is just badly acted by some fine thespians who are not best served by Robin Hardy who should stop writing, and should never direct again.
This film only exists because the Wicker Man became a cult film. However, if you view that film in it's many versions, it is not as good as it could be, which is probably why it is surrounded in mystique. The current offering has none of that mystique and should be viewed as a curiosity, pressing the pause button as often as possible to make tea or something stronger.
I am struggling to say anything positive about this film. I was expecting an average film but this is just so bad I am generous in giving a score of 1. So here is the spoiler - the cook tending Beames slashed goolies is a fine film comedy moment. Pity the film isn't a comedy.