In addition to the already cited questions, there was the additional one of how the audience was supposed to react to the events on the screen. The film very deliberately and very carefully encouraged the viewer to positively abominate the Thief, Albert Spica (a very pre-Dumbledore Michael Gambon). He’s vicious, mean, stupid, vulgar, loud, boorish and greedy. The man is so completely loathsome that the viewer is incapable of not applauding his grotesque comeuppance, but then what? Were you supposed to realize that you’d been dragged down to his level by doing so and be rightly appalled at your response—much the same as intended in Edgar G. Ulmer’s The Black Cat (1934) and Sam Peckinpah’s Straw Dogs (1971)?
So many questions and so few definitive answers—and that’s what makes Greenaway’s film so compelling. The truth, I think, is that every one of these readings is perfectly valid in its own way. I’ve yet to hear a reading that wasn’t supported by the on-screen evidence. It all depends on how you interpret that evidence. We have Greenaway’s word for it that the film is political, but he’s not specific about the nature of its politics. At the same time, the film stylistically fits in with his stated aesthetic of wanting to bring “spectacle” back to the movies. It certainly does that, though not in the “epic” sense, because this is a relatively small movie with a straightforward story line.
Albert Spica has taken over a fancy restaurant and is foisting his crass methods on his “partner,” the Cook (Richard Bohringer), while using the eatery to play loud-mouthed host to his grubby, uncouth strong-arm associates—and as a setting to show off his trophy wife Georgina (Helen Mirren). The wife becomes interested in a quiet, bookish restaurant patron (Alan Howard) and takes him as her lover, arranging trysts with him under Spica’s nose in the restaurant. When this is discovered, the Cook helps the lovers escape, but Spica’s vengeance finds the lover, which in turn leads to Georgina’s decidedly over-the-top, Shakespearean revenge on her vile husband.
Regardless of how you read the film, there’s no denying that it’s a fascinating exercise in style for its own sake (something that can be said of most Greenaway works). That style, however, is not to everyone’s taste, and can be almost suffocating in its relentlessness. If you’ve never seen The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover, you really should. You may hate it, but you’ll definitely come away feeling like you’ve really seen something remarkable.
Classic World Cinema by Courtyard Gallery will present The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover Friday, April 10, at 8 p.m. at Phil Mechanic Studios, 109 Roberts St., River Arts District (upstairs in the Railroad Library). Info: 273-3332, www.ashevillecourtyard.com
I tried to like more it but the over-the-top crass violent behavior of the Thief just became too wearying for me. By the climax I just wanted it to end. I know there was much to appreciate about it but the constant yelling and punching and threats just wore me down. That said, it’s still worth watching.
Well, I think the constant yelling and punching and threats pretty well reflect Thatcherism, but that makes it no less wearing — possibly it makes it more so. Personally, I’ll take A Zed and Two Noughts or Prospero’s Books. I did run the latter for an audience once. We started with about 60 viewers. We ended up with maybe 25. It was magnificent.
well at half way through, nine people couldn’t take it anymore…3/4 through and another 2 left. I think the rest of the audience will stay to the end. What a great film night! I need to do more films like this.
There’s something to be said for a response! And Greenaway usually causes one.
Yes–every one else stayed and shared interesting reflections about how they felt about the film and how it manipulated their emotions.
Anybody admit to finding Helen Mirren hot?
I did not see this at the theater, but rented it on VHS tape shortly after it was released in that format. It took me three days to finish this movie; I found it that hard to take. I can’t cite too many films I’ve seen that made me feel so ‘yucky’. It was certainly a memorable film, one I can’t forget, even if I tried.
And yes, Helen Mirren does look pretty hot in the film.
And just think, if you saw it on VHS, you were probably missing large chunks of the image on either side of the screen!
The mind reels at the thought.