The Winslow Boy

I enjoyed The Winslow Boy, but sometimes I had to listen closely to what was being said because of the English accent. The movie was both entertaining and educational which I'm highly in favor of.

The story of the Winslow boy is well-known. Falsely accused of a minor theft, the boy is backed by his family and a brilliant lawyer (exquisitely played by Jeremy Northam) all the way to Parliament and the highest courts in Britain. Along the way, the Victorian-Edwardian family dynamic is laid bare, and a vivid picture of late-19th century/early 20th century England is gradually built up. A romantic subplot adds a gentle sweetness to the story, but it is the work of Jeremy Northam's lawyer that captivates our intellects as he negotiates the labyrinthine British legal system, and the nearly as complex family interactions. There is not a weak performance in the lot: In addition to Jeremy Northam (did I mention Jeremy Northam?!), Nigel Hawthorne's portrayal of the boy's father is magisterial, and Jemma Jones and Rebecca Pidgeon brilliantly navigate the treacherous rapids demanded of strong English women a century ago. David Mamet writes and directs with as sure a hand as I've ever seen in a British film. Needless to say, I am thoroughly captivated, emotionally as well as intellectually, by this wonderful film. Recommended without reservation!

This feels too much like a play, not a movie. At least the lawyer is extremely good looking.

If you want further proof that human beings will never be able to agree on anything, read the five star reviews of The Winslow Boy here and then watch the movie.

This movie is rich, nuanced, engrossing. How can a movie be about a legal battle and a family drama? How can a love story be subtle and passionate? Because that's the human nature, beautifully captured in the film. Take time out, and enjoy!!

If you like English period drama, and good acting, then this is a very enjoyable movie. Unusual Mamet, although the romance is unspoken, almost unacknowledged, and subtle so maybe not so much. Jeremy Northam is brilliant, with solid support from all the rest.

Why is this film not available to rent? Why is any film on iTunes not available to rent? ... so frustrating!

This is, simply, a spectacularly good movie. Wonderful script by Terence Rattigan with incidental dialogue by David Mamet; phenominal, reserved performances by all the actors; wonderful depiction of Edwardian manners and mores; skilled camera work and cinematography (watch how Mamet sets up and juggles multiple stages as actors move between rooms in the house). Ask yourself at the end of the movie what you thought of the courtroom scenes and you will realize that you have just watched a movie about a major legal case in which not one moment of the trial was ever shown. Mamet is a talky playwright; although he didn't write most of the dialogue, he filmed conversations that seem real. Watch the scene in Sir Morton's office with the whole family gathered to see if he will take the case. He asks everyone to be seated, and instead of immediately focusing on the cross examination of the accused boy, there is a momentary snatch of dialogue between the boy's sister and mother -- of no moment in advancing the story, but it makes the family seem real and the scene live. Another wonderful aspect of the movie is the depiction of Edwardian English reserve -- the opposite of the moral vanity that is so much in evidence in these more "advanced" times. And so much is packed into this movie -- the fight of the small against the powerful; the advancement of women's rights; the struggle of a family to seek justice without being blind to other values; unrequited love. And the movie is filled with lovely moments -- the scene in which the accused boy is cross examined by Sir Morton is like ballet; the scene in which Sir Morton reveals to the accused boy's (adult) sister the secret behind one of the puzzling inconsistencies in his story of innocence; the scene in which the sister's suitor professes his love and his acceptance that it is not returned in kind; the scene in the House of Lords (I think it is) in which the old man who rises to state that the Crown cannot be sued is the actor who played the accused boy in the original film or stage (I cannot remember which) version of the play; I could go on and on. See this movie. Do NOT watch the trailer -- it will spoil one of the loveliest moments in the film.