Return to Me
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • For those who love romance and animals
  • Refreshing Sweet Comedy Romance
  • Finally, A Refreshing Movie for Everyone
  • Nice couple-in-love or family flick
  • Very romantic... Interestingly modern moral dilemma
Return to Me
Starring: Chris Barnes (IX) , James Belushi , William Bronder , Dick Cusack , and Minnie Driver
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: 6306012419
Release Date: 2000-10-31

Amazon.com

Bob Rueland (David Duchovny) and Grace Briggs (Minnie Driver) have very little in common. Granted, they both live in Chicago and they're both a bit lovelorn, but that's about it. Still, fate has something in mind for these two somewhat-depressed souls (a construction worker and budding artist, respectively), who've both recently had brushes with death--he's a recent widower, she's just recovered from a heart transplant--and are a little more serious than their friends and relatives. After a series of misbegotten blind dates and almost-meetings, though, these two finally get together, and find that they fit seamlessly with each other. Despite their differences, they have a lot in common--in fact, quite a lot. It seems that the heart that now beats inside Grace's chest once belonged to Bob's wife (Joely Richardson), who died in a car crash. Coincidence? We think not.

A gentle, pleasing romantic comedy, Return to Me marks the directorial debut of Bonnie Hunt, an acclaimed actress known most famously for her role as Renee Zellweger's sister in Jerry Maguire. A shining, happy bright spot in whatever role she's in, Hunt has also invested the film with her trademark brand of humor: dry but sincere, sarcastic but not caustic, and with a deep current of humanity and romance. In the midst of all the permutations that fate surrounds them with, Driver and Duchovny make a pleasantly low-key couple; the triumph of the film is that despite all the contrived angst, the romance is never overly saccharine. They provide a quiet center in a film that has a fair amount of chaos in it, particularly due to Driver's extended family of Irish and Italian relatives (which occasionally tips the film into cutesy territory) and most hilariously to Driver's best friend, played by director Hunt . As a harried mother with innumerable kids and a likable oaf of a husband (James Belushi), Hunt again steals scenes effortlessly; Belushi is a comic revelation, better than he's been in years. You'll have the pleasant memories of both of these couples--one falling in love, one together for years--with you a long while after seeing this film. --Mark Englehart

Description

Who knew that when he ordered the special, he d get the dish of his life? David Duchovny ('the X-Files ) and Minnie Driver (Good Will Hunting) ignite sparks in this warm-hearted winner (JeffCraig, 'sixty Second Preview ) about a widower and a waitress who meet and fall in love. Featuring an incredible all-star cast, this hilarious romantic comedy delivers a lot of laughs, tears and joysthat will make your spirits soar. It took a lot of cajoling to get Bob (Duchovny), a recently widowed architect, to go on a blind date at a quirky Irish-Italian eatery. Once there, he's smitten instantly not with his date but with the sharp-witted waitress, Grace (Driver). With unsolicitedhelp from Grace's matchmaking grandfather (Carroll O Connor), Bob asks her out. And as their relationship blossoms, everything seems to be going great, until an unbelievable truth is revealed one that could easily break both of their hearts for good.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars For those who love romance and animals.......2007-08-29

This movie is wonderfully acted (the "supporting" cast are headliners themselves) and it is a gentle love story...after the first 15 minutes. The first part of the movie is an emotional roller-coaster that grabs your attention. Too, this is a great film for animal lovers (who can tolerate zoos). - Is this a deep movie? No. Is it a movie that will put you and your significant other in a good mood? Absolutely.

5 out of 5 stars Refreshing Sweet Comedy Romance.......2007-08-14

This is a refreshingly sweet comedy romance that is reminiscent of the comedy romances of the past. The performances are endearing and believable. Makes one want to fall in love all over again.

5 out of 5 stars Finally, A Refreshing Movie for Everyone.......2007-05-25

I thought this movie was a delight even though it was one of those "that'll never happen" movies. The whole family can watch and enjoy it, so it was worth every penny. I plan to share it with friends.

4 out of 5 stars Nice couple-in-love or family flick.......2007-05-19

Enjoyable. Bought only because girlfriend likes to re-watch favorite movies regularly (and VHS copy finally broke). Otherwise, would have rented and been fine.

5 out of 5 stars Very romantic... Interestingly modern moral dilemma.......2007-05-12


I admit it I am a fan of both (actually several) stars of this movie. After Minnie Driver's new show on FX the Riches, reminded me how much I liked her, I got to remembering this film, then coincidentally it was showing on broadcast TV the other day when I came home from work and my wife was watching it and told me to order it, so I did, and we watched it with our youngest who also enjoyed it very much.

But this is a very sweet and touching tale with an interesting twist that is strong on a not too subtle metaphor.
Watch this with your sweetheart for a romantic night at home.
VH1 (Inside) Out - Warren Zevon: Keep Me in Your Heart
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Good-Bye My Friend
  • A Nice Send-Off for Warren
  • A bittersweet look at Warren Zevon's last days...
  • Good Times
  • Beautiful
VH1 (Inside) Out - Warren Zevon: Keep Me in Your Heart
Starring: Warren Zevon
Manufacturer: Artemis Records
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0000V46RM
Release Date: 2004-02-10

Amazon.com

This moving, absorbing documentary is about the making of singer-songwriter Warren Zevon's final CD, the much-admired, star-studded The Wind. But more than that, it's about the final year of Zevon's life, and the way he approached what he called his "imminent demise" (which came in September '03). Zevon surely didn't plan on dying of lung cancer (although given his wry, sly, subversive sense of humor, he probably saw it as a good career move). But when doctors gave him the word, he became driven by an intense desire, and then urgency, to finish the music and leave a lasting farewell before his final goodbye; and he did, with the help of Bruce Springsteen, members of the Eagles, Ry Cooder, and others. Zevon is without self-pity; he knows what's coming, he's dealing with it, and in the process, an artist who'd always been preoccupied with death in his songs wrote some of his best when faced with his own mortality. Add to that a generous helping of bonus material (videos of two songs from The Wind, with Springsteen on "Disorder in the House"; interviews, home movies, excerpts from the sessions), and you've gotta figure Zevon himself would be pleased. --Sam Graham

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Good-Bye My Friend.......2007-05-12

A heart-felt tribute to a man so far ahead of his peers it's scary. His kind come among us far too seldomly. This planet is better becaused he crossed our path. It hurts to watch it.

4 out of 5 stars A Nice Send-Off for Warren.......2007-01-03

This is well worth watching for any Zevon fan. I wish there was more of the appearance on Letterman however. Anyway, I found it interesting, funny and sad.

5 out of 5 stars A bittersweet look at Warren Zevon's last days..........2006-08-27

You don't have to be a big fan of Warren Zevon - although I am - to enjoy this poignant look at his final days, as he records his brilliant final album. His visit from Bruce Springsteen, and to David Letterman's "Late Show," are particularly moving.

1 out of 5 stars Good Times.......2005-03-10

The late Warren Zevon was the Grim Reaper's personal poet laureate and court jester throughout his long career. Hard to believe that only one of these songs (as far as I know) was written after he learned of his diagnosis. Son Jordan and longtime producer/cowriter/bassist Jorge Calderon assembled many of Zevon's closest collaborators, sidemen, cronies and admirers for a romp through both the sardonic, gallows-humor pieces he was famous for, but also the vulnerable, emotionally raw ballads he was equally adept at writing and delivering.

Zevon liked singing actors for their ability to deliver the emotional content of a song, so he'd be pleased by Sandler's surprisingly muscular

5 out of 5 stars Beautiful.......2005-01-16

VH1 (Inside) Out is great.

Every Warren Zevon fan, and even if you are not a fan, will love it.
The Heart of Me
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • surprising and lavish new period drama for fans to savour
  • "I'm so ready to be happy"
  • Take Your Shoes Off B4 Watching!
  • "So there's to be no end to it?"
  • TWO SISTERS...ONE MAN...
The Heart of Me
Starring: Helena Bonham Carter , Olivia Williams , Paul Bettany , Eleanor Bron , and Luke Newberry
Director: Thaddeus O'Sullivan
Manufacturer: Sundance Channel Home Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000127YYM
Release Date: 2004-02-10

Description

A rich and emotionally charged drama about the seductive and destructive nature of passion. Socialite Madeleine invites her bohemian sister Dinah to stay with her and her husband, Rickie. Rickie and his sister-in-law find themselves unable to control their desire for one another. What starts as a momentary affair spirals into decades of deception, ecstasy, and passion.

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars surprising and lavish new period drama for fans to savour.......2006-04-09

Lovers of period drama will certainly enjoy THE HEART OF ME, based on the novel "The Echoing Grove" by Rosamond Lehmann. Following the death of their father, Madeleine (Olivia Williams) invites her sister Dinah (Helena Bonham-Carter) to stay with her and her husband Rickie (Paul Bettany). Rickie becomes increasingly attracted to the dark and sensuous Dinah, and the two embark on a torrid affair, which goes on to span over a decade. Despite Madeleine's unflagging devotion, Rickie's infatuation with Dinah eventually brings about his ruin.

A lavish joint production between BBC Films and the Isle of Man Film Commission, THE HEART OF ME is filled with outstanding performances, not the least of which the amazing Helena Bonham-Carter, who adds another fine performance to her resume with Dinah. Olivia Williams and Paul Bettany are likewise superb. Eleanor Bron plays the girls' mother.

Definitely one to check out.

4 out of 5 stars "I'm so ready to be happy".......2005-03-23

Gorgeously directed, and with some wonderful ensemble performances by Helena Bonham Carter, Olivia Williams and Paul Bettany, The Heart of Me shows the terrible price one must pay for choosing between propriety and passion. The traditional romantic triangle is played out amongst the background of the well-bred English upper crust, where emotions are kept in check, and where decorum and respectability must be adhered to at all costs. For a film that is supposed to be about sexual passion, there is a noticeable lack of it, and what passion there is, is presented in a willowy, breezy "Marie Claire" kind of way. But this minor quibble shouldn't negate the power and the overall emotional effectiveness of the story - it's still very well done.

Viewers will probably realize that from the outset, none of the characters are ever going to achieve lasting happiness. Full of betrayal, tears, and deceit, and the notion that one must endlessly suffer for love, The Heart of Me - adapted from Rosamond Lehmann's 1953 novel The Echoing Grove - follows two sisters the impulsive Dinah (Helena Bonham Carter), the beautiful, icy Madeleine (Olivia Williams), and their handsome paramour, Rickie (Paul Bettany) though the glitz and glamour of London in the thirties to the end of the War. Dinah and Madeleine are two very different siblings: Dinah is a successful mother and is seemingly happily wed to Rickie who works as some kind of stock broker in the city. She's straight-laced and correct, always intent in maintaining her somewhat flimsy veneer of social respectability.

Currently Madeleine is engaged in finding Dinah a respectable husband. But Dinah is somewhat the rebel and celebrates in being anti-establishment; she loves passion and the arts and gets off on reading William Blake. Dinah rolls her eyes at Madeleine's efforts, and further incenses her sister and her Mother (Eleanor Bron) by taking art courses and walking off in rainstorms without caring whether she gets wet. She doesn't really want to marry anyone and she doesn't really care when Rickie tells her to break off the engagement to the dull, but socially impeccable Charles (Andrew Havill). Of course, Rickie is absolutely smitten with Dinah; they just can't keep their hands off each other, meeting for after work trysts and sessions of furtive love making - once in a park on New Years eve, and then in Dinah's own run-down, bohemian apartment that she shares with Bridie (Alison Reid).

Dinah and Rickie can't keep their secret for long, and Madeleine can't keep up her facade of marital bliss, and much of the movie centers on how they all navigate these potentially disastrous waters of deceit. Rickie is torn between duty, familial obligations, and his heart's desires, while the concerned Madeleine sits at home and frets cluelessly about Dinah's escapades with the mannish Bridie. Dinah hovers between passionate love, and fierce independence - in one scene, she vows that she's had quite enough of Rickie, yet later she confronts him in a crowded restaurant and begs him to take her back.

Structurally the movie is quite interesting: Madeline and Dinah meet at the dust-ridden, neglected family house after the war. Rickie is now dead - killed in the blitz, and both of the sisters must face the angry ghosts of the past. As they talk, they both reminisce - in a series of flashbacks - to those heady days in London when both of them were full of vitriolic passion. The movie is a masterpiece of tight voices, resolute looks, and carefully clipped phrases, with the three actors delivering marvelously shaded performances. The Heart of Me also touches on many universal themes - the battle between uncontrolled yearning and oppressive morality, the cost of sibling rivalry, and penalty of careless non-conformity; these themes are as timeless and as everlasting today as they were during the tumultuous years in which this film is set. Mike Leonard March 05.

3 out of 5 stars Take Your Shoes Off B4 Watching!.......2005-03-04

Thaddeus O'Sullivan whose "Nothing Personal" was a violent story set in the Irish conflict and who also directed "Ordinary Decent Criminal" with Kevin Spacey helms a great cast through this tediously melodramatic period piece. Based on Rosamond Lehmann's 1953 novel "The Echoing Grove," this film traces a love triangle between two sisters and one man. As Madeleine, Olivia Williams gives another wonderful performance as the judgmental sister who is married to Ricky, but who is unable to show much affection to her husband. She played Bruce Willis' wife in "The Sixth Sense" and was mother to the kids in the 2003 version of "Peter Pan." She does a great job in this film, but the tediousness of the melodrama made me want to throw my shoe at her about two-thirds of the way through the DVD. Helena Bonham Carter is one of Britain's most interesting actresses whose roles span the somewhat demented lady in "Big Fish" to her most unusual role in "Planet of the Apes" to her wild character in "Fight Club" and her Oscar-nominated performance for "The Wings of the Dove." As Dinah, she is interesting, entrancing and delightful. However, I wanted to throw my shoe at her for not insisting that she be allowed into Ricky's hospital room! Then there is the masterful Paul Bettany who plays Ricky as the quite conflicted husband, drawn to family duty and position, but whose heart leads him to a love affair with Dinah. The steamy romantic scenes make interesting this tale about otherwise quite neurotic people who make you want to throw your shoes at them! Eleanor Bron does an excellent job as the mother of the girls who gets right in the middle of their personal lives and tries to do what she thinks best. Of course, it keeps the lovers apart; so she screws their lives up royally. She goes from playing Bettany's mother-in-law here to playing his mother in the recent romantic romp "Wimbledon." She has had a long distinguished career, appearing in the original "Alfie" in 1966, the classic "Women In Love" in 1969, and recently in "Iris." Luke Newberry as the child Anthony does a nice job in his first film role. All in all, this is a picture from a different cultural time, one hinging on proprieties and what others will think. It is well done and extremely well acted. My only advice is to watch it in your stocking feet! Enjoy!

4 out of 5 stars "So there's to be no end to it?".......2005-02-27

"The Heart of Me" is a drama depicting a love triangle between Madeleine (Olivia Williams), her husband Rickie (Paul Bettany), and Madeleine's unconventional sister, Dinah (Helena Bonham Carter). After the death of Madeleine and Dinah's father, Dinah comes to stay in London. Madeleine wants to create an eligible match for Dinah, and it's when Rickie opposes the match that he realizes that he has strong feelings for Dinah. They launch into a passionate affair that has disastrous consequences.

"The Heart of Me" is a lavish, tear jerker crammed with stellar performances, and excellent sets. With Helena Bonham Carter looking very Edwardian Goth, the story develops from 1934 through flashbacks and concludes in the austerity of Post WWII. Eleanor Bron appears in a splendid supporting role as Madeleine and Dinah's forthright, socially conscious mother.

"The Heart of Me" plays on the same themes as another successful costume drama--"The Age of Innocence." Both films illustrate how societal pressures squash a scandalous romance. In "The Heart of Me" Rickie, is the married man caught between passion and duty. Unfortunately, since his relationships are with two sisters, the ramifications and recriminations go beyond just the affair. While Bettany does an incredible job, the main interest remains in the relationship between the two sisters who have long simmering rivalries and petty grievances. Madeleine is the perfect mother, and the perfect hostess. Dinah, on the other hand is ready to give up material comforts, flout society, and live in relative poverty for the sake of love. Rickie is caught between Madeleine, who coldly controls with duty, and guilt, and the volatile passion of Dinah. Scenes of elegant dinner parties are juxtaposed with the occasional explosive domestic scene in which Rickie and Madeleine reveal the naked ugliness of a miserable, dead marriage. For lovers of British costume dramas, this film is a treat. While it's basically just a soap gravitating around three characters who have an immense capacity to make each other miserable, it's so well done, it's possible to immerse oneself in the drama. The film is based on the novel, "The Echoing Grove" by Rosamond Lehmann--displacedhuman.

4 out of 5 stars TWO SISTERS...ONE MAN..........2004-08-15

This is a very well made movie with a stellar cast and an intelligent script. The plot revolves around two sisters who are total opposites. Madeleine (Olivia Williams) is the glossy, cool, conventional, and undemonstrative sister who is more interested in the outward than in the inward. For Madeleine, appearances are paramount. Dinah (Helena Bonham Carter) is the artistic, bohemian younger sister who is headstrong, passionate, and fiery, in touch with her own feelings but caring little for the feelings of others, if they get in the way of what she wants. She cares little for conventions and is the bane of her sister's existence.

The prim and proper Madeleine is married to Rickie (Paul Brettany), her handsome, wealthy husband, with whom she leads a very proper, upper crust life. Attracted to his sister-in-law, Rickie engages in a forbidden, secret affair with her that turns into a deep and abiding love. Rickie finds in Dinah what is lacking in his wife. These soul mates, however, are destined for tragedy when they choose to defy the conventions of the strictly moral and puritanical society in which they live. The sisters' mother, Mrs. Burkett (Eleanor Bron), interjects herself into the situation in order to preserve the status quo, dividing the illicit lovers through deception.

The film, which begins in 1934 England and covers a twelve years period through 1946, is deftly directed by Thaddeus O'Sullivan. Olivia Williams gives an intelligent, picture perfect performance as the coolly reserved Madeleine, whose facade finally cracks when she discovers her sister's and her husband's perfidy and betrayal. She ultimately is able to be in touch with her feelings and find the necessary catharsis in the end to make right what went wrong.

Helena Bonham Carter is, as always, a picture of perfection, making the reprehensible Dinah ultimately likable when self-awareness of what she has wrought dawns upon her. Paul Brettany shows that he has what it takes to be a leading man, as his reprisal of the romantically beleaguered Rickie is a sensitive portrait of a man caught between two worlds, wanting to make all those around him happy but, in the end, failing. Eleanor Bron is wonderful as the well-meaning matriarch who understands both her daughters all too well.

This film is a beautiful period piece, with gorgeous costumes, wonderful sets, and excellent performances. It is a film well worth watching by those who are fans of this genre.


The Heart of Me
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • surprising and lavish new period drama for fans to savour
  • "I'm so ready to be happy"
  • Take Your Shoes Off B4 Watching!
  • "So there's to be no end to it?"
  • TWO SISTERS...ONE MAN...
The Heart of Me
Starring: Paul Bettany , Helena Bonham Carter , Rosie Bonham Carter , Eleanor Bron , and Rebecca Charles
Manufacturer: Sundance Channel Home Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

GeneralGeneral | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video
Period PiecePeriod Piece | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video
MarriageMarriage | Love & Romance | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video
RomanceRomance | Love & Romance | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video
Infidelity & BetrayalInfidelity & Betrayal | Love & Romance | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video
Love TriangleLove Triangle | Love & Romance | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video
Brothers & SistersBrothers & Sisters | Family Life | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video
DramaDrama | By Genre | Art House & International | Genres | DVD | Video
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Similar Items:
  1. The Wings of the Dove The Wings of the Dove
  2. Till Human Voices Wake Us Till Human Voices Wake Us
  3. The Reckoning The Reckoning
  4. Mood Swingers Mood Swingers
  5. Robert Louis Stevenson's The Game of Death Robert Louis Stevenson's The Game of Death

ASIN: B00080ZH0A
Release Date: 2005-04-01

Description

A rich and emotionally charged drama about the seductive and destructive nature of passion. Socialite Madeleine invites her bohemian sister Dinah to stay with her and her husband, Rickie. Rickie and his sister-in-law find themselves unable to control their desire for one another. What starts as a momentary affair spirals into decades of deception, ecstasy, and passion.

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars surprising and lavish new period drama for fans to savour.......2006-04-09

Lovers of period drama will certainly enjoy THE HEART OF ME, based on the novel "The Echoing Grove" by Rosamond Lehmann. Following the death of their father, Madeleine (Olivia Williams) invites her sister Dinah (Helena Bonham-Carter) to stay with her and her husband Rickie (Paul Bettany). Rickie becomes increasingly attracted to the dark and sensuous Dinah, and the two embark on a torrid affair, which goes on to span over a decade. Despite Madeleine's unflagging devotion, Rickie's infatuation with Dinah eventually brings about his ruin.

A lavish joint production between BBC Films and the Isle of Man Film Commission, THE HEART OF ME is filled with outstanding performances, not the least of which the amazing Helena Bonham-Carter, who adds another fine performance to her resume with Dinah. Olivia Williams and Paul Bettany are likewise superb. Eleanor Bron plays the girls' mother.

Definitely one to check out.

4 out of 5 stars "I'm so ready to be happy".......2005-03-23

Gorgeously directed, and with some wonderful ensemble performances by Helena Bonham Carter, Olivia Williams and Paul Bettany, The Heart of Me shows the terrible price one must pay for choosing between propriety and passion. The traditional romantic triangle is played out amongst the background of the well-bred English upper crust, where emotions are kept in check, and where decorum and respectability must be adhered to at all costs. For a film that is supposed to be about sexual passion, there is a noticeable lack of it, and what passion there is, is presented in a willowy, breezy "Marie Claire" kind of way. But this minor quibble shouldn't negate the power and the overall emotional effectiveness of the story - it's still very well done.

Viewers will probably realize that from the outset, none of the characters are ever going to achieve lasting happiness. Full of betrayal, tears, and deceit, and the notion that one must endlessly suffer for love, The Heart of Me - adapted from Rosamond Lehmann's 1953 novel The Echoing Grove - follows two sisters the impulsive Dinah (Helena Bonham Carter), the beautiful, icy Madeleine (Olivia Williams), and their handsome paramour, Rickie (Paul Bettany) though the glitz and glamour of London in the thirties to the end of the War. Dinah and Madeleine are two very different siblings: Dinah is a successful mother and is seemingly happily wed to Rickie who works as some kind of stock broker in the city. She's straight-laced and correct, always intent in maintaining her somewhat flimsy veneer of social respectability.

Currently Madeleine is engaged in finding Dinah a respectable husband. But Dinah is somewhat the rebel and celebrates in being anti-establishment; she loves passion and the arts and gets off on reading William Blake. Dinah rolls her eyes at Madeleine's efforts, and further incenses her sister and her Mother (Eleanor Bron) by taking art courses and walking off in rainstorms without caring whether she gets wet. She doesn't really want to marry anyone and she doesn't really care when Rickie tells her to break off the engagement to the dull, but socially impeccable Charles (Andrew Havill). Of course, Rickie is absolutely smitten with Dinah; they just can't keep their hands off each other, meeting for after work trysts and sessions of furtive love making - once in a park on New Years eve, and then in Dinah's own run-down, bohemian apartment that she shares with Bridie (Alison Reid).

Dinah and Rickie can't keep their secret for long, and Madeleine can't keep up her facade of marital bliss, and much of the movie centers on how they all navigate these potentially disastrous waters of deceit. Rickie is torn between duty, familial obligations, and his heart's desires, while the concerned Madeleine sits at home and frets cluelessly about Dinah's escapades with the mannish Bridie. Dinah hovers between passionate love, and fierce independence - in one scene, she vows that she's had quite enough of Rickie, yet later she confronts him in a crowded restaurant and begs him to take her back.

Structurally the movie is quite interesting: Madeline and Dinah meet at the dust-ridden, neglected family house after the war. Rickie is now dead - killed in the blitz, and both of the sisters must face the angry ghosts of the past. As they talk, they both reminisce - in a series of flashbacks - to those heady days in London when both of them were full of vitriolic passion. The movie is a masterpiece of tight voices, resolute looks, and carefully clipped phrases, with the three actors delivering marvelously shaded performances. The Heart of Me also touches on many universal themes - the battle between uncontrolled yearning and oppressive morality, the cost of sibling rivalry, and penalty of careless non-conformity; these themes are as timeless and as everlasting today as they were during the tumultuous years in which this film is set. Mike Leonard March 05.

3 out of 5 stars Take Your Shoes Off B4 Watching!.......2005-03-04

Thaddeus O'Sullivan whose "Nothing Personal" was a violent story set in the Irish conflict and who also directed "Ordinary Decent Criminal" with Kevin Spacey helms a great cast through this tediously melodramatic period piece. Based on Rosamond Lehmann's 1953 novel "The Echoing Grove," this film traces a love triangle between two sisters and one man. As Madeleine, Olivia Williams gives another wonderful performance as the judgmental sister who is married to Ricky, but who is unable to show much affection to her husband. She played Bruce Willis' wife in "The Sixth Sense" and was mother to the kids in the 2003 version of "Peter Pan." She does a great job in this film, but the tediousness of the melodrama made me want to throw my shoe at her about two-thirds of the way through the DVD. Helena Bonham Carter is one of Britain's most interesting actresses whose roles span the somewhat demented lady in "Big Fish" to her most unusual role in "Planet of the Apes" to her wild character in "Fight Club" and her Oscar-nominated performance for "The Wings of the Dove." As Dinah, she is interesting, entrancing and delightful. However, I wanted to throw my shoe at her for not insisting that she be allowed into Ricky's hospital room! Then there is the masterful Paul Bettany who plays Ricky as the quite conflicted husband, drawn to family duty and position, but whose heart leads him to a love affair with Dinah. The steamy romantic scenes make interesting this tale about otherwise quite neurotic people who make you want to throw your shoes at them! Eleanor Bron does an excellent job as the mother of the girls who gets right in the middle of their personal lives and tries to do what she thinks best. Of course, it keeps the lovers apart; so she screws their lives up royally. She goes from playing Bettany's mother-in-law here to playing his mother in the recent romantic romp "Wimbledon." She has had a long distinguished career, appearing in the original "Alfie" in 1966, the classic "Women In Love" in 1969, and recently in "Iris." Luke Newberry as the child Anthony does a nice job in his first film role. All in all, this is a picture from a different cultural time, one hinging on proprieties and what others will think. It is well done and extremely well acted. My only advice is to watch it in your stocking feet! Enjoy!

4 out of 5 stars "So there's to be no end to it?".......2005-02-27

"The Heart of Me" is a drama depicting a love triangle between Madeleine (Olivia Williams), her husband Rickie (Paul Bettany), and Madeleine's unconventional sister, Dinah (Helena Bonham Carter). After the death of Madeleine and Dinah's father, Dinah comes to stay in London. Madeleine wants to create an eligible match for Dinah, and it's when Rickie opposes the match that he realizes that he has strong feelings for Dinah. They launch into a passionate affair that has disastrous consequences.

"The Heart of Me" is a lavish, tear jerker crammed with stellar performances, and excellent sets. With Helena Bonham Carter looking very Edwardian Goth, the story develops from 1934 through flashbacks and concludes in the austerity of Post WWII. Eleanor Bron appears in a splendid supporting role as Madeleine and Dinah's forthright, socially conscious mother.

"The Heart of Me" plays on the same themes as another successful costume drama--"The Age of Innocence." Both films illustrate how societal pressures squash a scandalous romance. In "The Heart of Me" Rickie, is the married man caught between passion and duty. Unfortunately, since his relationships are with two sisters, the ramifications and recriminations go beyond just the affair. While Bettany does an incredible job, the main interest remains in the relationship between the two sisters who have long simmering rivalries and petty grievances. Madeleine is the perfect mother, and the perfect hostess. Dinah, on the other hand is ready to give up material comforts, flout society, and live in relative poverty for the sake of love. Rickie is caught between Madeleine, who coldly controls with duty, and guilt, and the volatile passion of Dinah. Scenes of elegant dinner parties are juxtaposed with the occasional explosive domestic scene in which Rickie and Madeleine reveal the naked ugliness of a miserable, dead marriage. For lovers of British costume dramas, this film is a treat. While it's basically just a soap gravitating around three characters who have an immense capacity to make each other miserable, it's so well done, it's possible to immerse oneself in the drama. The film is based on the novel, "The Echoing Grove" by Rosamond Lehmann--displacedhuman.

4 out of 5 stars TWO SISTERS...ONE MAN..........2004-08-15

This is a very well made movie with a stellar cast and an intelligent script. The plot revolves around two sisters who are total opposites. Madeleine (Olivia Williams) is the glossy, cool, conventional, and undemonstrative sister who is more interested in the outward than in the inward. For Madeleine, appearances are paramount. Dinah (Helena Bonham Carter) is the artistic, bohemian younger sister who is headstrong, passionate, and fiery, in touch with her own feelings but caring little for the feelings of others, if they get in the way of what she wants. She cares little for conventions and is the bane of her sister's existence.

The prim and proper Madeleine is married to Rickie (Paul Brettany), her handsome, wealthy husband, with whom she leads a very proper, upper crust life. Attracted to his sister-in-law, Rickie engages in a forbidden, secret affair with her that turns into a deep and abiding love. Rickie finds in Dinah what is lacking in his wife. These soul mates, however, are destined for tragedy when they choose to defy the conventions of the strictly moral and puritanical society in which they live. The sisters' mother, Mrs. Burkett (Eleanor Bron), interjects herself into the situation in order to preserve the status quo, dividing the illicit lovers through deception.

The film, which begins in 1934 England and covers a twelve years period through 1946, is deftly directed by Thaddeus O'Sullivan. Olivia Williams gives an intelligent, picture perfect performance as the coolly reserved Madeleine, whose facade finally cracks when she discovers her sister's and her husband's perfidy and betrayal. She ultimately is able to be in touch with her feelings and find the necessary catharsis in the end to make right what went wrong.

Helena Bonham Carter is, as always, a picture of perfection, making the reprehensible Dinah ultimately likable when self-awareness of what she has wrought dawns upon her. Paul Brettany shows that he has what it takes to be a leading man, as his reprisal of the romantically beleaguered Rickie is a sensitive portrait of a man caught between two worlds, wanting to make all those around him happy but, in the end, failing. Eleanor Bron is wonderful as the well-meaning matriarch who understands both her daughters all too well.

This film is a beautiful period piece, with gorgeous costumes, wonderful sets, and excellent performances. It is a film well worth watching by those who are fans of this genre.


Lukas Moodysson Collection (4 DVD Box Set) [PAL, Region 2, Import]
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Lukas is a cinematic god
Lukas Moodysson Collection (4 DVD Box Set) [PAL, Region 2, Import]

ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

GenresGenres | DVD | Video | Action & Adventure | African American Cinema | Animation | Anime & Manga | Art House & International | Classics | Comedy | Cult Movies | Documentary | Drama | Educational | Fitness & Yoga | Gay & Lesbian | Horror | Kids & Family | Military & War | Music Video & Concerts | Musicals & Performing Arts | Mystery & Suspense | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Special Interests | Sports | Television | Westerns
Product Features:
  • Region 2 encoding (Europe, Japan, South Africa and the Middle East including Egypt).
  • Requires multi-system DVD player for the US.

ASIN: 1391983947

Product Description

Four features. 'Show Me Love' offers a close examination of the relationship between two young girls, aged sixteen and fourteen. The oldest is Agnes who has few friends, whereas Elin is a lively girl but who is bored with her own life. Also features: 'Lilya 4-Ever', 'Together' and 'A Hole In My Heart'. Special Features: Talk Lukas Moodyssons First Short Film / Trailers / Filmography / Text Interview / Guardian Interview With Lukas Moodysson / Lukas Moodysson Trailer Reel / UNICEF Film More Precious Than Gold / Amnesty International Appeal Promotional Video/ A Hole In My Second Heart Making Of / Lukas Moodysson Master Class.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Lukas is a cinematic god.......2006-10-08

Here we have the best of Lukas Moodysson, which is good indeed. 'Show Me Love' is the politically correct title of his film about teenage lesbians in a small Swedish town, their angst and their relationship. My girlfriend called it the best love story she'd ever seen. Then there is Lilja-4-Ever, about a young Eastern European girl forced into prostitution: food for thought there. 'Together' is about a Swedish commune which takes in a suburban family during the 1970's, some comedic moments and good entertainment. 'A Hole in My Heart' is a somewhat more experimental film, definitely not meant for watching with the whole family; the narrative isn't as clear and there are some gynecological scenes that might scare you. I've seen all of these films and recommend them heartily to anyone who wants to see something besides the standard Hollywood trash.
The Heart of Me
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • surprising and lavish new period drama for fans to savour
  • "I'm so ready to be happy"
  • Take Your Shoes Off B4 Watching!
  • "So there's to be no end to it?"
  • TWO SISTERS...ONE MAN...
The Heart of Me
Starring: Helena Bonham Carter , Olivia Williams , Paul Bettany , Eleanor Bron , and Luke Newberry
Director: Thaddeus O'Sullivan
Manufacturer: Sundance Channel Home Entertainment
ProductGroup: Video
Binding: VHS Tape

Bron, EleanorBron, Eleanor | ( B ) | Actors & Actresses | VHS | Video
Carter, Helena BonhamCarter, Helena Bonham | ( C ) | Actors & Actresses | VHS | Video
Williams, MarkWilliams, Mark | ( W ) | Actors & Actresses | VHS | Video
Williams, OliviaWilliams, Olivia | ( W ) | Actors & Actresses | VHS | Video
Osullivan, ThaddeusOsullivan, Thaddeus | ( O ) | Directors | VHS | Video
GeneralGeneral | Drama | Genres | VHS | Video
Sundance Channel StoreSundance Channel Store | Studio Specials | Specialty Stores | VHS | Video
DramaDrama | By Genre | Art House & International | Genres | DVD | Video
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DramaDrama | By Genre | Indie & Art House | Stores | DVD | Video
Similar Items:
  1. The Wings of the Dove The Wings of the Dove
  2. Till Human Voices Wake Us Till Human Voices Wake Us
  3. The Reckoning The Reckoning
  4. Mood Swingers Mood Swingers
  5. Robert Louis Stevenson's The Game of Death Robert Louis Stevenson's The Game of Death

ASIN: B00013F2T0
Release Date: 2004-02-10

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars surprising and lavish new period drama for fans to savour.......2006-04-09

Lovers of period drama will certainly enjoy THE HEART OF ME, based on the novel "The Echoing Grove" by Rosamond Lehmann. Following the death of their father, Madeleine (Olivia Williams) invites her sister Dinah (Helena Bonham-Carter) to stay with her and her husband Rickie (Paul Bettany). Rickie becomes increasingly attracted to the dark and sensuous Dinah, and the two embark on a torrid affair, which goes on to span over a decade. Despite Madeleine's unflagging devotion, Rickie's infatuation with Dinah eventually brings about his ruin.

A lavish joint production between BBC Films and the Isle of Man Film Commission, THE HEART OF ME is filled with outstanding performances, not the least of which the amazing Helena Bonham-Carter, who adds another fine performance to her resume with Dinah. Olivia Williams and Paul Bettany are likewise superb. Eleanor Bron plays the girls' mother.

Definitely one to check out.

4 out of 5 stars "I'm so ready to be happy".......2005-03-23

Gorgeously directed, and with some wonderful ensemble performances by Helena Bonham Carter, Olivia Williams and Paul Bettany, The Heart of Me shows the terrible price one must pay for choosing between propriety and passion. The traditional romantic triangle is played out amongst the background of the well-bred English upper crust, where emotions are kept in check, and where decorum and respectability must be adhered to at all costs. For a film that is supposed to be about sexual passion, there is a noticeable lack of it, and what passion there is, is presented in a willowy, breezy "Marie Claire" kind of way. But this minor quibble shouldn't negate the power and the overall emotional effectiveness of the story - it's still very well done.

Viewers will probably realize that from the outset, none of the characters are ever going to achieve lasting happiness. Full of betrayal, tears, and deceit, and the notion that one must endlessly suffer for love, The Heart of Me - adapted from Rosamond Lehmann's 1953 novel The Echoing Grove - follows two sisters the impulsive Dinah (Helena Bonham Carter), the beautiful, icy Madeleine (Olivia Williams), and their handsome paramour, Rickie (Paul Bettany) though the glitz and glamour of London in the thirties to the end of the War. Dinah and Madeleine are two very different siblings: Dinah is a successful mother and is seemingly happily wed to Rickie who works as some kind of stock broker in the city. She's straight-laced and correct, always intent in maintaining her somewhat flimsy veneer of social respectability.

Currently Madeleine is engaged in finding Dinah a respectable husband. But Dinah is somewhat the rebel and celebrates in being anti-establishment; she loves passion and the arts and gets off on reading William Blake. Dinah rolls her eyes at Madeleine's efforts, and further incenses her sister and her Mother (Eleanor Bron) by taking art courses and walking off in rainstorms without caring whether she gets wet. She doesn't really want to marry anyone and she doesn't really care when Rickie tells her to break off the engagement to the dull, but socially impeccable Charles (Andrew Havill). Of course, Rickie is absolutely smitten with Dinah; they just can't keep their hands off each other, meeting for after work trysts and sessions of furtive love making - once in a park on New Years eve, and then in Dinah's own run-down, bohemian apartment that she shares with Bridie (Alison Reid).

Dinah and Rickie can't keep their secret for long, and Madeleine can't keep up her facade of marital bliss, and much of the movie centers on how they all navigate these potentially disastrous waters of deceit. Rickie is torn between duty, familial obligations, and his heart's desires, while the concerned Madeleine sits at home and frets cluelessly about Dinah's escapades with the mannish Bridie. Dinah hovers between passionate love, and fierce independence - in one scene, she vows that she's had quite enough of Rickie, yet later she confronts him in a crowded restaurant and begs him to take her back.

Structurally the movie is quite interesting: Madeline and Dinah meet at the dust-ridden, neglected family house after the war. Rickie is now dead - killed in the blitz, and both of the sisters must face the angry ghosts of the past. As they talk, they both reminisce - in a series of flashbacks - to those heady days in London when both of them were full of vitriolic passion. The movie is a masterpiece of tight voices, resolute looks, and carefully clipped phrases, with the three actors delivering marvelously shaded performances. The Heart of Me also touches on many universal themes - the battle between uncontrolled yearning and oppressive morality, the cost of sibling rivalry, and penalty of careless non-conformity; these themes are as timeless and as everlasting today as they were during the tumultuous years in which this film is set. Mike Leonard March 05.

3 out of 5 stars Take Your Shoes Off B4 Watching!.......2005-03-04

Thaddeus O'Sullivan whose "Nothing Personal" was a violent story set in the Irish conflict and who also directed "Ordinary Decent Criminal" with Kevin Spacey helms a great cast through this tediously melodramatic period piece. Based on Rosamond Lehmann's 1953 novel "The Echoing Grove," this film traces a love triangle between two sisters and one man. As Madeleine, Olivia Williams gives another wonderful performance as the judgmental sister who is married to Ricky, but who is unable to show much affection to her husband. She played Bruce Willis' wife in "The Sixth Sense" and was mother to the kids in the 2003 version of "Peter Pan." She does a great job in this film, but the tediousness of the melodrama made me want to throw my shoe at her about two-thirds of the way through the DVD. Helena Bonham Carter is one of Britain's most interesting actresses whose roles span the somewhat demented lady in "Big Fish" to her most unusual role in "Planet of the Apes" to her wild character in "Fight Club" and her Oscar-nominated performance for "The Wings of the Dove." As Dinah, she is interesting, entrancing and delightful. However, I wanted to throw my shoe at her for not insisting that she be allowed into Ricky's hospital room! Then there is the masterful Paul Bettany who plays Ricky as the quite conflicted husband, drawn to family duty and position, but whose heart leads him to a love affair with Dinah. The steamy romantic scenes make interesting this tale about otherwise quite neurotic people who make you want to throw your shoes at them! Eleanor Bron does an excellent job as the mother of the girls who gets right in the middle of their personal lives and tries to do what she thinks best. Of course, it keeps the lovers apart; so she screws their lives up royally. She goes from playing Bettany's mother-in-law here to playing his mother in the recent romantic romp "Wimbledon." She has had a long distinguished career, appearing in the original "Alfie" in 1966, the classic "Women In Love" in 1969, and recently in "Iris." Luke Newberry as the child Anthony does a nice job in his first film role. All in all, this is a picture from a different cultural time, one hinging on proprieties and what others will think. It is well done and extremely well acted. My only advice is to watch it in your stocking feet! Enjoy!

4 out of 5 stars "So there's to be no end to it?".......2005-02-27

"The Heart of Me" is a drama depicting a love triangle between Madeleine (Olivia Williams), her husband Rickie (Paul Bettany), and Madeleine's unconventional sister, Dinah (Helena Bonham Carter). After the death of Madeleine and Dinah's father, Dinah comes to stay in London. Madeleine wants to create an eligible match for Dinah, and it's when Rickie opposes the match that he realizes that he has strong feelings for Dinah. They launch into a passionate affair that has disastrous consequences.

"The Heart of Me" is a lavish, tear jerker crammed with stellar performances, and excellent sets. With Helena Bonham Carter looking very Edwardian Goth, the story develops from 1934 through flashbacks and concludes in the austerity of Post WWII. Eleanor Bron appears in a splendid supporting role as Madeleine and Dinah's forthright, socially conscious mother.

"The Heart of Me" plays on the same themes as another successful costume drama--"The Age of Innocence." Both films illustrate how societal pressures squash a scandalous romance. In "The Heart of Me" Rickie, is the married man caught between passion and duty. Unfortunately, since his relationships are with two sisters, the ramifications and recriminations go beyond just the affair. While Bettany does an incredible job, the main interest remains in the relationship between the two sisters who have long simmering rivalries and petty grievances. Madeleine is the perfect mother, and the perfect hostess. Dinah, on the other hand is ready to give up material comforts, flout society, and live in relative poverty for the sake of love. Rickie is caught between Madeleine, who coldly controls with duty, and guilt, and the volatile passion of Dinah. Scenes of elegant dinner parties are juxtaposed with the occasional explosive domestic scene in which Rickie and Madeleine reveal the naked ugliness of a miserable, dead marriage. For lovers of British costume dramas, this film is a treat. While it's basically just a soap gravitating around three characters who have an immense capacity to make each other miserable, it's so well done, it's possible to immerse oneself in the drama. The film is based on the novel, "The Echoing Grove" by Rosamond Lehmann--displacedhuman.

4 out of 5 stars TWO SISTERS...ONE MAN..........2004-08-15

This is a very well made movie with a stellar cast and an intelligent script. The plot revolves around two sisters who are total opposites. Madeleine (Olivia Williams) is the glossy, cool, conventional, and undemonstrative sister who is more interested in the outward than in the inward. For Madeleine, appearances are paramount. Dinah (Helena Bonham Carter) is the artistic, bohemian younger sister who is headstrong, passionate, and fiery, in touch with her own feelings but caring little for the feelings of others, if they get in the way of what she wants. She cares little for conventions and is the bane of her sister's existence.

The prim and proper Madeleine is married to Rickie (Paul Brettany), her handsome, wealthy husband, with whom she leads a very proper, upper crust life. Attracted to his sister-in-law, Rickie engages in a forbidden, secret affair with her that turns into a deep and abiding love. Rickie finds in Dinah what is lacking in his wife. These soul mates, however, are destined for tragedy when they choose to defy the conventions of the strictly moral and puritanical society in which they live. The sisters' mother, Mrs. Burkett (Eleanor Bron), interjects herself into the situation in order to preserve the status quo, dividing the illicit lovers through deception.

The film, which begins in 1934 England and covers a twelve years period through 1946, is deftly directed by Thaddeus O'Sullivan. Olivia Williams gives an intelligent, picture perfect performance as the coolly reserved Madeleine, whose facade finally cracks when she discovers her sister's and her husband's perfidy and betrayal. She ultimately is able to be in touch with her feelings and find the necessary catharsis in the end to make right what went wrong.

Helena Bonham Carter is, as always, a picture of perfection, making the reprehensible Dinah ultimately likable when self-awareness of what she has wrought dawns upon her. Paul Brettany shows that he has what it takes to be a leading man, as his reprisal of the romantically beleaguered Rickie is a sensitive portrait of a man caught between two worlds, wanting to make all those around him happy but, in the end, failing. Eleanor Bron is wonderful as the well-meaning matriarch who understands both her daughters all too well.

This film is a beautiful period piece, with gorgeous costumes, wonderful sets, and excellent performances. It is a film well worth watching by those who are fans of this genre.


A Hole In My Heart [English Subtitles, PAL, Region 2, Import]
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • de-humanizing
A Hole In My Heart [English Subtitles, PAL, Region 2, Import]

ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

GeneralGeneral | Art House & International | Genres | DVD | Video
GeneralGeneral | Foreign & International | Stores | DVD | Video
Product Features:
  • Region 2 encoding (Europe, Japan, South Africa and the Middle East including Egypt).
  • Requires multi-system DVD player in the US.

ASIN: 8391540758

Product Description

Richard and his son Eric live in a run down apartment in Stockholm. Abandoning traditional social codes in favour of a more liberal 'pop culture', chaos ensues to provide a poignant reflection of contemporary Western culture...

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars de-humanizing.......2006-12-29

Lukas Moodysson's 'A hole in my heart' reveals the de-humanization resulting from porn. And yes, focusing mainly on male & female sex-organs makes this movie pretty depressive. The more so, while Moodysson also shows how its participants are caught in the strong commercial pressures behind.

Set in a modest appartment in some anonymus Swedish suburb, we meet the four characters of 'A hole in my heart': a father in his fifties (the producer), his adolescent son, and a male & female porn-actor. Limiting the cast to four, as well as having the set almost entirely indoors, increases isolation & desolation. The son keeps himself out of any activity, thus serving as a contrasting mirror to the shooting in the next room.

That, in short, is the whole story of 'A hole in my heart'. One feels this movie is a little too long to tell us just that. I guess Moodisson thought a subject like this cannot be over-emphasized.
The Heart of Me [Region 2]
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • surprising and lavish new period drama for fans to savour
  • "I'm so ready to be happy"
  • Take Your Shoes Off B4 Watching!
  • "So there's to be no end to it?"
  • TWO SISTERS...ONE MAN...
The Heart of Me [Region 2]
Starring: Helena Bonham Carter , Olivia Williams , Paul Bettany , Eleanor Bron , and Luke Newberry
Director: Thaddeus O'Sullivan
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

GeneralGeneral | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video
Bron, EleanorBron, Eleanor | ( B ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
Carter, Helena BonhamCarter, Helena Bonham | ( C ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
Charles, RebeccaCharles, Rebecca | ( C ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
Williams, MarkWilliams, Mark | ( W ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
Williams, OliviaWilliams, Olivia | ( W ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
Osullivan, ThaddeusOsullivan, Thaddeus | ( O ) | Directors | Stores | DVD | Video
DVDs Under $14.99DVDs Under $14.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video
( H )( H ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:
  1. The Wings of the Dove The Wings of the Dove
  2. Till Human Voices Wake Us Till Human Voices Wake Us
  3. The Reckoning The Reckoning
  4. Mood Swingers Mood Swingers
  5. Robert Louis Stevenson's The Game of Death Robert Louis Stevenson's The Game of Death

ASIN: B0000BXC0T

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars surprising and lavish new period drama for fans to savour.......2006-04-09

Lovers of period drama will certainly enjoy THE HEART OF ME, based on the novel "The Echoing Grove" by Rosamond Lehmann. Following the death of their father, Madeleine (Olivia Williams) invites her sister Dinah (Helena Bonham-Carter) to stay with her and her husband Rickie (Paul Bettany). Rickie becomes increasingly attracted to the dark and sensuous Dinah, and the two embark on a torrid affair, which goes on to span over a decade. Despite Madeleine's unflagging devotion, Rickie's infatuation with Dinah eventually brings about his ruin.

A lavish joint production between BBC Films and the Isle of Man Film Commission, THE HEART OF ME is filled with outstanding performances, not the least of which the amazing Helena Bonham-Carter, who adds another fine performance to her resume with Dinah. Olivia Williams and Paul Bettany are likewise superb. Eleanor Bron plays the girls' mother.

Definitely one to check out.

4 out of 5 stars "I'm so ready to be happy".......2005-03-23

Gorgeously directed, and with some wonderful ensemble performances by Helena Bonham Carter, Olivia Williams and Paul Bettany, The Heart of Me shows the terrible price one must pay for choosing between propriety and passion. The traditional romantic triangle is played out amongst the background of the well-bred English upper crust, where emotions are kept in check, and where decorum and respectability must be adhered to at all costs. For a film that is supposed to be about sexual passion, there is a noticeable lack of it, and what passion there is, is presented in a willowy, breezy "Marie Claire" kind of way. But this minor quibble shouldn't negate the power and the overall emotional effectiveness of the story - it's still very well done.

Viewers will probably realize that from the outset, none of the characters are ever going to achieve lasting happiness. Full of betrayal, tears, and deceit, and the notion that one must endlessly suffer for love, The Heart of Me - adapted from Rosamond Lehmann's 1953 novel The Echoing Grove - follows two sisters the impulsive Dinah (Helena Bonham Carter), the beautiful, icy Madeleine (Olivia Williams), and their handsome paramour, Rickie (Paul Bettany) though the glitz and glamour of London in the thirties to the end of the War. Dinah and Madeleine are two very different siblings: Dinah is a successful mother and is seemingly happily wed to Rickie who works as some kind of stock broker in the city. She's straight-laced and correct, always intent in maintaining her somewhat flimsy veneer of social respectability.

Currently Madeleine is engaged in finding Dinah a respectable husband. But Dinah is somewhat the rebel and celebrates in being anti-establishment; she loves passion and the arts and gets off on reading William Blake. Dinah rolls her eyes at Madeleine's efforts, and further incenses her sister and her Mother (Eleanor Bron) by taking art courses and walking off in rainstorms without caring whether she gets wet. She doesn't really want to marry anyone and she doesn't really care when Rickie tells her to break off the engagement to the dull, but socially impeccable Charles (Andrew Havill). Of course, Rickie is absolutely smitten with Dinah; they just can't keep their hands off each other, meeting for after work trysts and sessions of furtive love making - once in a park on New Years eve, and then in Dinah's own run-down, bohemian apartment that she shares with Bridie (Alison Reid).

Dinah and Rickie can't keep their secret for long, and Madeleine can't keep up her facade of marital bliss, and much of the movie centers on how they all navigate these potentially disastrous waters of deceit. Rickie is torn between duty, familial obligations, and his heart's desires, while the concerned Madeleine sits at home and frets cluelessly about Dinah's escapades with the mannish Bridie. Dinah hovers between passionate love, and fierce independence - in one scene, she vows that she's had quite enough of Rickie, yet later she confronts him in a crowded restaurant and begs him to take her back.

Structurally the movie is quite interesting: Madeline and Dinah meet at the dust-ridden, neglected family house after the war. Rickie is now dead - killed in the blitz, and both of the sisters must face the angry ghosts of the past. As they talk, they both reminisce - in a series of flashbacks - to those heady days in London when both of them were full of vitriolic passion. The movie is a masterpiece of tight voices, resolute looks, and carefully clipped phrases, with the three actors delivering marvelously shaded performances. The Heart of Me also touches on many universal themes - the battle between uncontrolled yearning and oppressive morality, the cost of sibling rivalry, and penalty of careless non-conformity; these themes are as timeless and as everlasting today as they were during the tumultuous years in which this film is set. Mike Leonard March 05.

3 out of 5 stars Take Your Shoes Off B4 Watching!.......2005-03-04

Thaddeus O'Sullivan whose "Nothing Personal" was a violent story set in the Irish conflict and who also directed "Ordinary Decent Criminal" with Kevin Spacey helms a great cast through this tediously melodramatic period piece. Based on Rosamond Lehmann's 1953 novel "The Echoing Grove," this film traces a love triangle between two sisters and one man. As Madeleine, Olivia Williams gives another wonderful performance as the judgmental sister who is married to Ricky, but who is unable to show much affection to her husband. She played Bruce Willis' wife in "The Sixth Sense" and was mother to the kids in the 2003 version of "Peter Pan." She does a great job in this film, but the tediousness of the melodrama made me want to throw my shoe at her about two-thirds of the way through the DVD. Helena Bonham Carter is one of Britain's most interesting actresses whose roles span the somewhat demented lady in "Big Fish" to her most unusual role in "Planet of the Apes" to her wild character in "Fight Club" and her Oscar-nominated performance for "The Wings of the Dove." As Dinah, she is interesting, entrancing and delightful. However, I wanted to throw my shoe at her for not insisting that she be allowed into Ricky's hospital room! Then there is the masterful Paul Bettany who plays Ricky as the quite conflicted husband, drawn to family duty and position, but whose heart leads him to a love affair with Dinah. The steamy romantic scenes make interesting this tale about otherwise quite neurotic people who make you want to throw your shoes at them! Eleanor Bron does an excellent job as the mother of the girls who gets right in the middle of their personal lives and tries to do what she thinks best. Of course, it keeps the lovers apart; so she screws their lives up royally. She goes from playing Bettany's mother-in-law here to playing his mother in the recent romantic romp "Wimbledon." She has had a long distinguished career, appearing in the original "Alfie" in 1966, the classic "Women In Love" in 1969, and recently in "Iris." Luke Newberry as the child Anthony does a nice job in his first film role. All in all, this is a picture from a different cultural time, one hinging on proprieties and what others will think. It is well done and extremely well acted. My only advice is to watch it in your stocking feet! Enjoy!

4 out of 5 stars "So there's to be no end to it?".......2005-02-27

"The Heart of Me" is a drama depicting a love triangle between Madeleine (Olivia Williams), her husband Rickie (Paul Bettany), and Madeleine's unconventional sister, Dinah (Helena Bonham Carter). After the death of Madeleine and Dinah's father, Dinah comes to stay in London. Madeleine wants to create an eligible match for Dinah, and it's when Rickie opposes the match that he realizes that he has strong feelings for Dinah. They launch into a passionate affair that has disastrous consequences.

"The Heart of Me" is a lavish, tear jerker crammed with stellar performances, and excellent sets. With Helena Bonham Carter looking very Edwardian Goth, the story develops from 1934 through flashbacks and concludes in the austerity of Post WWII. Eleanor Bron appears in a splendid supporting role as Madeleine and Dinah's forthright, socially conscious mother.

"The Heart of Me" plays on the same themes as another successful costume drama--"The Age of Innocence." Both films illustrate how societal pressures squash a scandalous romance. In "The Heart of Me" Rickie, is the married man caught between passion and duty. Unfortunately, since his relationships are with two sisters, the ramifications and recriminations go beyond just the affair. While Bettany does an incredible job, the main interest remains in the relationship between the two sisters who have long simmering rivalries and petty grievances. Madeleine is the perfect mother, and the perfect hostess. Dinah, on the other hand is ready to give up material comforts, flout society, and live in relative poverty for the sake of love. Rickie is caught between Madeleine, who coldly controls with duty, and guilt, and the volatile passion of Dinah. Scenes of elegant dinner parties are juxtaposed with the occasional explosive domestic scene in which Rickie and Madeleine reveal the naked ugliness of a miserable, dead marriage. For lovers of British costume dramas, this film is a treat. While it's basically just a soap gravitating around three characters who have an immense capacity to make each other miserable, it's so well done, it's possible to immerse oneself in the drama. The film is based on the novel, "The Echoing Grove" by Rosamond Lehmann--displacedhuman.

4 out of 5 stars TWO SISTERS...ONE MAN..........2004-08-15

This is a very well made movie with a stellar cast and an intelligent script. The plot revolves around two sisters who are total opposites. Madeleine (Olivia Williams) is the glossy, cool, conventional, and undemonstrative sister who is more interested in the outward than in the inward. For Madeleine, appearances are paramount. Dinah (Helena Bonham Carter) is the artistic, bohemian younger sister who is headstrong, passionate, and fiery, in touch with her own feelings but caring little for the feelings of others, if they get in the way of what she wants. She cares little for conventions and is the bane of her sister's existence.

The prim and proper Madeleine is married to Rickie (Paul Brettany), her handsome, wealthy husband, with whom she leads a very proper, upper crust life. Attracted to his sister-in-law, Rickie engages in a forbidden, secret affair with her that turns into a deep and abiding love. Rickie finds in Dinah what is lacking in his wife. These soul mates, however, are destined for tragedy when they choose to defy the conventions of the strictly moral and puritanical society in which they live. The sisters' mother, Mrs. Burkett (Eleanor Bron), interjects herself into the situation in order to preserve the status quo, dividing the illicit lovers through deception.

The film, which begins in 1934 England and covers a twelve years period through 1946, is deftly directed by Thaddeus O'Sullivan. Olivia Williams gives an intelligent, picture perfect performance as the coolly reserved Madeleine, whose facade finally cracks when she discovers her sister's and her husband's perfidy and betrayal. She ultimately is able to be in touch with her feelings and find the necessary catharsis in the end to make right what went wrong.

Helena Bonham Carter is, as always, a picture of perfection, making the reprehensible Dinah ultimately likable when self-awareness of what she has wrought dawns upon her. Paul Brettany shows that he has what it takes to be a leading man, as his reprisal of the romantically beleaguered Rickie is a sensitive portrait of a man caught between two worlds, wanting to make all those around him happy but, in the end, failing. Eleanor Bron is wonderful as the well-meaning matriarch who understands both her daughters all too well.

This film is a beautiful period piece, with gorgeous costumes, wonderful sets, and excellent performances. It is a film well worth watching by those who are fans of this genre.


Leo Sayer - Live in Korea
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    Leo Sayer - Live in Korea

    ProductGroup: DVD
    Binding: DVD

    GeneralGeneral | Musicals & Performing Arts | Genres | DVD | Video
    ASIN: B000AV1EQ8

    Product Description

    SONGS: 1) Thunder In My Heart; 2) Long Tall Glasses; 3) One Man Band; 4) Raining In My Heart; 5) More Than I Can Say; 6) Blame It On The Night; 7) You Make Me Feel Like Dancing; 8) I Can't Stop Loving You; 9) Endless Flight; 10) When I Need You; 11) How Much Love. ++++ Officially licensed release from South Korea with 4:3 Full Screen display; 5.1 Dolby Digital Surround Sound; NTSC "ALL" Region (region-free) coding.
    Charlie Rose with Laurie Garrett; Anna Deveare Smith; Alice Walker; Isabel Swift (November 14, 2000)
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      Charlie Rose with Laurie Garrett; Anna Deveare Smith; Alice Walker; Isabel Swift (November 14, 2000)

      Manufacturer: Charlie Rose, Inc.
      ProductGroup: DVD
      Binding: DVD

      GeneralGeneral | Health | Special Interests | Genres | DVD | Video
      GeneralGeneral | Educational | Genres | DVD | Video
      All TitlesAll Titles | Charlie Rose Store | Television | Genres | DVD | Video
      ( C )( C ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
      ASIN: B000HBL7TA
      Release Date: 2006-08-15

      Description

      Health and science reporter Laurie Garrett of Newsday on her new book, Betrayal of Trust: The Collapse of Global Public Health, in which she argues that large numbers of people around the world are dying not due to a particular disease but because of failed public health systems. Then, performer and writer Anna Deveare Smith talks about her latest project, a book called Talk to Me: Listening Between the Lines, in which she tackles Washington politics. Later, fiction writer Alice Walker on her latest work, a collection of autobiographical short stories called The Way Forward is With a Broken Heart. Finally, Isabel Swift, head of Harlequin Books' editorial department, in charge of acquiring and developing the more than 700 titles the company publishes annually, on her role in the world of romance fiction.

      DVD:

      1. Rocky & Bullwinkle & Friends - The Complete First Season
      2. Rome - The Complete Second Season
      3. Safe House
      4. Scratch (Ws Dol Dts)
      5. Serial Killers 2-pack
      6. Shattered Glass
      7. Six Characters in Search of an Author (Broadway Theatre Archive)
      8. Spirit Rider
      9. Stories of Floating Weeds (A Story of Floating Weeds (1934) / Floating Weeds (1959)) - Criterion Collection
      10. Suspicious River

      DVD

      DVD