THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, August 1, 1994 TAG: 9407300076
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E5 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY MAL VINCENT, ENTERTAINMENT WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 62 lines
THE PROSPECT of seeing glamorous, sexy Natasha Richardson rip at bland, ethereal Mia Farrow in an all-out cat fight is, alone, worth the price of admission. Add to it that the feminine battle is seemingly refereed by the comically starchy Joan Plowright, and you have a delightful visit to ``Widow's Peak.''
Widow's Peak is a 1920s hilltop Irish village. It is inhabited and ruled mostly by widows - most of whom show no remorse that their husbands have passed away and left the money with them. Mrs. Doyle Counihan is the reigning social matron - looking down her turned-up nose as she chooses who is ``in'' and who had best get out.
Strangely, she allows the poverty-ridden Miss O'Hare to loiter about. Miss O'Hare, seemingly the only nonwidow resident, is shy and reclusive but is nonetheless being courted by the local dentist - a man almost as shy as she (played by Jim Broadbent).
Plowright, the former Lady Olivier, is hilarious as Mrs. Counihan, a character that amounts to a repeat of her haughty role in ``Enchanted April.'' (Because she didn't win the Oscar for that one, has she merely decided to try again by repeating it?) Mia Farrow, in her first non-Woody role in 13 years, is believably cast as Miss O'Hare. Still frail and eccentric, she always surprises audiences when she shows any life at all.
The town gets a jolt when Edwina Broome, an American widow of English descent, arrives. As played by the striking Richardson, she is quite a knockout. Richardson, the daughter of Vanessa Redgrave and the late director Tony Richardson, is a sassy delight who immediately leads us to suspect she's up to no good. She easily attracts the attention of the few men in town, including Mrs. Counihan's son, Godfrey (Adrian Dunbar). The character played by Farrow instantly takes a fiery dislike to her.
The two women's feud spreads to near-physical scenes at the local dance hall and at a local boat race.
Finally, things get out of hand.
To tell more would be criminal. The movie has a surprise ending. In fact, not since ``The Crying Game'' have audiences huddled so steadfastly to keep a secret.
``Widow's Peak'' was written 10 years ago by playwright Hugh Leonard (``Da'') as a project for Mia Farrow and her mother, actress Maureen O'Sullivan (Jane in the most famous of the ``Tarzan'' movies). Because Farrow was loath to leave Allen's side and employment, it never got made until now. John Irving directs with a wry eye toward keeping the feminine cast members' from hurting each other. There is, though, a whodunit in the offing.
``Widow's Peak'' is great fun.
MOVIE REVIEW ``Widow's Peak''
Cast: Mia Farrow, Joan Plowright, Natasha Richardson, Adrian Dunbar, Jim Broadbent
Director: John Irvin
Screenplay: Hugh Leonard
MPAA rating: PG (there is little that is offensive)
Mal's rating: Three stars
Locations: Naro in Norfolk by CNB