THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, September 21, 1995 TAG: 9509210047
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E3 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Movie Review
SOURCE: BY MAL VINCENT MOVIE CRITIC
LENGTH: Medium: 55 lines
A FINE CAST scores an entertaining, if somewhat simplified, transference of Anton Chekhov's ``Uncle Vanya'' from Russia to Australia in ``Country Life.'' Human nature and the theme of city slickers vs. down-home types are the same no matter what the geography.
The precarious and repressed nature of a country family is thrown awry when a long-lost relative from London visits an Australian sheep ranch. He's a 62-year-old theater critic who knows the best wines and claims that he's working on his next manuscript.
The country cousins are impressed by his city airs and even change their own dinner to a fashionably later hour. Only the peevish cook-maid seems to see through the phony visitor.
Most disruptive is the old writer's young, quite attractive wife, played by Greta Scacchi. Scacchi is continually cast as a femme fatale, from ``White Mischief'' to a host of other naughty roles, including Tom Jefferson's supposed mistress in ``Jefferson in Paris.'' Here, she's limited to saucy looks and a single roll in the hay with the town's doctor (Sam Neill from ``Jurassic Park'').
The doctor is also the source of hopes for the family's hard-working young daughter, a woman who feels she is unattractive and spends her time trying to make the ranch work. Kerry Fox, in the film's best performance, brings great tragedy and longing to the part without ever making it coy.
John Hargreaves is the sun-burned sheep herder who resents that he has had to stay on the ranch while others went away to the city ``and got to sleep with beautiful women.''
As directed and written by Michael Blakemore, who also plays the aging critic, ``Country Life'' has an ample degree of humor to mix with repressed passions.
The characters are thoroughly developed, with passions simmering just below the surface. They seldom say what they mean, but we see right through them, even though they are anything but synthetic.
``Country Life'' is a fine choice for discerning moviegoers. It's available on the lower level of Lynnhaven Mall's theater complex. ILLUSTRATION: MIRAMAX FILMS photo
Greta Scacchi and Michael Blakemore are disruptive visitors from the
city in ``Country Life.''
Graphic
[The wrong fast fax box appeared with the printed version of the
story. It is not included with the electronic version.]
by CNB