birdienl | Impressions of Me and Orson Welles, The Cater Street hangman and Into the storm (Reply)

Me and Orson Welles 2008

Adapted from: the novel by Robert Kaplow
Length: too long (LOL,114 min)

Summary: High school student Richard Samuels is cast in the modern retelling of Julius Caesar, directed by the young Orson Welles in 1937. He falls in love with stage assistant Sonja, but in this he has not taken into account the erratic and dictatorial nature of Welles.

Familiar faces: Claire Danes and a small role for Aidan McArdle (Sylvester from Garrow's Law)

Watch this if:
- You're very much interested in Shakespeare or stage history

Don't watch this if:
- You're tired, you might fall asleep!

Best part: The scenes between Richard and Gretta, an aspiring writer, with whom he actually has some chemistry, in contrast to Sonja.

The Cater Street Hangman 1998

Adapted from: the novel by Anne Perry
Length: 102 min

Summary: With the help of the feisty aristocratic Charlotte Ellison, the working-class Scotland Yard inspector Pitt hunts for a serial killer of young women in Victorian London.

Familiar faces: Keeley Hawes

Watch this if:
- You like Keeley Hawes and want to watch her in a role which really fits her
- You like a good old 'whodunnit'

Don't watch this if:
- You're already afraid of crossing dark alleys
- You're easily annoyed by high strung Victorian females

Best part: the 'bonding' scenes between Charlotte and inspector Pitt

Into the storm 2009

Adapted from: no adaptation, more or less a sequel to The gathering storm, but with different actors playing the main characters
Length: 100 min

Summary: Into the storm looks at the life and career of Winston Churchill from the start of WWII until the elections in 1945.

Familiar faces: Janet McTeer (Mrs. Dashwood, S&S08), James D'Arcy, Bill Paterson, Iain Glen

Watch this if:
- You're interested in WWII history and like to learn a bit more about Churchill
- You like character driven stories with solid acting

Don't watch this if:
- You cannot imagine a period drama without romance

Best part: The speech Churchill gives at the beginning of the movie/beginning of WWII brought tears to my eyes