Frederick Rockett

I felt none of the acclaimed suspence or eroticism. The male of the English couple seemed gay and there was no sexual tension I noticed between them, and nothing made any sense. Why did she have two children? Who was the father of the kids? Were they just friends, and why were they in Venice, which they seemed not to enjoy at all? And why did they accept an invitation to return to the rich guy's house when they reviled him? And then go back, after Walken punched Everett in the stomach and Richardson had a nightmare because she saw a photo of Rupert in their house? Walken was clearly a hideous person. Their behaviors were inconsistent and senseless, as if they were idiots. Further, the dialogue between Everett and Richardson was utterly dull. I didn't even enjoy the shots of Venice. I did manage to stay awake, so I guess it couldn't have been all bad, but not recommended!!

This is one of my all-time favorite movies, and one of the most under appreciated of American films. The cast is superb, and includes a bevy of top level female actresses at the top of their game. Each character is superbly portrayed and has her own story weaved brilliantly into the plot. The plot itself reveals a seldom addressed conflict in the field of education: are teachers meant to simply relay information, or are they meant to inspire their students as whole people, to perhaps lead them to different lives, to different ways of looking at the world? As a teacher, I've felt this tension acutely at times, and have struggled with it, at times painfully.

It struck me as rather saccharin, and somewhat confusing because of the time shifts and location changes.