Lord Jim [VHS]

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Lord Jim [VHS] Review

Well, Peter O'Toole was never going to find another character or film as magnificent as Lawrence of Arabia. And his first films after that triumph were commendable attempts to avoid typecasting - What's New Pussycat and Becket. But it was inevitable he would again become a tormented blonde Englishman in an alien environment. And he could have done a lot worse than starring as Lord Jim for Richard Brooks.

Any discussion of this film has to concentrate on O'Toole and Brooks. That is not to say there are no other impressive performances, or that the film is not beautifully photographed or graced with a lushly evocative score. But the film is Brooks' vision and O'Toole is the one who must bring it to life. They are both reasonably successful.

Brooks obviously wanted to create an intelligent epic -one to rival the Robert Bolt/David Lean collaborations. But Brooks was both writer and director - and he was adapting a book that was as pyschological as potentially visual. Luckily for him, audiences in the 1960's were more sophisticated (dare we say intelligent?) and willing to think about what they were watching than today's consumers of assembly-line disposable entertainment. So characters could discuss and debate as well as blow things up. Although the disjointed nature of some of the film suggests pre-release studio interference. In the end, the film is a commendable attempt - perhaps more worthy than enjoyable, but still with lots to hold the viewer's interest.

The southeast Asian locations are frequently spectacular and some sequences - the storm at sea and the final battle with pirates - are excitedly staged. The film always looks and sounds beautiful. And, for once, an international cast with various accents actually contributes to the flavor of the script and characters. Stalwart Jack Hawkins, industrious Paul Lukas, wily Eli Wallach (doing a variation on his Magnificent Seven bandit) and James Mason seemingly enjoying himself as a gentleman pirate. The "native" players are also unusually good. Only gorgeous Daliah Lavi occasionally seems out of place, looking more like a 60's dolly bird than an exotic maiden.

But, of course, it is Peter O'Toole who commands the greatest attention. He is seldom off the screen and is probably the main reason for viewing the film today. He is properly enigmatic although without the multiple layers of Lawrence. This may well be the only film in which O'Toole occasionally underacts. After all these years, I still remember the Mad Magazine parody of Lord Jim. Two extras keep asking which emotion O'Toole is displaying - anger, love, determination, fear, doubt. For each one, he wear the same expression.

I'm quite glad to have seen Lord Jim again after so long - and with it looking so good. It's not a classic, not a film to be watched repeatedly. But it's a fine example of a large scale epic that could also be thoughtful and almost moving. A relic of an age of big and brave film making.

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