East Lynne

I admit that I watched this film because Lisa Eichhorn was in the lead role, and frankly her astounding acting eclipsed all of the other well known names. I remember her from the great film ' Cutter's Way ' and I was astounded by her then. A great actor. As for ' East Lynne ' ( I have mercifully not read the book nor seen the 1931 film ) all I can say is that it has an unhealthy obsession with death that at times bordering on a lingering desire to see it through to the last death throes. A pornography of death which no doubt in Victorian times and even today is a cruel substitute for the pleasures of human desire. The plot begins with murder and after a long passage of time we endure facial disfigurement, the death of a baby and worst of all long, long minute of watching a boy go through mental torture about seeing his mother in heaven, and finally arching his back in the agony of a suffocating death. I cannot imagine why anyone would want to see this but a great deal have and loved it since Victorian times. The film itself is well made and Martin Shaw lends some of the scenes force, but for the truly sensitive I cannot recommend watching it.