Hugh-14

Having been fairly but not overly impressed with all 3 books when I read them in the early 1970's, I was indeed looking forward to the first filmed installment.

I have to admit that although the film is very impressive on a technical level, much of this film is very tedious and certainly after 2 hours I was very very bored with the repetitiveness of the confounded story. Certainly whatever it was that compelled me all those years ago with the books is not there with this film and I could not wait for the thing to end. To coin the great Alfred Hitchcock's words "it's lacking humour" and I came away wanting real entertainment. Sorry!

Being involved in the industry and having read so much about this film for several months, I have to say that it is a great disappointment. Bruce Willis was badly miscast. With so many close-ups the part needed an actor with a greater range who can convey tension subtly and convincingly and not the one dimensional comic book action hero looks with the acting ability of a turnip. Bruce Willis trying ever so hard to be restrained is like torture to watch. Even the much-hyped ending is not so difficult to predict. Too many sub-plots with the dead people cropping up here and there with little point except to try and scare the audience - a hand shooting out from under a table - is all old hat. Stephen King fans will be underwhelmed, and as Hitchcock might have said, it is too slow and lacks humour. Seriously Dull!

Being involved in the film industry and invited to many previews, it becomes increasingly rare feeling great when sitting through the majority of films. The Honest Courtesan is a film I loved from beginning to end, and one of the film world's great mysteries for me will always be, why did this film fail? Was it the title? Dangerous Beauty in the US - fairly crass! A Destiny of her own in Aus - Too feminist, arty? The Honest Courtesan in Europe - The original title, better but too many people have trouble with 'Courtesan' in the title! I am sure the film will have more success on video, but with the wonderful 'Scope cinematography, the film is ravishingly beautiful on the Cinema screen. I guess if as theory has it, the title is everything then 'Shakespeare in Love' is certainly a more punchy title but not, in my view, a better film!