A Merry War
Released 1997
Stars Richard E. Grant, Helena Bonham Carter, Jim Carter, Harriet Walter,
Julian Wadham, Lesley Vickerage
Directed by Robert Bierman
First of all, this is the worst movie title I've heard in a long time. The movie is an adaptation of George Orwell's novel Keep the Aspidistra Flying, but the title had to be changed for the U. S. release because we Americans are stupid. Personally, I think all book adaptations should carry the book's title unless the movie is a big departure from the book. If the studio morons must change the title, however, please change it to something that makes sense. "A Merry War" may be a phrase that appears in the novel, but it refers to the battle between the sexes which is barely touched in the movie. Instead, the movie is a light-hearted morality play about a complete jackass, Gordon Comstock (Richard E. Grant) who fancies himself a poet. True he's had a small book of poetry published and has an admirer in his publisher, but that doesn't pay the bills. Until you can pay the bills with your writing, I think you have to consider yourself an aspiring poet. Gordon doesn't see it that way, and he quits his well-paying job in advertising to concentrate on writing. Unfortunately for Gordon, he has more potential than talent, and he spirals into poverty. Much of this story is based loosely on George Orwell's own experiences before he wrote his more famous novels, but I didn't find the movie engaging. My biggest problem was Richard E. Grant's portrayal of Gordon. He's such a rat bastard, it's impossible to understand why Rosemary (Helena Bonham Carter) would stick by him. Apparently Rosemary's character is a doormat in the book, which would have made the whole story more realistic. In the movie she's a modern woman, and such a woman would not have stood by this pompous, irritating, whiny, ungrateful, impractical jackass. In the end, Gordon comes around dramatically. It's a very welcome change, but it's too abrupt. I'm sure the book handled this transition better.
Summary by Bill Alward, November 30, 2002