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From Amazon.co.uk
Adapted from Evelyn Waugh's Jazz Age satire, A Handful of Dust is a brutal story of a failed marriage with shattering consquences. James Wilby stars as a country gentleman, Tony Last, who loves rattling around his expansive estate, Hetton Abbey.
Tony's wife, Brenda (Kristin Scott Thomas), however, pines for London's excitement and commences an affair in the city with penniless aristocrat John Beaver (Rupert Graves). The fallout of Brenda's betrayal includes a family tragedy and creative divorce settlement ultimately undone when fed-up Tony goes on a naturalist trek through Brazil and becomes the hostage of a mad, illiterate explorer (Alec Guinness). One might wonder whether it's more appropriate to laugh or tremble at these events, and director Charles Sturridge's handsome, graceful production ingeniously accommodates the story's streaks of dark comedy and horror. With brief, memorable supporting roles for Anjelica Huston and Stephen Fry.----Tom Keogh
Product Description
Tony and Brenda Last (James Wilby, Kristin Scott Thomas) appear to be the perfect married couple - with money, position, a great country house and an adored son, John Andrew. When Tony inadvertently invites John Beaver (Rupert Graves), an idle and penniless young socialite, to stay for the weekend, he sets in motion a series of events which drastically disrupts the course of all their lives. Brenda drifts into an affair with the worthless Mr Beaver, with disastrous consequences, particularly for Tony, who remains unaware of Brenda's betrayal until the tragic death of their young son. As Brenda leaves home to take up a precarious life with her lover in London, Tony sets sail with an eccentric explorer on an expedition to the South American Rain Forest. Lost in the jungle and stricken by fever, Tony is rescued from death by the eccentric half-caste Mr Todd (Alec Guinness), with unexpected and sinister results.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
38 of 38 people found the following review helpful
By LUCY LOCKETT
Format:DVD
Occasionally you see a film which stays in your mind and even disturbs you somewhat. This for me is one of those films. Not knowing much about it before hand I was n`t prepared for the savage story to be told of what people can do to one another. All the acting is superb and the music adds to the haunting effect that this film had on me. I would recommend this film to anyone who enjoys a good story portrayed with style and expertise
and see if it haunts you too
and see if it haunts you too
21 of 21 people found the following review helpful
By Luiza
Format:DVD
An excellent, outstanding film in every respect, directing, acting, you name it. The story, however, is maybe the cruellest account of human interaction I have ever come across in fiction and it left me feeling as if somebody had kicked me in the stomach. NOT a date movie by any means!
48 of 49 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
This film has never received the recognition it deserves. Charles Sturridge's adaptation is near-perfect and although Evelyn Waugh was a notorious curmudgeon, he would be hard-pressed to find fault with this film. The cast are superb and I cannot imagine two better actors to play the Lasts.
During the late Eighties there was a brief fad for period films on this side of the Atlantic. Everybody raved about 'A Room With a View' but 'A handful of Dust' was virtually ignored. I am sure that posterity will reveal Charles Sturridge's work to be the better film of the two.
Finally, I must mention George Fenton's wonderful music, which complements and enhances the film. I have a CD of the soundtrack and have listened to it more times than I can remember. Perfect in every way.
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3.5 out of 5 stars
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
Well Done to all!
I would recommend this film to anyone who enjoys good solid drama and with an excellent cast. I am glad that I have seen it.
Well Done!
Well Done!
Published 2 months ago by A. D. Gherson
4.0 out of 5 stars
Evelyn Waugh
Good value for money, especially as son doing it for school subject. Nothing else to say. Nothing else to say.
Published 3 months ago by MR STEPHEN J COLLIER
3.0 out of 5 stars
This is an odd one...
I didn't know anything about this movie when I watched it; and it's definitely worth a watch - but it's all quite odd. Read more
Published 6 months ago by Kim
5.0 out of 5 stars
Intelligent, well cast drama
The story, set during the inter-war period, centres on the uppercrust Lasts, an ill-matched couple who are detached from "society" due to his reserved, asocial personality. Read more
Published 9 months ago by R. Davies
3.0 out of 5 stars
Unusually Strong Cast for a TV Film
"A Handful of Dust," (1988), based on Evelyn Waugh's famous novel by the same name,A Handful of Dust (Penguin Modern Classics), a jazz-age satire, was made by London Weekend... Read more
Published 14 months ago by Stephanie DePue
4.0 out of 5 stars
Period piece which haunts...
I watched this film for the second time last night, after an interval of about 20 years. I didn't realise it was the one I had seen earlier until part-way through the story when I... Read more
Published 21 months ago by Redbarnchris
4.0 out of 5 stars
Disaster for the Lasts
I saw this film when it first came out and there are certain moments - certain scenes in it - that I have never quite forgotten. Read more
Published on 10 April 2011 by Oliver Twist
4.0 out of 5 stars
Faithful adaptation that has aged well
Were you to start watching this film without any idea of who Kristen Scott Thomas, Rupert Graves, Stephen Fry etc. Read more
Published on 9 Feb 2011 by Lauren H
1.0 out of 5 stars
a handful of dust dvd 1988
good film has it might be ,but the dvd by slam dunk media is a bad transfer and is also let down by 4.3 letterbox version and not 16.9 enhanced ,shame.
Published on 2 Feb 2011 by K. Smith
5.0 out of 5 stars
Just brilliant!
You just can't fault this DVD of Eveleyn Waugh's most critically acclaimed novel. The acting is amazing, the scenery, photography and direction is just second to none. Read more
Published on 7 Oct 2010 by V. Ballinger
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