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Product Description
This DVD includes both Poliakoff's A Real Summer (the one-off monologue prequel to Capturing Mary and Capturing Mary, the companion film to Joe's Palace.
Joe’s Palace, A Real Summer and Capturing Mary are three linked dramas by Poliakoff that centre on a large Georgian house in London. Sumptuous pieces, beautifully shot to feature-film standards for the BBC. A Real Summer, (commissioned by BBC Two’s Culture Show), is a 45-minute bridging piece, a monologue for the actress Ruth Wilson who, as Mary, stars again in Capturing Mary.
Capturing Mary stars Maggie Smith, David Walliams, Ruth Wilson and Danny Lee Wynter. Like Joe's Palace it is set in the same exquisite empty house, and takes the young caretaker, Joe, and new characters into a dark and terrifying exploration of the past and how it can quite literally capture and destroy a person's life. It focuses on a formerly very successful woman, Mary (Maggie Smith in a rare television appearance), a once-brilliant writer and critic, reflecting on her younger self (Ruth Wilson). As she looks back on her prime, remembering parties and functions with the cultural elite played out as echoes and shadows in the empty palazzo, Mary is haunted by the memory of a supremely charming but subtly evil man, Greville (David Walliams), who feigned friendship, but actually brought destruction.
Synopsis
In this spin-off from another popular Stephen Poliakoff drama, Joe's Palace, Dame Maggie Smith stars as Mary, a once-great writer who reminisces over her elite social life and the man—Greville (David Walliams)—who left a devastating impression on it.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
66 of 68 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
Maggie Smith always has been one of my favourite actresses as she can really act. In Stephen Poliakoff's moving drama she slips into the role of Mary and her failed life which seems to have got off balance by one single encounter with Greville, ending in loneliness - again a Poliakoff theme - and alcohol abuse, but she retains a certain dignity. This one encounter captures Mary for life, enslaves her for life. It is pretty difficult to figure out what really happened to her or whether she just blamed Greville for her ultimately failed life. Maggie Smith's performance is just superb. One can understand why she accepted his role as it gives her a rare opportunity in the TV screen to show that she really is one of Britain and the world's finest actresses. The whole drama is deeply psychological, moving, as usual a bit confusing and in the end utterly fascinating. "Little Britain" star David Walliams portraits Greville in a great performance. I was quite surprised that he is not just a comedy star but a very good actor. All in all a great drama which I greatly enjoyed
44 of 46 people found the following review helpful
By falkenna
Format:DVD
"Subtly evil"? "Feigning friendship"? Well, probably, but it's not that simple. This is complex, subtle drama with real psychological depth and dimension, as well as enigma and mystery (yes, both) that don't leave you feeling cheated by lack of answers.
A story so dependent on charisma and obsession should be difficult to write and film convincingly, but "Capturing Mary" succeeds in spades. A key element is, of course, the actors, and Ruth Wilson and David Walliams are both astonishing. The creepy power of Walliams is reminiscent of James Mason.
A story so dependent on charisma and obsession should be difficult to write and film convincingly, but "Capturing Mary" succeeds in spades. A key element is, of course, the actors, and Ruth Wilson and David Walliams are both astonishing. The creepy power of Walliams is reminiscent of James Mason.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
By Eddie Nguyen
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
Capturing Mary (including A Real Summer) (BBC) [DVD]
Maggie Smith, as usual, glows in this film... As this story develops it becomes more & more strangely haunting... The title is so appropriate as this is exactly what happened to 'Mary' in her young successful days...her soul was captured by an intriguing stranger & escape seemed impossible... Beautiful thought provoking film.
Maggie Smith, as usual, glows in this film... As this story develops it becomes more & more strangely haunting... The title is so appropriate as this is exactly what happened to 'Mary' in her young successful days...her soul was captured by an intriguing stranger & escape seemed impossible... Beautiful thought provoking film.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
By R. C. Harris
TOP 1000 REVIEWER
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
This tale succeeds `Joe's Palace'. Joe (Danny Lee Wynter) is employed to caretake a large luxurious empty house in London. He answers the door one afternoon to Mary, an elderly woman (Maggie Smith) who claims to have attended a party there when she was young. In spite of orders to the contrary Joe allows her entry and she relates a strange chilling tale.
As a young woman in the fifties (Ruth Wilson), she was a beautiful talented journalist on the brink of a successful career. But at a party - for the glamorous and famous - she meets a rather sinister and mysterious guest, Greville (David Walliams) who exudes a sense of power and an aura of menace to all he meets. In private he unveils revelations to her of prominent people that are acutely disturbing. Mary instantly resolves to avoid any continuance of the relationship. But for the rest of her life believes she paid the penalty of such a rebuff with her career, never escaping his covert malignance.
It is a slow, but deeply moving and evocative film, somewhat surreal - a psychological drama. The real value is in the quality of the dialogue, the direction and the superb acting. Maggie Smith excels as the elderly Mary still trying to come to terms with the turn her life took. Danny Lee Wynter's Joe takes her narrative at face value and is the perfect naïve respondent to Mary's story. David Walliam's portrayal of the enigmatic and humourless Greveille leaves nothing wanting. As he spins his arachnophobic web about the young Mary, Ruth Wilson deftly captures the uncertainty and confusion this initiates. It is a new experience for her and, a possibly terminal breach in her youthful carapace of confidence.
It is not a film that would greatly appeal to a wider audience.... Read more ›
As a young woman in the fifties (Ruth Wilson), she was a beautiful talented journalist on the brink of a successful career. But at a party - for the glamorous and famous - she meets a rather sinister and mysterious guest, Greville (David Walliams) who exudes a sense of power and an aura of menace to all he meets. In private he unveils revelations to her of prominent people that are acutely disturbing. Mary instantly resolves to avoid any continuance of the relationship. But for the rest of her life believes she paid the penalty of such a rebuff with her career, never escaping his covert malignance.
It is a slow, but deeply moving and evocative film, somewhat surreal - a psychological drama. The real value is in the quality of the dialogue, the direction and the superb acting. Maggie Smith excels as the elderly Mary still trying to come to terms with the turn her life took. Danny Lee Wynter's Joe takes her narrative at face value and is the perfect naïve respondent to Mary's story. David Walliam's portrayal of the enigmatic and humourless Greveille leaves nothing wanting. As he spins his arachnophobic web about the young Mary, Ruth Wilson deftly captures the uncertainty and confusion this initiates. It is a new experience for her and, a possibly terminal breach in her youthful carapace of confidence.
It is not a film that would greatly appeal to a wider audience.... Read more ›
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
This was a film I had not seen before. It lived up to my expectations! I very much enjoyed it!
3 of 4 people found the following review helpful
By Bernice
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
A intriguing story, David Walliams is brilliant as the haunting mysterious character. Maggie Smith very good. Found the story hard to understand at first, it takes a while to work out whats going on, a little sad and tends to come together at the end. An ok film.
19 of 27 people found the following review helpful
By Graham James
Format:DVD
All the intellectual discourse in the world cannot disguise that these films were deeply disappointing. I am a huge Poliakoff fan and have viewed all his screen works that I am aware of starting with Caught on a Train. This film adopts the familiar surreal and highly atmospheric scenes with the most beautiful direction and cinematography. As usual, acting of the absolutely highest quality adds to the excellence. Sadly, however, to be truly brilliant, as most of Poliakoff's works are, there needs to be a good yarn. A story than draws in the viewer and keeps their attention. For me Capturing Mary failed to do this.
Having not previously seen Ruth Wilson, I was unclear whether her accent and diction was deliberately affected or her natural speaking voice. In parts I actually found I had difficulty in hearing her lines clearly. This was so great an issue for me in A Real Summer that I actually gave up on it.
Compared to earlier works, particularly the apex of Shooting the Past, Perfect Strangers, The Lost Prince and even the "sister" production of Joe's Palace, this was, for me at least, a massive disappointment.
Having not previously seen Ruth Wilson, I was unclear whether her accent and diction was deliberately affected or her natural speaking voice. In parts I actually found I had difficulty in hearing her lines clearly. This was so great an issue for me in A Real Summer that I actually gave up on it.
Compared to earlier works, particularly the apex of Shooting the Past, Perfect Strangers, The Lost Prince and even the "sister" production of Joe's Palace, this was, for me at least, a massive disappointment.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Disgusting
I felt sick with disgust when I discovered that Amazon treat their employees like southern state plantation slave owners treated blacks before the Civil War - the only difference... Read more
Published 3 months ago by Sceptical humanist
2.0 out of 5 stars
Boring
Nothing really in this. Old story told many times before. Too much dialogue that could have been acted in some other way.
Published 4 months ago by Johanna M. Van Merwe
5.0 out of 5 stars
ok
good - given as a gift which was really appreciated. Making a review this long is ridiculous. And yet more words needed!!!
Published 4 months ago by Ms. Julie A. Renyard
2.0 out of 5 stars
Capturing Mary
Capturing Mary was well acted with the superb Maggie Smith as always. I found it terribly dreary however, almost to the point of being deadly monotonous, and didn't even watch it... Read more
Published 5 months ago by Rowena
1.0 out of 5 stars
Going downhill. When will it stop!
As a member of the public how am I to select a film to watch?. What criterion should I Pick ?If you go by this film stars it has great credentials- director, writer, actress and... Read more
Published 7 months ago by M. Mckeown
3.0 out of 5 stars
Flimsy storyline and too many flashbacks.
Bought this film really on the strength of Maggie Smith, but not even her performance could save it. Read more
Published 10 months ago by Richard Mirfin
2.0 out of 5 stars
An idea not realised into a film
I like some of Poliakoff's other work, especially Strangers on a Train, but this film remained stillborn: an interesting idea lacking in story development. Read more
Published 10 months ago by WSH
3.0 out of 5 stars
Much fuss about nothing
Maggie Smith is excellent, she hasn't disappointed me in From time to time, Downton Abbey etc.and since getting the dvds, I have watched these films many times. Read more
Published 13 months ago by Sally T
3.0 out of 5 stars
Devonshire lass
Love Dame Maggie Smith and David Walliams, but this film did nothing for me.... it was slow. Not a film I would recommend to family or friends.
Published 15 months ago by Devonshire lass.
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