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A Handful Of Dust [1988] [DVD]
 
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A Handful Of Dust [1988] [DVD]

DVD ~ Jackson Kyle
3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)

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A Handful Of Dust [1988] [DVD]
71% buy the item featured on this page:
A Handful Of Dust [1988] [DVD] 3.8 out of 5 stars (17)
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Product details

  • Actors: Jackson Kyle, James Wilby, Kristin Scott Thomas, Rupert Graves, Anjelica Huston
  • Directors: Charles Sturridge
  • Format: PAL, Widescreen, Colour
  • Language English
  • Region: Region 2 (This DVD may not be viewable outside Europe. Read more about DVD formats.)
  • Number of discs: 1
  • Classification: PG
  • Studio: Prism Leisure
  • DVD Release Date: 19 Sep 2005
  • Run Time: 113 minutes
  • Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
  • ASIN: B0000CERTD
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 14,925 in DVD (See Bestsellers in DVD)

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Reviews

Amazon.co.uk Review

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

Rupert Graves, Kristin Scott Thomas, James Wilby, Judi Dench, Alec Guinness "Don't let anyone tell you this isn't the best Waugh ever filmed. It is impeccable in looks, sentiment, locations, casting... everyone in the film is so good!" Alexander Walker - Evening Standard. Tony and Brenda Last (James Wilby and Kristin Scott Thomas) appear to be the perfect married couple - with money, 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. Special Features 5.1 Sound Chapter/Scene Selection Director Commentary Star Biographies Trailer

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Customer Reviews

17 Reviews
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 (5)
4 star:
 (7)
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 (3)
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Average Customer Review
3.8 out of 5 stars (17 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
34 of 35 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars A Neglected Masterpiece, 6 Oct 2004
By Steerforth (Sussex) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)      
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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27 of 28 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars Very enjoyable, 27 Jan 2004
Charles Sturridge was also responsible for Brideshead Revisited: here he has considerably less time to capture the essence of what (for me) is a far better book, and it shows. That being said, Kristin Scott Thomas is brilliant at capturing the essence of the beautiful but cold Brenda, and Judy Dench plays the arriviste Mrs. Beaver superbly. Despite a good performance by Rupert Graves, it is not entirely clear, however, what John Beaver has that so enthrals Brenda. James Wilby is excellent as the ingenu Tony (although there are points where you want to slap him) and Alec Guinness is all too convincing in the quietly horrific last act of the film. Definitely worth seeing.
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12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars NOT a date movie, 26 April 2006
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!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Very good - well-acted - and good screen-play
This film is a faithful representation of Waugh's book. It is sharp, and paints a stinging picture of life in the upper echelons of the society of his day - something which did... Read more
Published 2 months ago by Charlotte Bronte

3.0 out of 5 stars Great Film Bad DVD
I don't understand why Amazon invites you to write reviews and when you do it does not post them without offering any explanation. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Abdias

4.0 out of 5 stars All that glitters...
The story opens in 1932, in the magnificent country estate of Tony and Brenda Last (James Wilby, Kristin Scott Thomas). Read more
Published 7 months ago by Kona

3.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful film - stupid ending
I cannot make my mind up if I like this film or not. It is beautifully filmed but the actors' performances are a bit lacklustre. Read more
Published 19 months ago by A. B.

4.0 out of 5 stars Finely honed film about thoughtless interpersonal cruelty.
A great adaptation of Evelyn Waugh's novel about self absorbed people in relationships but oblivious to their partners feeling to the point of sadistic cruelty. Read more
Published 21 months ago by pointone

3.0 out of 5 stars Doesn't quite make it
Other reviews of this film are quite polarised and I think I am the first to put it in the middle at 3 stars. Read more
Published 22 months ago by Jon Freeman

4.0 out of 5 stars A star stutted movie, great filming and style and still something was missing
It is one of those movies which capture the decadence of the British upper-class in the period before the WW II. Read more
Published on 3 Jan 2008 by Klaus van Amelrode

2.0 out of 5 stars What was this all about
Almost two hours of complete rubbish.
Struggle to keep awake.
Save your money and watch the grass grow. More interesting.
Ted
Published on 6 Dec 2007 by E. Harding

5.0 out of 5 stars Loved it!
I decided to watch this purely on account of the magnificent cast, not realising it was another Evelyn Waugh adaptation. Read more
Published on 17 Jun 2007 by J. Murray

4.0 out of 5 stars Lives in Schism
The quality of photography and acting in this film is palpable, yet for me it lacked something which would have put it up there with the far longer Brideshead Revisited series,... Read more
Published on 14 Feb 2007 by ianrmillard

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