Last night I happened upon an excellent movie on Comcast On Demand. This one is NOT a light holiday film but you might want to consider watching it when you are in the mood for riviting dramatic escapism.
"Notes On A Scandal" is an engrossing story about the relationship between a spinster British school teacher and the new young art teacher. The action turns violent when the spinster, played by Judi Dench threatens to tell the authorities about the younger teacher, Cate Blanchett's torrid love affair with a 15 year old boy at the school.
I know this doesn't sound like the sort of movie one would seek out because of the story line but it is the edge of your seat suspense which hooks you like a book you cannot put down. In "Notes On A Scandal", portraying Barbara Hart, all Judi D. has to do is raise an eyebrow or breathe in silently to evoke an entire range of mostly macabre emotions. Judi Dench is outstanding in her portrayal of the love starved neurotic spinster. So different from Dench's demure portrayal of another unmarried older woman in "Ladies in Lavender."
"Notes on a Scandal" received several Oscar nomination and Judi Dench won the Oscar in "07 for best actress.
Cate Blanchett is also masterful in her role of Sheba, the new art teacher.
From IMDB:
"In her juiciest role since "Mrs Brown," Judi Dench brings an element of sympathy to Barbara, a closeted, self-loathing lesbian school teacher attracted to the new art teacher, Sheba, played by Cate Blanchett. Madly hoping to wrest the heterosexual Sheba from her husband and two children, one of whom has Down Syndrome, Barbara stumbles upon Sheba's sexual dalliance with a 15-year-old student. In a Machiavellian turn, Barbara hopes to manipulate Sheba by maintaining her secret . . . with strings attached. Need I add that all does not go well?"
7 comments:
I enjoyed this movie, too. Of course, I'd probably enjoy almost any move with Judi Dench in it.
I loved that movie, and I wrote about it months ago. I am crazy about Judi Dench anyway!
I liked this movie, also. But as has been said, if Judi Dench is present, I can pretty well count on at least one good performance,and likely an interesting story line with all the cast worth seeing.
We enjoyed that one too! Very good film..
I haven't seen this one yet Janet, but I think it's in my Netflix queue. You can never go wrong with Cate & Judi in anything. Thanks for the review.
I thought that was quite a remarkable movie. Judi Dench was as usual remarkable, but so was Cate Blanchett. I mentioned that movie at Blogging in Paris when I saw it last year.
Whatever movie Judi Dench is in, she is brilliant.
I have recently been watching As time goes by and loved it.
Claude
I have not heard of this movie.. but I am going to look for it at the video store. Thanks for the tip.
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