Venus
Directed by Roger Michell.
Starring Peter O’Toole, Leslie Phillips, Jodie Whittaker, Vanessa Redgrave.
Two old men meet in their local café at the better end of London town. Peter O’Toole (Maurice) and Leslie Phillips (Ian) almost play themselves as veteran actors in their last days. They once trod the boards together. Maurice more successful then, and now less ‘grumpy’, wants “pills” to keep him awake rather than the ‘pills to sleep’, proffered him by his long time friend, Ian.
Maurice, who for extra cash is not averse to playing ‘the corpse’, allows his gorgeousness to flow and imbue all that is around and in particular on to Jessie (Jodie Whittaker), the daughter of Ian’s niece. She is a ‘fallen youth’ who has been sent from the country to tend her aged great uncle. He can only be offended by her uncouthness.
Maurice on the other hand, responds instantly to the carnal and ethereal beauty beneath her make-up and attitude. He extends to her a ‘niceness’, to which she warms while always maintaining a masterful rein on his well-practised moves. She allows him only to inhale her youthful essence but on no account to ‘slobber’, which would cause her never to return. Maurice offers her all that remains of his famous life. He introduces her to the world of theatre where transfixed she watches performance within performance of Shakespearean proportion. He introduces her to art and in particular to the cult of Venus. With him, she drives through London in a stretch limousine, sent to collect him for his part in a film. On set, with her, we see the delicateness of old age and finely-honed skill as Maurice performs.
This is a ‘Lolita’ story that succeeds in dignifying lust but more importantly this small film is an intense study of old age. Peter O’Toole performs a splendid psychopomp. Perhaps after all, we may indeed, go gentle into that good night. That we “should be so lucky”.
Lou Crow
