Friday, April 19, 1996
By Dina Gachman
Daily Bruin Staff
In a tiny Welsh village, during the hottest month of the year,
the passions of a stifled Victorian household are about to be
unleashed.
The Davies receive a visit from the estranged owner of their
estate, and the paternal figure of the family, Professor Alexander
Blathwaite (Leslie Philips). The professor storms into the house
with his (much younger) American wife Helen, played by Kate Burton.
The men of the house fall instantly in love.
"August’s" story, directed by Oscar-winner Sir Anthony Hopkins,
is full of complex relationships and characters. Hopkins plays the
perceptive, frustrated alcoholic uncle of the family, Ieuan.
Hopkins’ character is an unusual mixture of comic relief and
intellectual musing. For most of the film, Ieuan is either prancing
around in a drunken stupor, or lounging in a near-suicidal reverie.
He is the center of the film  he perceives the heartbreak of
the other characters long before they do, and he is the only one
brave enough to condemn the tyranny of his brother-in-law,
Professor Blathwaite.
Ieuan and his niece Sian (Rhian Morgan of "Shallow Grave") have
struggled for years to keep the family’s income stable while the
Professor, who is also Sian’s negligent father, lived in luxury off
of their profits in London.
Hopkins masterfully portrays the dejected Ieuan. His bright blue
eyes pierce through the sickly exterior of his character, giving
Ieuan the appearance of an enlightened recluse.
As a director, he has created a film that combines romance and
tragedy, but that lacks the powerful artistry which characterizes
his acting. The cinematography and the musical score, which Hopkins
composed himself, are exceptional and add much to the film.
The pulse of "August" slacks off a little as the film
progresses, and at times the acting, especially Burton’s, is too
melodramatic for the screen. Her character should bring meaning to
the story as an unhappy woman who has lost her youth to an older,
domineering husband. Sadly, Burton, daughter of the late actor
Richard Burton, does not fit this role. She relies too much on her
physical appearance when she could have concentrated on portraying
the mental state of Helen.
"August" is based on a play (Anton Chekov’s "Uncle Vanya"), but
Hopkins should have toned down the theatrical aspects  like
painfully perfect enunciation and exaggerated physical humor Â
and instead opted for a more subdued tone. But Hopkins still
manages to create a nearly first rate film, with the exception of
the melodrama and the meandering pace.
The screenplay by Julian Mitchell (Robert Altman’s "Vincent and
Theo") captures all of the emotion and heartbreak of Chekov’s play,
only changing the setting and the names of the characters. What’s
missing is an in-depth observation of the protagonists, with the
exception of Ieuan and Sian. The story involves so many interesting
characters, but there is just not enough time for them on the
screen.
Hopkins does not fail in his first attempt to direct, but
somehow his film leaves you wanting more. Maybe with a less
involved story, the actor could truly prove himself to be a
talented director. Grade: C
FILM: "August." Directed By: Anthony Hopkins. Screenplay: Julian
Mitchell. Starring: Anthony Hopkins, Kate Burton, Leslie Phillips,
and Rhian Morgan
(Above) Kate Burton, Anthony Hopkins and Rhoda Lewis rework
Anton Chekov’s play, "Uncle Vanya" in "August."
(Below) Anthony Hopkins and Gawn Grainger star in "August," a
film that blends together romance and tragedy.Anthony Hopkins
masterfully plays the alcoholic Ieuan in "August."