Love
& Friendship
(2016/Sony Blu-ray)
Picture:
A Sound: B+ Extras: C Film: B+
Based
on Jane Austen's novel Lady Susan, Whit Stillman's Love &
Friendship (2016) tells the story of Lady Susan Vernon (Kate
Beckinsale), a recently widowed woman of the nobility and while her
husband is barely in the grave is already looking for husband number
two. As she inherited no money, she 'visits' her wealthy in-laws and
stays as a 'temporary' guest and looks for prospective husbands for
her and her reluctant daughter, Frederica. She set her sights three
men and seduces them all at the same time, her sister-in-law's young
brother Reginald Decourcy, the scattered brained Sir James Martin and
Lord Manwaring (who's already married).
Lady
Susan Vernon's reputation proceeds her and she is known to be the
biggest flirt and scandalous woman of 'Society'. She is both a
seductress and a succubus (and she is a 'widow' in more ways than
one). Men find themselves powerless and unable to resist her charms
and wicked wiles. Young, old or even married makes no difference to
her ...all Lady Susan requires of them is to be rich/wealthy. She
makes uses of men's weaknesses, giving false promises and even using
her own daughter if it will help her get ahead. She cleverly plays an
innocent, frail woman, pitting suitors against one another, but
really she depends on men being a 'gentlemen' and to be 'charitable'
to her. However, her biggest downfall is when her suitors start
talking with one another and realize how she is playing them all.
This
was an amusing comedy making fun of English high society, that women
of society are trained to manipulate men and men are to provide
lavish comforts to woman. While set in a beautiful English
countryside with wonderful costuming and cast of characters, it
paints English noble woman are like high end courtesans scavenging
for their targ- ...*ahem* husbands. The cast (including Stephen Fry
and Chloe Sevigny) is solid and the period look works.
The
1080p 1.85 X 1 digital High Definition image transfer is an HD shoot,
but looks exceptional, while the
DTS-HD MA (Master Audio) 5.1 lossless mix is very clean and well
recorded, so playback performance is top rate. Extras include
behind the scenes and trailers.
-
Ricky Chiang
