Tom Fudge: Today we're going to talk about five new movies, and my guests, as always, are Beth Accomando and Scott Marks.
We start with a movie called Venus , starring Peter O'Toole in a role that is a bit autobiographical. O'Toole plays an old British actor named Maurice. Maurice spends most of his time with a fellow geriatric thespian. They drink tea, take pills and remember the old days. But then Maurice's friend hires a young woman from the hinterlands to help him around the house. The young woman is a bit of a clod. But she's attractive and spirited. And Maurice takes more than a passing interest.
Soon he's taking her to the theater and on shopping sprees. He expresses an erotic interest in her, despite the fact that a prostate operation has left him impotent. The plot of this movie is very simple. But it leaves plenty of room for character study and clever dialogue. The movie also stars Vanessa Redgrave as Maurice's ex-wife and newcomer Jodie Whittaker as the young woman, whom Maurice calls Venus. Accomplished film maker Hanif Kuerishi wrote the script.
Guests
- Beth Accomando , KPBS film critic
-
Scott Marks
, film critic for the
Gay and Lesbian Times
(Photo: Peter O'Toole and Jodie Whittaker in Venus )
