Camilla (1994 film)

Last updated

Camilla
Camilla.jpg
DVD cover
Directed by Deepa Mehta
Written byAli Jenning
Paul Quarrington
Produced by Jonathan Barker
Starring Jessica Tandy
Bridget Fonda
Cinematography Guy Dufaux
Edited byBarry Farrell
Music by John Altman
Daniel Lanois
Production
companies
Majestic Films International
Shaftesbury Films
Telefilm Canada
Newcomm
Norstar Releasing
Distributed by Miramax Films
Release date
  • November 25, 1994 (1994-11-25)
Running time
95 minutes
CountriesCanada
United Kingdom
LanguageEnglish
Box office$250,993 [1]

Camilla is a 1994 comedy drama film directed by Deepa Mehta. It was Jessica Tandy's penultimate film appearance and is dedicated to her memory. Tandy plays the title character, Camilla Cara, a former concert violinist. Bridget Fonda plays the role of Freda Lopez, an unfulfilled musician and composer.

Contents

Plot

Freda Lopez is a singer and songwriter who desires to have a career as a performer, but lacks the courage to pursue it. Her husband Vincent Lopez insists to her that music is only a hobby for her. Freda and Vincent decide to take a vacation to Savannah, Georgia, where they meet Camilla Cara, who lives near their cottage. Freda and Camilla bond when Freda learns that Camilla was once a musician, having previously enjoyed a renowned career in her native Canada as a concert violinist. Camilla regales Freda with stories about her greatest triumph, performing the Brahms' Violin Concerto at Toronto's Winter Garden Theatre. When Camilla learns that the Brahms concerto is to be performed again at the Winter Garden, she and Freda decide they don’t want to miss it and head north to Canada together.

Left behind are Vincent and Camilla’s son Harold, a B-movie producer. When they discover the ladies have vanished, they go on a search for the women, and in the process come to realize that they must reconcile their broken relationships with the women in their lives.

Cast

Production

After the success of her film Sam & Me , which won an honorable mention for the Camera d'Or Award at the Cannes Film Festival, Deepa Mehta was offered various projects. [2] Among them was Camilla, which Miramax Films had acquired the North American distribution rights to. [3] "What attracted me to the story was the relationship between the two female leads. I liked that even though one was younger, adventurous, and rather fanciful (played by Bridget Fonda) and the other older, timid, and unsure (played by Jessica Tandy), what they had in common was a love of music. Camilla was a road movie with two luminous actors, and I loved every minute of the shoot," said Mehta. [2] Filming began in June 1993. [4]

Mehta’s cut of the film did poorly at Miramax’s first test screening, prompting studio co-head Harvey Weinstein to re-cut the film and change the score. [2] Mehta was unhappy with the changes, saying "I did my director’s cut, walked out, and never saw the film again." [2] [5] [6]

Release

The film opened in limited release in Canada on November 25, 1994, followed by a gradual rollout in North America by Miramax that December. [7]

Critical reception

Camilla received a mixed response from critics. On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds a 44% rating based on 9 reviews. [8]

Several reviewers wrote that Tandy's performance was the best aspect of the film. Janet Maslin of The New York Times described Tandy was a "graceful presence" in the film, and said that "She moves enchantingly through an otherwise treacly film that wouldn't work without her." [9] Brendan Kelly gave a positive review in Variety , writing "Quarrington — who also wrote Whale Music – has penned a script that neatly captures the bittersweet tone of the story without slipping into syrupy sentimentality. Toronto-based helmer Deepa Mehta maintains a quick pace, alternating between comedy and pathos." [7] Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times wrote that Tandy's final film roles "show an elderly woman of great dignity and strength, stubbornness and eventual warmth" and concluded that "What Camilla adds to the palate is humor and some naughtiness". [10] In a review in the San Francisco Chronicle , Peter Stack wrote that Tandy was a "bright, vital presence" in the film and said that "Tandy's eyes are so full of light and impish good humor, it's no wonder she almost sweeps away Fonda", concluding that "Tandy's performance is so enchanting, you forgive a lot". [11] Kevin Thomas of the Los Angeles Times wrote, "Structurally, Camilla is a mess, but Tandy and Fonda are wonderful together as a fast friendship between Camilla and Freda develops. The reunion between Camilla and the Niagara Falls violin maker (Cronyn) who was her true love is inevitably poignant. The chance to experience America’s greatest acting team since the Lunts for one final time, plus the appealing Fonda, does in fact tempt you to forgive Camilla its various shortcomings." [12]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jessica Tandy</span> English actress (1909–1994)

Jessie Alice Tandy was an English actress. Tandy appeared in over 100 stage productions and had more than 60 roles in film and TV, receiving an Academy Award, four Tony Awards, a BAFTA Award, a Golden Globe Award, and a Primetime Emmy Award. She won a Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play for playing Blanche DuBois in the original Broadway production of A Streetcar Named Desire in 1948, also winning for The Gin Game and Foxfire. Her films included Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds, Cocoon, Fried Green Tomatoes, and Nobody's Fool. At 80, she became the oldest actress to receive the Academy Award for Best Actress for her role in Driving Miss Daisy.

<i>Driving Miss Daisy</i> 1989 drama film by Bruce Beresford

Driving Miss Daisy is a 1989 American comedy-drama film directed by Bruce Beresford and written by Alfred Uhry, based on his 1987 play of the same name. The film stars Jessica Tandy, Morgan Freeman, and Dan Aykroyd. Freeman reprised his role from the original Off-Broadway production.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peter Fonda</span> American actor (1940–2019)

Peter Henry Fonda was an American actor. He was the son of Henry Fonda, younger brother of Jane Fonda, and father of Bridget Fonda. He was a prominent figure in the counterculture of the 1960s. Fonda was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for Easy Rider (1969), and the Academy Award for Best Actor for Ulee's Gold (1997). For the latter, he won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama. Fonda also won the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries or Television Film for The Passion of Ayn Rand (1999).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hume Cronyn</span> Canadian actor and writer (1911–2003)

Hume Blake Cronyn Jr. was a Canadian-American actor and writer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bridget Fonda</span> American actress (born 1964)

Bridget Jane Fonda is an American former actress. She is known for her roles in films such as The Godfather Part III (1990), Single White Female (1992), Singles (1992), Point of No Return (1993), It Could Happen to You (1994), City Hall (1996), Jackie Brown (1997), A Simple Plan (1998), Lake Placid (1999), and Kiss of the Dragon (2001). She was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress for her portrayal of Mandy Rice-Davies in Scandal (1989), and received Primetime Emmy and Golden Globe nominations for the television films In the Gloaming (1997) and No Ordinary Baby (2001), respectively. Fonda retired from acting in 2002.

<i>Scandal</i> (1989 film) 1989 film by Michael Caton-Jones

Scandal is a 1989 British historical drama film, directed by Michael Caton-Jones. It is a fictionalised account of the Profumo affair that rocked the government of British prime minister Harold Macmillan. It stars Joanne Whalley as Christine Keeler and John Hurt as Stephen Ward, personalities at the heart of the affair.

<i>Sirens</i> (1994 film) 1994 Australian-British film

Sirens is a 1994 film, based on the life of artist and author Norman Lindsay, written and directed by John Duigan and set in Australia during the interwar period. Sirens was mostly filmed at the Norman Lindsay Gallery and Museum, Lindsay's home and studio in New South Wales.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Deepa Mehta</span> Indian-born Canadian film director and screenwriter

Deepa Mehta, is an Indian-born Canadian film director and screenwriter, best known for her Elements Trilogy, Fire (1996), Earth (1998), and Water (2005).

<i>Kiss of the Dragon</i> 2001 action thriller film by Chris Nahon

Kiss of the Dragon is a 2001 French-American action film directed by Chris Nahon, written and produced by French filmmaker Luc Besson, and starring an international cast of Jet Li, Bridget Fonda, and Tchéky Karyo.

To Dance with the White Dog is a 1990 novel by Georgia author Terry Kay, based on the experiences of his father.

<i>The Locket</i> (1946 film) 1946 American film noir by John Brahm

The Locket is a 1946 American psychological thriller film noir directed by John Brahm, starring Laraine Day, Brian Aherne, Robert Mitchum, and Gene Raymond, and released by RKO Pictures. The film is based on a screenplay by Sheridan Gibney, adapted from "What Nancy Wanted" by Norma Barzman, wife of later-blacklisted writer Ben Barzman. It is noted for its complex and confusing use of layered flashbacks within flashbacks to give psychological depth to the narrative.

Janet R. Maslin is an American journalist, best known as a film and literary critic for The New York Times. She served as a Times film critic from 1977 to 1999 and as a book critic from 2000 to 2015. In 2000, Maslin helped found the Jacob Burns Film Center in Pleasantville, New York. She is president of its board of directors.

Victor Nunez is a film director, professor at the Florida State University College of Motion Picture, Television and Recording Arts, and a founding member of the Independent Feature Project. He is best known for directing Ulee's Gold, a critically acclaimed movie starring Peter Fonda and Patricia Richardson. Nunez was inducted into the Florida Artists Hall of Fame in 2008 and Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in 2016.

<i>Fried Green Tomatoes</i> 1991 film directed by Jon Avnet

Fried Green Tomatoes is a 1991 American comedy-drama film directed by Jon Avnet and based on Fannie Flagg's 1987 novel Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe. Written by Flagg and Carol Sobieski, and starring Kathy Bates, Jessica Tandy, Mary Stuart Masterson, Mary-Louise Parker and Cicely Tyson, the film tells the story of a housewife who, unhappy with her life, befriends an elderly lady in a nursing home and is enthralled by the tales she tells of people she used to know.

<i>The Green Years</i> (film) 1946 film by Victor Saville

The Green Years is a 1946 American drama film directed by Victor Saville and featuring Charles Coburn, Tom Drake, Beverly Tyler and Hume Cronyn. It was adapted by Robert Ardrey and Sonya Levien from A. J. Cronin's 1944 novel of the same name. It tells the story of the coming-of-age of an Irish orphan in Scotland.

<i>Honky Tonk Freeway</i> 1981 film by John Schlesinger

Honky Tonk Freeway is a 1981 American-British comedy film directed by John Schlesinger. The film, conceived and co-produced by Don Boyd, was one of the most expensive box office bombs in history, losing its British backers Thorn EMI between $11 million and $22 million and profoundly affecting its fortunes and aspirations.

Foxfire is an American drama television film that premiered on CBS on December 13, 1987, as part of the Hallmark Hall of Fame anthology series. It is directed by Jud Taylor from a teleplay by Susan Cooper, based on the play of the same name by Cooper and Hume Cronyn. The film stars Jessica Tandy, Cronyn, and John Denver, with Tandy and Cronyn both reprising their roles from the 1982 Broadway production.

Break Up is a 1998 American crime thriller film directed by Paul Marcus and written by Anne Amanda Opotowsky. It stars Bridget Fonda, Kiefer Sutherland, Hart Bochner, and Steven Weber.

<i>Sam & Me</i> 1991 Canadian film

Sam & Me is a 1991 Indo-Canadian drama film directed by Deepa Mehta and written by Ranjit Chowdhry, who also stars in the film with Peter Boretski and Om Puri. The film went on to win an honourable mention at the Cannes Film Festival.

<i>Funny Boy</i> (film) 2020 Canadian drama film

Funny Boy is a 2020 drama film, directed by Deepa Mehta. An adaptation of Shyam Selvadurai's 1994 novel of the same name, the film centres on the coming of age of Arjie Chelvaratnam, a young Tamil boy in Sri Lanka who is coming to terms with his homosexuality against the backdrop of the increased tensions between Tamil and Sinhalese people before the breakout of the Sri Lankan Civil War.

References

  1. ↑ "Camilla (1994)". The Numbers . Retrieved 28 February 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Mehta, Deepa (30 July 2017). "Deepa Mehta Shares Her Journey in Film (Death Threats Included)". TIFF.net. Retrieved 28 February 2023.
  3. ↑ Frook, John Evan (20 April 1993). "'Time' in at Miramax post-'Game'". Variety. Retrieved 28 February 2023.
  4. ↑ Archerd, Army (21 February 1993). "'X' producer upbeat despite best picture snub". Variety. Retrieved 28 February 2023.
  5. ↑ "Deepa Mehta". Canadian Film Encyclopedia. Retrieved 28 February 2023.
  6. ↑ "Playback's 2018 Hall of Fame: Deepa Mehta". Playback. 13 March 2018. Retrieved 28 February 2023.
  7. 1 2 Kelly, Brendan (14 December 1994). "Camilla". Variety. Retrieved 28 February 2023.
  8. ↑ "Camilla". Rotten Tomatoes . Retrieved 4 March 2024.
  9. ↑ Maslin, Janet (16 December 1994). "FILM REVIEW; Tandy Toward the Finish, With a Flourish". The New York Times. Retrieved 28 October 2011.
  10. ↑ Ebert, Roger (24 March 1995). "Camilla (PG-13)". Chicago Sun-Times . Chicago . Retrieved 28 February 2023.
  11. ↑ Stack, Peter. "Tandy Outshines Story in Her Swan Song, 'Camilla'". San Francisco Chronicle . San Francisco . Retrieved 28 October 2011.
  12. ↑ Thomas, Kevin (16 December 1994). "MOVIE REVIEW : 'Camilla' Pairs Tandy, Cronyn One Last Time". Los Angeles Times . Archived from the original on 28 February 2023. Retrieved 28 February 2023.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.