One of Britain’s most important directors, Roger Michell specializes in unconventional character studies—ENDURING LOVE, THE MOTHER, CHANGING LANES and PERSUASION. With VENUS, he teams up again with writer Hanif Kureishi to tell the story of Maurice (Peter O’Toole), an aging actor in failing health who experiences one final burst of erotic longing, for the inexperienced working-class girl (Jodie Whittaker). O’Toole, arguably the greatest living British actor, brings so much eloquence, pathos and comic delicacy to the role that you might mistake this for a one-man show. But Leslie Philips, as Maurice’s comically dyspeptic acting buddy, keeps up with O’Toole beat for beat. Their silly dance in a church where several of their colleagues are buried is a classic, as is the scene of Maurice cooking an apologetic farewell dinner for Vanessa Redgrave as his long-suffering wife. –LG (U.K., 2006, 90m) Preceded by DREAMS AND DESIRES—FAMILY TIES (d. Joanna Quinn, U.K., 2006, 10m)
A discussion about the film VenusPaul and Kristin stay in the theater after everyone has left the screening of
Venus, and talk about Peter O'Toole and the film's larger themes.
(11/16/2006 Starz Denver Film Festival)