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All For Love [2008]


RRP: £16.99
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Rollicking Good Romp!
Review date: 2008-07-14 Rating: 10 out of 10

For fans of the original Robert Louis Stevenson novel, St Ives, you might want to give this a miss - but if you enjoy action, comedy, romance and heaving bosoms - this is the film for you.

Made by the BBC and starring Jean Marc Barr as Capitaine Jacques St Ives, Richard E Grant as Major Farquar Chevening and Miranda Richardson and Anna Friel as the aunt and niece Miss Gilchrists, All For Love tells the story of a French Captain who finds himself in a Scottish prison at the time of the Napoleonic Wars. Drawn to prison visitor Flora (Anna Friel) he makes a gift of a carved box to her, which contains his family crest. Flora knows this crest and decides to seek out Jacques Gradndfather who lives nearby with Jacques rake of a brother, Alain.

Meanwhile, repressed Major Chevening has hopes of romance with Flora and asks Jacques for advice in the art of love. "If you want to please a woman, use your tongue" says Jacques, veteren of many duels, and once the Major understands that women like to hear compliments, he is soon on his way to begin his courtship.

The dvd has enough double meanings for it to be given a 15 rating, but really, these remarks and actions will have the adults sniggering, but will go over the head of most children. The scene where the stuffy Major is bound and gagged to the raunchy Susan Gilchrist, who declares that she will will "wriggle free in the manner of a Cobra" is laugh out loud funny - as is the Major's decision to sing hymns to take his mind off the female body bound - and squirming - next to his!

This is a well made, beautifully filmed comedy drama with stunning sets and well paced action. I am sure the basic story of St Ives is here - it is just padded out with some visual and verbal comedy as well as the expected action of a RLS story.

Get hold of a copy and settle down for some swash buckling laughs and all round heroic deeds. And bosoms....

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Reviews


Not the book, but a good laugh
Review date: 2008-05-04 Rating: 8 out of 10

I loved R L Stevenson's St Ives, the novel on which the film is loosely based - and do I mean loosely! That said, it is as well to forget the book and enjoy the film for what it is: a lot of fun with some great performamces, from the drop-dead gorgeous Jean Marc Barr who has all the irrisistible charm of RLS's hero, to the brilliant pairing of Miranda Richardson and Richard E Grant who take RLS's straitlaced and serious Aunt Gilchrist and Major Chevenix and turn them into comic characters who are as much in love in their own way as the young romantic couple.
Yes, it is a laugh, not a serious film at all. Actually, the book is tongue in cheek, too on occasion. Costuming is beautiful, though at times the women lag 20 years behind the fashion - don't think Edinburgh society was so out of touch.
The film misses the menace in the book, and one or two engaging characters have been removed. The owner of the balloon is also cut out,which deprives us of one of the funniest lines in the book. But it really is an engaging romp.

I'm really not sure what to make of this?!
Review date: 2008-04-16 Rating: 6 out of 10

I'm not entirely sure what to make of this one. When I first put it in the DVD player, I was expecting a soppy Austen-esque costume drama which would have me hugging for my pillow and dreaming of my Prince Charming. However, it had me hugging my pillow to stop my sides hurting because I was laughing so hard. Thing is, I'm not sure if I was supposed to be laughing or not? Nowhere in the description does it mention that this is a comedy, but by the end I was convinced it was a spoof. Re-reading the information about it, it's all very serious. Therefore I'm not sure what comment to give! If it was classed as a comedy and a mickey-take out of romances, then it sure did the job because it cracked me up! But as a deadly serious romantic drama, then it's pretty damn awful!

All For Love is the tale of French army Captain Jacques de Keroual de Saint Ives (Jean Marc-Barr), and his quest to win the heart of the beautiful English rose Fiona Gilchrist (Anna Friel). Taken at surface value, it's an incredibly entertaining film, but I really did think it was a spoof. It made a mockery of most of the characters - Captain Jacques was portrayed as an army Casanova, and all-round typical Frenchman, despite his perfect English accent. Richard E Grant's character was the most camp and silly fellow you could ever hope to see, and indeed it was he that caused the majority of my giggling. I did think it was a good story, but to be marketed as a serious drama is pretty insane. The DVD packaging looks romantic and serious, meaning people are going to be expecting just that, so there may well be some disappointed customers.

Basically, if you'll take this at face value, you'll enjoy it. It's mildly romantic, and really funny. But if you're expecting something to make you have a little weep and go 'Ahhh' at the end, this isn't it.

Long awaited, very entertaining
Review date: 2008-02-22 Rating: 10 out of 10

I remember this from when it was first broadcast on BBC and have been eagerly scouring Amazon waiting for it to be released on DVD. What a wonderful, entertaining and funny film. A superb cast, Anna Friel, Miranda Richardson, Richard E Grant, Tim Dutton and Jean-Marc Barr, a great romantic comedy.

Product Details/Specifications


Actor(s):
Richard E. Grant
Tim Dutton
Miranda Richardson
Anna Friel

Creators:
Miranda Richardson (Primary Contributor)
Richard E. Grant (Primary Contributor)

Recording label: Acorn Media
Manufacturer: Acorn Media
EAN: 5036193096495
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 1
Format: PAL,
Release date: 2008-04-14
Audience rating: Suitable for 12 years and over
Region code: 2
Running time: 90 minutes
Theatrical release date: 1999
Language: English (Unknown)

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