End of Summer Reviews

END OF SUMMER is a turn-of-the-century period romance that plays like a pale imitation of the works of Merchant-Ivory. It premiered originally on the Showtime cable network prior to a 1997 theatrical release. Late 19th-century. Repressed, wealthy spinster Christine Van Buren (Jacqueline Bisset) makes her annual trek to Saratoga for the summer. At a sprawling estate, she encounters Theo Remington (Peter Weller), a man she loved and lost 25 years earlier. The pair begin to rediscover one another until the arrival of Alice Anderson (Amy Locane), a flirtatious, flighty young woman who is to be chaperoned by Christine. Alice is quickly drawn to the handsome, older Theo. After her father Ezra (Colin Fox) suffers a stroke, Christine heads home while Alice and Theo begin a torrid affair. Another guest, wily minister Basil March (Julian Sands), also begins a lusty fling with a young maid named Jenny (Karyn Dwyer), introduced to him by profiteering socialite Vera (Elizabeth Shepherd), who later blackmails him. In New York City on church business, Basil encounters Christine and visits with her ailing father. Moments before he dies, the unscrupulous cleric worms his way into the family will. Returning to Saratoga, Christine is shocked to find out that Theo has proposed to Alice. Meanwhile, Jenny attempts suicide when she discovers she's pregnant. Theo saves her and, after a confrontation with Basil, he winds up giving the girl money and a job recommendation out West so she can keep her unborn child. Bored with Theo, Alice becomes infatuated with Basil, who stages a screening of an example of the newest rage, motion pictures. When members of the audience, unaccustomed to the medium, panic when they see a train heading right for them from the movie screen, a near-riot ensues, and Theo's leg is broken by a startled horse. Alice then leaves Theo for Basil. Christine and Theo part ways until five years later, when he hears that she has become highly successful as a result of her pottery. He returns to Saratoga where they finally embrace after a lengthy discussion. Set near the end of the Victorian age, END OF SUMMER certainly seems designed for the high-brow audiences that enjoyed DANGEROUS LIAISONS (1988) or THE REMAINS OF THE DAY(1993). Linda Yellen's film, however, is actually more in keeping with fans of Danielle Steele's novels or soft-core period porn flicks (the kind that feature actresses like Sylvia Kristel). Her lifeless script (co-written with Jonathan Platnick) is almost completely devoid of dramatic tension until the sex sequences come along. Amy Locane's Alice supplies the film's only vitality, as well as sex appeal--a highlight being her amorous scene with Weller. Unfortunately, the other main characters are so poorly sketched and downbeat that they rarely elicit such passion. Bisset's Christine is so dreary and disinterested that it's no surprise to see her making pottery while Theo's making time with Alice. As Theo, Peter Weller is badly miscast; his delivery is so stony and monotone that one would swear he's only seconds away from reverting to his character from ROBOCOP (1987). Worse yet is Julian Sands (A ROOM WITH A VIEW), whose attempt to play an ambitious, eccentric minister (with an American accent) fails; the character comes off more as a sacrilegious flake. With little else going for it, the film does at least qualify as picturesque. The sets, costumes, and outdoor locations are all notably detailed and beautiful; also, technical details, such as lighting and sound, are sharp. It's a shame that the same kind of attention wasn't paid to the script. (Sexual situations, violence.)