The Winslow Boy (1999)

This is a well-made little movie with excellent performances all around. It is not exactly a courtroom drama or a comedy of manners. It shows how a crisis of honor in a family affects all its members and even the maid.The atmosphere brings one back to Britain just before the Great War. The costumes are great, but it is the acting and the dialogue which give this film life.Ronnie, the youngest son, has been accused of stealing a five cent postage package. His father believes in his innocence and risks his health and his fortune to pursue justice. He hires Sir Jeremy Norton, the most renowned barrister in England to take the case.Sir Jeremy seems like a cold fish, but appearances are deceiving. Watch The Winslow Boy for some top notch entertainment.

this is another directing attempt by David Mamet, and as usual he uses it as a vehicle to employ the mainly unemployable actors in his family.in most of his directorial projects he has produced films so stiff and wooden, and it amazes me that he sometimes finds excellent actors to appear in them. and it must be because as bad a director as he is, he can be just as brilliant a writer.i think Mamet chose, this time, a stiff cultural period which would hide his wooden direction, and his wife's poor acting. and it worked to a degree.the problem is that Mamet has gone to england and short circuited a perfect machine for turning out perfect period pieces. it is what the English film industry does best.his direction has sedated actors, worthy of giving a lively performance, and inspired little more than a walk-through of the lines: sedately matching the abilities of his wife.it all ends up in a mediocre effort. i wish Mamet should stick to writing, but he probably arrogantly believes he is the only director that can do justice to his words. interviews i've seen by the man, back this belief.

This film has been one of my favorites for years. However, as mainstream films such as the "Indiana Jones" sequels continue to propagate, "The Winslow Boy" seems more and more special.The members of the Winslow family love, respect, and trust each other. These people have integrity. They are complete human beings with fears and doubts. They make sacrifices and they do the right thing.The last half hour of this movie contains so many scenes that are just right...perfectly written and perfectly acted. Dickie visiting the house and telling his father that he has enlisted in the army. Kate informing her father that her ex-fiancé is engaged to another. Desmond proposing to Kate, saying "The facts are these. You don't love me and never can. I love you and always will. These are facts I am willing to accept." Kate and Mr. Winslow learning of the outcome of the case from Violet, their faces reflecting the pain and fear of possibly losing the case, then the joy of hearing that they've won. (No, they're not jumping for joy, but the joy and relief is on their faces, nevertheless.) Sir Robert reading the Admiralty's final words absolving Ronnie, then collapsing in the chair from exhaustion. Kate apologizing for having misjudged him. And of course, the final scene between Kate and Sir Robert. RN: Miss Winslow, I hope I shall see you again. One day, perhaps, in the House of Commons, up in the gallery. KW: Yes, Sir Robert, in the House of Commons one day, but not up in the gallery. Across the floor, one day. RN: You still pursue your feminist activities? KW: Oh, yes. RN: Pity. It's a lost cause. KW: Oh, do you really think so, Sir Robert? How little you know about women. Good-bye. I doubt that we shall meet again. RN: Oh, do you really think so, Miss Winslow? How little you know about men.What a great ending to a great film.

Good reviews, and seeing that David Mamet wrote the screenplay and directed, made me to see this film so I rented it and, of course, was disappointed. In a nutshell, it was boring and it feature a very annoying lead character in "Catherine Winslow" (Rebecca Pidgeon). Her feminist agenda was a little too strong to swallow, like Kate Winslet's super-irritating role in "The Titanic." It's not a bad film, just not interesting enough and one of those movies that after an hour, you realize you don't care about any of the major characters.One thing I did appreciate: the dry humor. In fact, it was refreshingly dry. (I've always appreciate sarcasm, unless it's too strong against by beliefs, of course!) It's also a period costume film, set in the early 1900s, an era I like.One question: why wasn't this the courtroom drama it was supposed to be? Instead, we get all this feminist agenda and stupid romance between two idiots. Also, it's supposed to also center around the title - the Winslow boy. Where was he? He took a backseat, far back in this stagy yawner. Mamet's "Hannibal," "The Spanish Prisoner," and "Ronin" are all far superior work to this one.