From: blj@mithrandir.cs.unh.edu (Brian L. Johnson)
Subject: REVIEW: THE COOK, THE THIEF, HIS WIFE, AND HER LOVER
Reply-To: blj@mithrandir.cs.unh.edu (Brian L. Johnson)
Organization: ?
Date: Tue, 5 Jan 1993 18:57:15 GMT
Followup-To: rec.arts.movies
Summary: r.a.m.r. #01669
Keywords: author=K.Johnson

               THE COOK, THE THIEF, HIS WIFE, AND HER LOVER
                       A film review by Ken Johnson
                        Copyright 1993 Ken Johnson

123 min., NC-17, Drama/Comedy, 1990
Director: Peter Greenaway
Cast: Richard Bohringer, Michael Gambon, Helen Mirren, Alan Howard,
      Tim Roth, Liz Smith

     Almost all of this film takes place in a fancy restaurant.  Thief
Michael Gambon owns a very fancy French restaurant and dines there
nightly with his wife Helen Mirren.  Helen Mirren spies diner Richard
Bohringer in the restaurant.  Richard Bohringer and Helen Mirren start a
nightly affair in various parts of the restaurant, while Michael Gambon
is dining in the main dining room room.  The head cook at the restaurant
hides Helen Mirren and Richard Bohringer's activity from Michael Gambon.

     I think that THE COOK, THE THIEF, HIS WIFE, AND HER LOVER is
British director Peter Greenaway's most famous film to date (partially,
I think, because it was one of the first films to receive the NC-17
rating).  I was first exposed to Peter Greenaway with his film
PROSPERO'S BOOKS, which I hated.  Because of a recommendation from a
reader, I then tried his film DROWNING BY NUMBERS, which I thought was
great.  So, after what I thought of DROWNING BY NUMBERS, I thought I
would try another one of Greenaway's films, namely this one.  I am
pleased to say that I liked this film very much.

     I can't recommend this film to the average film goer, because you
would probably hate it.  I can recommend this film to those who have had
exposure to Greenaway's work and enjoyed it, those who enjoy weird films
(like SANTA SANGRE), those who are bored with modern cinema, and those
who like to try different types of films.  Those of you who have seen
PROSPERO'S BOOKS and disliked it still might want to give this film (and
DROWNING BY NUMBERS) a try for I feel that they are very different.  On
a scale of zero to five, I give THE COOK, THE THIEF, HIS WIFE, AND HER
LOVER a four.  THE COOK, THE THIEF, HIS WIFE, AND HER LOVER is rated
NC-17 for male nudity, female nudity, violence, explicit language, and
adult situations.

     Don't let the NC-17 rating scare you away from this film.  Like
the films WHORE, SANTA SANGRE, and HENRY AND JUNE, this is not a porno
film.  If the NC-17 rating does scare you, I believe that there is a cut
R rated version, which you could try to find.  This is, however, not a
film for the squeamish because there are several scenes that are
disgusting (nothing that is anything worse than some of the things that
Monty Python has done in the past).  I saw this film on video cassette,
and as with other films by Greenaway, this film is best seen on a big
screen.  I don't believe that this film is still playing in theaters, so
you will most likely have to see it on video cassette.

     One of the things that Peter Greenaway plays with in this film is
colors.  When watching the film pay attention to the different colored
rooms, or areas, and the furnishings and clothing.  Also pay close
attention to a person's clothing when they change rooms.  I think that
this idea is clever, and makes the film seem different.  The sets were
very well designed to go according to the different color schemes in
this film.  Also Greenaway made very good use of colored lights,
especially in the kitchen.

     The people in this film are great.  Several of the people in this
film I have never seen before, but they did an excellent job.  Richard
Bohringer was excellent as "The Lover."  His best scene is when Michael
Gambon first goes over to talk to him.  Michael Gambon (MOBSTERS) was
great as "The Thief."  I think that he gave the best performance in this
film.  His character was extremely rude and vulgar, and Gambon seems to
fit this role perfectly.  Helen Mirren (WHERE ANGELS FEAR TO TREAD) was
good as "His Wife."  Her performance changed perfectly when she changed
from being with Michael Gambon to being with Richard Bohringer.  The
person who played "The Cook" (Alan Howard, I think) was also great.  Tim
Roth (ROSENCRANTZ AND GUILDENSTERN ARE DEAD) as one of Michael Gambon's
acquaintances, even though he was not around for much, was excellent.
Writer/Director Peter Greenaway has made an excellent film that makes me
want to find the other films by him that I have not seen yet.

--------
Ken Johnson
blj@mithrandir.cs.unh.edu

Newsgroups: rec.arts.movies.reviews