God's Own Trousers

Rating: Null/10 (26 May 2008)

Epic is as epic does, and this really is epic.
It starts with a story by a man placed in the midst of empire defined by the notion of savage religion and uncivilized ignorance. Its written by a man who more or less accepted that truth while wondering about its human dynamics.
The film is made by a man who is of the same mind as Victoria and not Kipling. There is no questioning at all in his approach: the means to a competent movie is largely a matter of having enough confidence to appear consistent.
And its presented by two untrained British actors whose acting technique depends on simply bulling their way personalitywise. (Actually, Connery is a Scot, a distinction he would consider significant now.)
The "pretty girl" here who is the undoing (after signed pledges promising no sex), is Caine's wife. She's a Latin American beauty queen that he fell in love with by seeing her on TeeVee (made beautiful by Ridley Scott, then a director of commercials).
So the thing is set up by an unbroken line of bold interlopers with only Kipling having any reflective reservations about the enterprise. It actually works insofar as that matters. I mean its coherent; few large movies are. But its broken in the same way that it portrays cultural brokenness, which I suppose is to be expected.
The thing I liked about this was the depth in the images. Its not depth that actually matters, but it shows intent. The business about the compromised sanctity of the Freemasons and how ridiculous it is. Engineered superstitions.
The bit about "God's own Trousers" as the epithet of choice from a person in whose culture trousers are a sign of civilization. The stuff about heads, both literally and as leaders. Even the simple business about temporary bridges. Its high school stuff, but fun to see. As much fun as knowing that Caine would offer his own dimwitted but lovely wife as the object of desire because of a chance glance.
Ted's Evaluation -- 2 of 3: Has some interesting elements.