ST. Ives!

A catch-all for older favourites.

Moderators: thunder, fruitbat, Chari910, Marie, Helen8, Gillian, kjshd05, catloveyes, LadyLucius

Malfoy Grandma

ST. Ives!

Post by Malfoy Grandma » Thu Nov 16, 2006 9:18 am

aaa.gif Here she is again, the Old Lady of JI fandom who purchased the DVD of ST. Ives and watched it twice yesterday! I enjoyed this Robert Louis Stevenson story very much, even with poor JI as yet another disastrously wonderful villain! He is soooooo evil, and does it with such flare! And dies so well, doesn't he? I like this film because it seems to satisfy my old-fashioned ideas of a fun romantic fling. That Frenchman is lovely, and the English Major is hilarious. I like the various ladies too. And because I like to watch horses, that beautiful dappled gray which the Major rides with such penache really rates special applause. I like it all, except of course I could see JI cast as the hero instead of the villain, and I just wonder why MEN directors cannot be as perceptive! There must be something about MEN that makes them look at him differently! Or is it just something about us ladies?

ibelong2me
Posts: 183
Joined: Wed Nov 15, 2006 1:49 pm
Location: England
Contact:

Post by ibelong2me » Thu Nov 16, 2006 10:28 am

Never heard of this before...my first reaction was "What has a film about Cornwall to do with anything?" :D Some kind of tourist video or something. Zoomed onto imdb.com and am enlightened...and amused.

I saw this when it first aired on the BBC all those years ago!!! The plot is very hazy in my mind and am sorry to say I don't remember Jason's role at all. Just a brief memory of Richard E. Grant spouting his character's name - which was so funny it stuck in my mind forever! Major Farquhar Chevening. My brother used to utter 'Farquhar, Farquhar' in Richard's accent and we've just been amused ever since. I wish I could remember if I liked it or not...and Jason's role at all! *bows head in shame* :oops: Will have to hope the BBC repeats this sometime! They repeat alot of nonsense so am hoping a period drama with Jason Isaacs stands a good chance. So it was called 'St Ives' - well there you go, learn something new every day!

:D Thanks for jogging my bad memory!

Malfoy Grandma

St. Ives

Post by Malfoy Grandma » Thu Nov 16, 2006 10:34 am

Jason is the villainous brother of the French hero. Hope you get to see it. It is a fun watch. Yes, Farquahar, the Major is hilarious. There is a scene where he and a lovely lady are tied together and she insists they roll around on the floor like snakes in order to loosen the ropes....crazy, silly, and very suggestive of course. I also love the plump gent who is in love with the Major....I bought my copy on Amazon.com. Wish I had a way to share it with you.

User avatar
Hilary the Touched
Site Registrant
Posts: 7197
Joined: Sat Jul 23, 2005 2:11 pm
Location: The Frozen North
Contact:

Post by Hilary the Touched » Thu Nov 16, 2006 11:04 am

Isn't St. Ives fun??

It was very silly, but a great cast and lovely cinematography. I was particularly smitten with the balloon!!
Zoomed onto imdb.com and am enlightened...
Rose, the Lost Girls pride ourselves on maintaining one of the very most comprehensive listings of Jason Isaacs projects out there: http://jasonisaacsonline.com/page7.html
Some pretty obscure stuff, some of which has eluded me...

User avatar
Helen8
Pillar of the Community
Posts: 10271
Joined: Mon Jul 25, 2005 11:18 am
Location: SoCal

Post by Helen8 » Thu Nov 16, 2006 11:15 am

I could see JI cast as the hero instead of the villain, and I just wonder why MEN directors cannot be as perceptive!

Blame not the directors, GM. Jason has said that he picks the more interesting part to play, which is usually the villain. Of course we'd like to see him as the romantic lead, but face it, he's right: the villains, especially as portrayed by him, are meatier. Or in your words: yet another disastrously wonderful villain! He is soooooo evil, and does it with such flare!

And dies so well, doesn't he?
Well . . .he's had a lot of practice.

Helen

ibelong2me
Posts: 183
Joined: Wed Nov 15, 2006 1:49 pm
Location: England
Contact:

Post by ibelong2me » Thu Nov 16, 2006 11:42 am

Shall keep a track of that list thanks for flagging it up!
Until Jason's appearance in the Harry Potter series I had not realised I had seen him in 'Armageddon', lol. After reading a website when it was next on TV made of point of keeping my eyes alert for him.

'St Ives' is only avaliable as region 1 on amazon.co.uk for some reason - shall add it onto my to get list!

Angel Tavington
Posts: 4968
Joined: Thu Aug 30, 2007 9:01 pm
Location: Col. Tavington's tent
Contact:

Post by Angel Tavington » Sun Sep 06, 2009 6:01 pm

I finally saw St Ives and it did not disappoint: the look of the movie is lovely and the characters are delightful. Jason is awesome in it (besides the dashing good looks). And I agree, the English Major is super hilarious :D ST Ives is a light movie and fun to watch, I recommend it to anyone.





~me

User avatar
Helen8
Pillar of the Community
Posts: 10271
Joined: Mon Jul 25, 2005 11:18 am
Location: SoCal

Post by Helen8 » Sun Sep 06, 2009 8:09 pm

SPOILER








The final sword-fighting scene is very good. His dying? . . . not so much.[/b]

Gillian
Site Admin
Posts: 4407
Joined: Wed Dec 31, 1969 7:00 pm

Post by Gillian » Mon Sep 07, 2009 9:25 am

I enjoyed it too, Angel. Been years since I've seen it though.

For those who haven't watched, it's a bit obscure but if you can find it, I highly recommend the film.

User avatar
Roz
Posts: 304
Joined: Mon Jan 12, 2009 5:00 pm
Location: State of confusion

Post by Roz » Mon Sep 07, 2009 9:30 am

I liked St. Ives as well. Everything about it, the characters, the feel, the humor, ect worked for me. I may just have to watch it again, as it has been awhile since I've seen it!

User avatar
thunder
With her wheelbarrow full of surprises!
Posts: 7175
Joined: Mon Jan 12, 2009 1:08 pm
Location: Norway

Post by thunder » Mon Sep 07, 2009 10:49 am

I think it's entertaining. A nice way to spend a couple of hours if you haven't got anything else to do. Some parts of it is very funny :D

"His mother was a crab, you know"

Angel Tavington
Posts: 4968
Joined: Thu Aug 30, 2007 9:01 pm
Location: Col. Tavington's tent
Contact:

Post by Angel Tavington » Mon Sep 07, 2009 10:53 am

Some parts of it is very funny
True, I found this movie extremely enjoyable and will watch it again :D



~me

User avatar
Anniemouse
Posts: 1362
Joined: Mon Jun 15, 2020 10:23 am

Re: ST. Ives!

Post by Anniemouse » Sun Oct 25, 2020 8:14 am

I just watched this today and

Spoilers.

I found it brilliant and hilarious in equal measures.

Jason as the trecherous brother was dark and menacing and I agree the sword fighting at the end felt so quick; essentially one hit and he dies. I was not expecting the humour everything from the crab comment to the way Richard E Grant has to learn the art of romance to the moment he is tied to Miranda Richardson and he starts singing.

A really fun romp of a movie not sure if the novel has the same tone as I have never read it.

I too would have loved Jason as the romantic lead as well but he steals every scene he is in.

A fun Sunday watch.

User avatar
servalan
Posts: 514
Joined: Mon Nov 19, 2012 7:14 am
Location: Scotland

Re: ST. Ives!

Post by servalan » Sun Oct 25, 2020 6:10 pm

It's ages since I watched this, I remember it as good fun.

The book has the same name:
St. Ives: Being the Adventures of a French Prisoner in England
by Robert Louis Stevenson

It was unfinished by RLS and completed by Arthur Quiller-Couch. If you get it to read, you need to check whether you get the version that stops when RLS did or the one with AQC's ending (which has been criticised as being completely different in style).

I read it some years ago. I don't remember it well, but I think the book is very different from the film. I recall he was imprisoned in Edinburgh Castle.

A digital version is available free on Gutenberg.

User avatar
Anniemouse
Posts: 1362
Joined: Mon Jun 15, 2020 10:23 am

Re: ST. Ives!

Post by Anniemouse » Sun Oct 25, 2020 6:45 pm

Thank you for the information Sevalan. Oh I remember Blakes Seven so well and Servalan was such a great character.

Post Reply

Return to “Jason Isaacs's Film, TV and Theatre Library”