I'm always a bit startled by the scene where Charles and his father are discussing Charles' future (or as close to "discussion" as that pair ever get) and Gielgud says to Irons, "You're 22 now." (Or somethng like that.) And Charles replies, "No, I'm not yet 21." A mistake to leave that bit of dialogue in the mini-series, I think. Because when he says it, it calls direct attention to Charles' age in the story and Irons' age in real life. My eyes always switch go directly to close in on Irons' much-older-than 20 face at this point.
Of course we really do KNOW these are two much older actors playing very young men, but for most of the Oxford scenes we can tuck this knowledge safely away in the recesses of our minds, because the actors are SO good. But this scene forces you to confront the age discrepancy -- and those lines of dialogue weren't even necessary.
The other age thing I noticed in re-watching the series recently: they don't age Stéphane Audran (Cara) AT ALL between the Venice scenes and the final scenes at Brideshead. I assume Cara is the kind of woman who would always keep up her hair and figure and make-up, but still .... this is a time lapse from the early 20s to the late 30s -- you would think she would not keep that absolutely smooth face. (No Botox in that era, and I don't know how good their cosmetic surgery was.)
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ronfirv
12 years ago
This happens in many films - could be actors who are SO young would not have the required acting ability. As you admitted, we overlooked it all as the acting in this splendid production was just that.
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MidniteRambler
12 years ago
I think it's worth remembering that people did look older sooner in past decades.In photos of my father in his early 20s he already seemed mid-30s.
Edited to add: this was in the mid 1930s.
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dizexpat
12 years ago
they don't age Stéphane Audran (Cara) AT ALL between the Venice scenes and the final scenes at Brideshead. I assume Cara is the kind of woman who would always keep up her hair and figure and make-up, but still .... this is a time lapse from the early 20s to the late 30s -- you would think she would not keep that absolutely smooth face. (No Botox in that era, and I don't know how good their cosmetic surgery was.)
Yet it can happen.
A good early 20th Century example would be Britain's Queen Alexandra. Photos of her when she was well into her 60s reveal someone who still looks like quite a young woman.
La Madre Puta
La Puta Madre
La Hija de Puta
El Chorizo
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murdoch1111
11 years ago
@marjoriem » Tue Apr 2 2013 12:56
Viewers of "Downton Abbey" complain that while approximately 11 years have passed since the series itself started in the year 1912 the characters have not been "aged" sufficiently. I think such complaints are flimsy: Remember Samuel Taylor Coleridge's admonition about the 'willing suspension of disbelief.'
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