Let me begin by saying that Paul Schneider's portrayal of Mr. Brown was fabulous. In interviews he said that he thought of the Romantic poets as equivalent to our modern punk rockers in that they separated themselves from society to comment on it in a radically different way and had no thought for how they were perceived. Therefore he said he channeled some punkers he knows into his performance and I think it worked wonderfully. (Kind of makes you understand the tie he has tied around his head at one point, doesn't it?)
As for the character of Mr. Brown. He is despicable in the way he treats Fanny from the very beginning. It's obvious by the opening of the film that he has been hard on her ever since he came to live there...before Keats joined him. But don't you get the impression, long before the failed valentine, that he is enamored of her and perverse in his emotion? It explains alot of his attitude toward her, especially when she takes a shine to Keats and Keats returns her tenderness.
As for Mr. Brown's relationship with Keats. He was in awe. He worked and slaved over his poetry but could not approach the expressive gift contained in the most casual line of Keats'. Since he couldn't write like him, he appointed himself as Keats' caretaker. His muse is what he wanted to be, but Fanny put all possibilities of that in perspective. No encouragement or discussion or editing that Mr. Brown contributed had any affect on Keats' writing. And that is all Mr. Brown could provide.
Were Mr. Brown and Keats friends? Did they have what would have been an enduring friendship and not merely one of convenience? I don't think so. And I think Mr. Brown knew that too. But in the end, whatever he had to offer Keats was truncated by the stew Mr. Brown got himself into with the maid.
However, one of the most deeply affecting parts of this film is the speech Paul Schneider gives as he kicks his foot and admits that he has failed John Keats. Beautifully done, such emotion, such authenticity.
"I'd never ask you to trust me. It's the cry of a guilty soul."
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randommovies2002
14 years ago
Yes, thank you. Well said.
I'll add that Brown was jealous of Keats' relationship with Fanny, and jealous of Fanny's relationship with Keats.
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aGuiltySoul
14 years ago
Absolutely.
"I'd never ask you to trust me. It's the cry of a guilty soul."
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Breakout_Hitter
14 years ago
I also thought Schneider's performance was great.
I don't so quickly deprecate the relationship between Brown and Keats though. Rather I see their relationship taking a backseat once Fanny and Keats connect.
Brown of course worries that Fanny shall upset the stream of Keats genius and is perhaps even a little jealous. He worships Keats and is honoured to play a role in his life, but now he grows invisible next to a Bright Star.
As for sex with the maid, look at the times, nothing unusual there.
I liked him a lot from the beginning. I liked everyone a lot. And that is a rare accomplishment.
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persona_non_grata
14 years ago
I also admired Mr.Schneider's performance. I also read the Letters of John Keats to Fanny Brawne and it is amazing to see how much of them Jane Campion put in her screenplay. In his last few letters, maybe in the fever of illness and his usual sensitivity and imagination (that is not only my opinion), Keats accuses Fanny of flirting with Brown. Although, the movie does not include this during his illness, the earlier "Valentine" scene is, I think, an allusion to this.
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rivehaute
14 years ago
I had never heard of Abbie Cornish or of Paul Schneider, but thought that both artists gave riveting performances in Bright Star. I thought that Mr. Schneider was definitely someone to watch and lo' and behold, some professional body or at least one with credibility has said the same thing. I look forward to seeing him in further productions. BTW, I would never have known that Ms. Cornish was not British nor Mr. Schneider not Scottish - their accents were impeccable.
A very pleasing film on all fronts and thank God for no distracting music. A 5* production.
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