MovieChat Forums > The Lady Vanishes (2013) Discussion > Excellent Adaptation of Ethel Lina White...

Excellent Adaptation of Ethel Lina White's 'The Wheel Spins'.

posted 12 years ago by avenger-16
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This is an excellent and faithful adaptation of Ethel Lina White's gripping novel 'The Wheel Spins'. I thoroughly enjoyed it, especially the performance by Tuppence Middleton, who plays the central character of Iris, the rich and spoilt girl who is used by her friends and who is drifting aimlessly through life with no thought for other people, being almost entirely selfish.

And then Miss Froy comes along and turns Iris's world upside down. She is thrust into an alien environment where nobody speaks her language and nobody believes that Miss Froy ever existed. Nearly everybody in this film is selfish or prevaricating in one way or another - except, ironically, Iris. At the beginning of the film there hadn't been much hope for Iris - just another indolent, rich girl with too much time on her hands. By the film's end she has developed into a person for whom you might feel some respect.

All in all an excellent achievement which outstrips Hitchcocks's parody of the 30s and is much deeper than the Cybill Shepherd/Elliot Gould version of the 1970s. Both of these were good entertainment but neither bore much resemblance to White's classic suspense novel. I agree with other posters on this board who considered that the title should have been changed to 'The Wheel Spins'.

[–] hrhhrh 12 years ago

Cameraman on speed, and fond of extreme closeups. Soundtrack that doesn't stop, as well as the extraneous sounds, amplified to such an extent that they cover the dialogue. Excellent adaption? Not in my book.

Not unexpected, though. Like American tv and movies, British entertainment has been hijacked by what we refer to as hearing-impaired, brain-damaged disco victims.

[–] greenegg 12 years ago

My sentiments exactly, hrhhrh. Your last lines seem particularly apt. I found the leads rather inadequate; I never cared what happened to them. The storytelling did feel rushed; the suspense never amounted to much. We also needed more humor as a foil for the alleged drama.

Put puppy mills out of business: never buy dogs from pet shops!

[–] junetenbrown 12 years ago

It felt rushed and confused about what story it wanted to tell. Also, I don't know why it had to be approx. 85 mins. which made me wonder, 'why bother making this production.'
As another poster mentioned, this production should have used the 'wheels spinning ...' title vs. The Lady Vanishes. I expected a mystery. But, it was not engaging enough to be a true mystery.

[–] flowwalker 12 years ago

Avenger-16 -- I totally agree with your assessment -- and was totally surprised by how good it was. I wasn't even going to watch, having liked the 1938 version, and expecting that this would likely be inferior. Then I gave in to the excitement of a Masterpiece evening.

Although still fond of the 1938 version, I think this was superior! It really got you close up and personal with the character of Iris, her terrible situation, and her development into a person of worth. I felt these things much more keenly than in the earlier version, and felt the qualities of all the rich, spoiled characters much more deeply.

Tuppence Middleton was outstanding, making me feel the experience of Iris intensely, as she portrayed every nuance of illness perfectly -- and everything else perfectly as well.

I've never read the book, so can't judge how faithful this production is, but it is totally faithful to human nature -- even the minor characters are portrayed beautifully. It is an outstanding achievement. Another winner for the BBC and Masterpiece!

[–] lhardman_763 12 years ago

I agree with the posters who enjoyed this remake. I thought it was topnotch in all respects.

Off to find The Wheel Spins at my local library.

Pix

[–] avenger-16 12 years ago

You will love the novel, Pix - it is one of the most suspenseful and well written pieces of literature I have ever read - a real page-turner. Reading it can only enhance your enjoyment of the film, and I only hope that you enjoy it as much as I did.

[–] lhardman_763 12 years ago

Thanks, Avenger-16. I'm looking forward to it. Unfortunately my local library system has only 1 copy and there are 5 others who have requested it in front of me. I'll have to wait my turn, but will get to enjoy it eventually.

Pix

[–] CineNutty 12 years ago

Concur with your assessment. Well worth the time to watch - excellent to
outstanding mystery. Iris is a pain in the butt who most people would not
care about UNTIL she starts to make sense. The side issues are why a number
of fellow travelers have "thrown her under the train." I was on the edge of my seat which is why British mysteries are the best.

[–] petervintner 10 years ago

I agree too that this is a very good film, beautifully filmed and acted in gorgeous locations and on realistic sets. And Tuppence Middleton is excellent and believable in the leading role. In fact I liked her character from the start.
Iris is a complex character whose story is revealed slowly - she has no family, she knows she is usually selfish (because that's the nature of the company she usually keeps), but she can empathise with Mrs Froy, and this is because she lost her own family when she was very young in the 1918 flu epidemic. I'd say the dialogue and plot development were very well done. And it's a great cast.
It kept my interest throughout, and I'd happily watch it again.

Maybe part of the problem some people are having is in the title, leading viewers to expect something akin to the Hitchcock movie. I haven't seen the Hitchcock movie so I had no such expectations.
I've seen some criticism of the audibility of the dialogue, and I just don't think it's valid. I could hear it all just fine and without the benefit of subtitles.

I would wholeheartedly recommend this movie to any one anyone who likes period drama thrillers.

[–] 10 years ago

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