Posted by Lady Ann on July 10, 2000 at 06:45:19:
In Reply to: Re: Results of movie party... Uncas and DDl ...My thoughts, too posted by MMMMarcia on July 09, 2000 at 11:12:09:
: I have seen nearly everything DDL has ever made & enjoyed him tremendously in each role. I do truly consider him the most versatile of actors. As pertains to the characters themselves, I thought Newland Archer was one of the sexiest men EVER, but trapped in that suffocatingly repressed era that made his life hell on earth. I adore Age of Innocence, unlike some others I know, including my husband, who runs screaming from the room if I even so much as pull it from the video shelf. I'd run away with Newland in a heartbeat, if it were possible to convince his convention bound little self to take the leap. He is utterly gorgeous to my mind...and the scene in the carriage where he unbuttons Michelle Pfeiffer's glove to kiss her wrist is more highly-charged to me than any jouncing-bouncing nude scene I've ever watched. (And I agree that May Welland...Winona Ryder...was evil, evil, evil. A conniving, manipulative little priss I would like to have SLAPPED! Twice!!)
Ladies:
Sorry to be so late in weighing in on the DDL discussion, but I only get to my computer on weekdays...I always admired the Newland Archer character for his strength of character...he certainly could have "followed his heart" and romantically run off with the Countess with little long-term damage to his wealth or reputation...this sort of thing was much more acceptable behavior for men than we might wish to admit, even in "The Age of Innocence"...Newland's strength was that he chose to stay with May, despite the fact that she obviously bored him (and I agree, was manipulative and evil to boot), and with his unborn child. He stayed...and made a happy family with happy, successful children at the sacrifice of his own passion (though who is to say that a year or so down the road he wouldn't have been screaming at the countess for seducing him into "wrecking" his life and spending all his money). Remember that he chose to marry May and make those wedding vows...and I admire him for staying the course, if only for the benefit of the children. And remember at the end of the movie when he admits that he was "deeply touched" that his wife would be the one person to fully know and understand his passion for the countess? I think in the end even Newland realized that he had made the right choice all along...
Of course, that's just my opinion, and I may be wrong!