Vanity Fair

Casting Jim Broadbent, Gabriel Byrne, Bob Hoskins, Geraldine McEwan, Ruth Sheen, Reese Witherspoon, James Purefoy, Jonathan Rhys-Meyers, Rhys Ifans, Romola Garai, Lilette Dubey..etc Writing credits William Makepeace Thackeray (novel) Julian Fellowes (screenplay) Matthew Faulk screenplay Mark Skeet screenplay A good adaption of the novel by William Makepeace Thackeray this is the story of a woman who is orphaned and does not give up any chance to make a good life for herself. In fact this movie delves with every aspect of a survivor when times are tough. With a dollop of satire thrown in. Vanity is the theme here. Losing is vanity... winning is vanity.. and how the story consistently shows light upon the society that lives with so much scruples and hypocrisy and the author never fails to make it a point to rub it in.... how money could buy anything from relationships to aristrocracy is very well depicted here. It is something to raise your eyebrows but I think given the period when the story was concocted and written, it portrays the very aspect of the other side of the coin of a frivolous and vain social circle among which the main protagonist , Becky Sharp makes the best of the situation. Sometimes she is cold and calculative. Sometimes she is endearing but she always wants to get the best of what is available. And I think it is very justifiable for an orphan who has to fend for her own and who does not have noble parents.. to do the things which they do to put their daughters in the elite society. She is respected and sconed, lusted and befriended, a grudging admiration too.The other characters are equally important but the author of the story has given credit even to the most evil person. Maybe it is a way of looking at humans... mostly a strong message that comes forth is that even if the man is his most evil self there will be some quality in himself that redeems him of his nature... and the fact that even if a human is in his or her very best nature, there are times when the darker aspects can take over one... Moreover the story tests the limits of patience of all characters and one is left feeling when is she going to break down.. when is he going to realise his mistake.. is he going to fall for that trap... Mira Nair has done a great job in bringing so many characters together and balancing the whole act so that each one can hold one's own in the movie.. though the stories are intermingled it is easy to continue from where the story of one left to the other... All in all a nice movie... something to think about and well frankly its kind of long and detailed and it needs for you to think and connect to the movie. I would not reccomend this movie if you are in a fast movie mood.. A melancholic, reflecting mood with some good time in your hands and then the movis will work for you otherwise ... do not bother.. you will come out of the hall bored to tears.. dont say I did not warn you.. :)