Movie Monday April 11: Enchanted April

It’s been a bit dreary in New York lately, so my pick for this week is inspired by me wanting a spring getaway to warmer climates. I first heard about Enchanted April at a video store in my hometown. It had every movie you could imagine, from foreign films to silent movies from the 1920s to new releases. I can’t remember who exactly recommended it, but years later I finally watched it.

**Warning, mild spoilers ahead, so if you haven’t watched the movie yet, what are you doing?**

After responding to an advertisement in a London newspaper, four women find themselves renting an Italian castle for the month of April. Lottie Wilkins (Josie Lawrence) and Rose Arbuthnot (Miranda Richardson) are both struggling in their respective unhappy marriages and, even though they don’t know each other, they decide to rent the castle together. They recruit Mrs. Fisher (Joan Plowright), an elderly widow stuck in the past, and beautiful socialite Lady Caroline Dester (Polly Walker) to share the expenses. Although the trip gets off to a rocky start, each woman is soon taken in by their beautiful surroundings. They come to understand each other better and unearth things about themselves they thought they’d lost. With the arrival of Mr. Wilkins (Alfred Molina) and Mr. Arbuthnot (Jim Broadbent) as well as the castle’s owner Mr. Briggs (Michael Kitchen), each couple is able to better understand their partner. Eventually, love is able to grow and prosper. In the end, their month spent in Italy is exactly what everyone needed to rediscover the joy for life that was missing.

While the movie had a slower, more leisurely pace, I enjoyed Enchanted April. All of the actors were fantastic and I especially liked Josie Lawrence’s Lottie. She’s an oddball at times, but her positivity and openness makes her the glue that starts to bring everyone together. I also loved the character Caroline. At first she seemed like the stereotypical socialite, but as the movie goes on, we the audience see that she’s struggling to find happiness after losing the man she loved in WWI. Polly Walker’s portrayal is so nuanced that a single look can say a thousand things.

As an adaptation of a book, the subject matter as well as the cinematography makes sense. I haven’t read Elizabeth von Arnims The Enchanted April (1922), but after watching the movie I just might track down a copy. The themes of loss and finding purpose are universal, and even watching a 30 year old movie based on a 100 year old book, I find myself identifying with the characters and their struggles.

Every shot, especially in scenes where there’s little to no dialogue, feels like a beautiful painting. It makes me want to get on the next plane to Italy and track down those picturesque views. The movie was also shot at Castello Brown, where the author actually stayed in the 1920s and was probably the inspiration for the setting of the book. The setting truly did feel enchanted.

Overall, Enchanted April is a beautifully shot film that anyone who’s a fan of period pieces or gorgeous Italian vistas will enjoy. It makes my list of movies I’d rewatch, this one especially for cold and dreary days where I’d rather be somewhere magical.

One thing I loved: I’ve already said it, but the setting. I’m already planning a trip to Italy for when I can afford it. I probably won’t be staying in a castle, but I can dream.

One thing I can’t stop thinking about: Alfred Molina’s Mellersh Wilkins causing the water heater for his bath to explode. Not all of the characters speak Italian, and a lot gets lost in translation. There aren’t any subtitles, so we the viewers have to guess what’s being said as well.

I’d give Enchanted April 7.5 annoying gongs out of 10.