Highly Overrated But Still Good

Brilliant and touching

if their story seems completely bonkers, almost like a feverish work of fiction, you ain't heard nothing yet.

The movie really just wants to entertain people.

The crippled body and unfriendly personality of Ethan Frome greets a newly arrived visitor in that small New England town where Frome has a farm. The town minister Tate Donovan tells the reason why.Back in the day Frome played here by Liam Neeson was a typical tightlipped New England farmer trying his best to eke out a living on the played out soil that characterized New England in the day. He has to do the work of two because his wife Joan Allen is a sickly sort. Out of desperation he hires a servant girl to be a live-in maid. The fetching Patricia Arquette brings out some emotions that Neeson hasn't felt in years. But this is a most conservative rural part of New England and besides Neeson has the usual guilt pangs in regard to Allen. In the end it all turns out rather badly for Neeson and Arquette and let's say in the matter physical and mental well being the tables have been drastically turned. Ethan Frome never got a big screen treatment before and I can see why, it's a real downer of a story. It ran as a play in 1936 on Broadway for 120 performances and it starred Raymond Massey, Pauline Frederick, and Ruth Gordon. No screen credit was given the play's authors so I guess it wasn't used in any way for the screen adaption. There was also a TV special which starred Sterling Hayden as Ethan Frome, casting very much in line with using Liam Neeson here.The cinematography depicting New England of the 1890s was superb I don't think Edith Wharton would have any complaints. I don't think it's the best of her novels though, I'm not even sure what the point of her story was. Still Neeson, Arquette, and Allen deliver fine performances and devotees of Edith Wharton should be pleased.

Based on the book by Edith Wharton, XIX century renowned American writer, is a drama that reflects in a painful way the sufferings of a poor peasant family in rural New England. Blend in the community that makes up this social group as well as in the family are elements of discrimination, abuse, confusion of values, insecurities, of indifference, lack of solidarity and passion that give the viewer a grim and sad picture about human dignity. An unknown narrator takes care to present the story to the viewer in flashback after the arrival of a new pastor who decide to visit his parishioners one by one until it meets with the main characters. The feeling that is transmitted, despite the excellent photography and beautiful winter scenery is depression and pain. Good performance by Liam Neeson. The book should be better.

I always thought that Edith Wharton was an interesting author and I had been meaning to read the book since high school but never got around to doing so. When I saw the DVD, I couldn't resist. I thought the acting, scenery, costumes were all superb. I really felt as if I were in latter part of 19th century New England. That said, though, I can't say this is a very happy movie by any means. The only real warmth was the fire from the new minister. In fact, if I had to describe this movie in three words, it would be dreary, dreary, dreary. The interiors are dreary, the characters dreary, and the story dreary. But this is what I think the producer was trying to portray so he did an excellent job - just a little too dreary for me. On closer reflection, the author showed how we are often bound by fate and the choices we make. Ethan left college to take care of his sickly mother, stayed when she died and then married the cousin who took care of her. Now he is stuck in a joyless situation.

I must say outright that this book is one of the best Edith Wharton books you could possibly read, so I was a little dubious going into this film.I was pleasantly surprised though by the detail and care that the director and actors put into it, although I would quibble with one point- I found that rather than the Whartonian 'repression', the performers seemed to be awkwardly stumbling with their emotions- it's a fine line to be sure.Liam Neeson does a wonderful job in this film, beautifully nuanced performance, and Joan Allen (as always) just about walks away with the film.Absolutely worth a viewing, but try the book first, it's superb.