Ithasbeensaidthatmostgreattwentiethcenturynovelsincludescenesinahotel,asymptomofthevastuprootingthathasoccurredinthelastcentury:JamesIvorybeginsQuartetwithamontageofthehotelsofMontparnasse,aquietpreludebeforeourintroductiontotheviolentlylostsoulswhoinhabitthem.
Adaptedfromthe1928autobiographicalnovelbyJeanRhys,QuartetisthestoryofalovequadranglebetweenacomplicatedyoungWestIndianwomannamedMarya(playedbyIsabelleAdjani),herhusbandStefan(AnthonyHiggins),amanipulativeEnglishartpatronnamedHeidler(AlanBates),andhispainterwifeLois(MaggieSmith).ThefilmissetintheGoldenAgeofParis,Hemingway's"moveablefeast"ofcafecultureandextravagantnightlife,glitterandliterati:yetunderneathistheoutlineofsomethingsinisterbeneaththepolishedbrassesandbrasseries.
WhenMarya'shusbandisputinaParisprisononchargesofsellingstolenartworks,sheisleftindigentandistakeninbyHeidlerandhiswife:thepredatoryEnglishman(whosecharacterRhysbasesonthenovelistFordMadoxFord)isquicktotakeadvantageofthenewlivingarrangement,andMaryafindsherselfinastrangleholdbetweenhusbandandwife.Loversalternatelygravitatetowardandarerepelledbyeachother,nowprofessingtheirlove,nowconfessingtheirbrutalindifference--allthewhilekeepingupappearances.Thefilmexploresthevastterritorybetweenthe"nice"andthe"good,"betweenoutwardrefinementandinnerdarkness:afteroneviolentepisode,LoisasksMaryanottospeakofittothePariscrowd."Isthatallyou'reworriedabout?"demandsanoutragedMarya."Yes,"Loisreplieswithicycandor,"asamatteroffact."
AdjaniwontheBestActressawardatCannesforherperformancesinQuartet:herMaryaisavolatilecompoundofFrenchschoolgirlandscornedmistress,veeringbetweentremulousjoyandhystericaloutburst.Smithshinesinoneofhermostmemorableroles:sheimbuesLoiswithaKatherine-of-Aragonimpotentrage,ashumiliatedassheispowerlessinthefaceofherhusband'schoices.HerinteractionswithBatesarescenesfromamarriagethathasmovedfromdisillusionmenttopaleacceptance.
RuthPrawerJhabvalaandJamesIvory'sscreenplayusesRhys'snovelasafoundationfromwhichitconstructsaworldthatisbothtruetothenovelanddistinctiveinitsownright,paintingasocietythathaslostitsinhibitionsandinadvertentlylostitssoul.Wearetakentomirroredcafes,thenmovethroughthelookingglass:Marya,inonescene,isofferedajobasamodelandthenfindsherselfinasadomasochisticpornographer'sstudio.Thefilm,asphotographedbyPierreLhomme,createsthoroughlycinematicmomentsthatRhy'snovelcouldnothaveattempted:inoneoftheIvory'smostmemorablescenes,ablackAmericanchanteuse(extraordinarilyplayedbyArmeliaMcQueen)entertainsParisianpatronswithabigandbrassyjazzsong,neithersubtlenorelegant.Ivorykeepsthecameraonthesinger'sact:thereissomethinginherunguardedsmilethatmakesthedangerbeneathMontparnassemannersseemmoreacute.
吉拉育·拉翁马尼,Pleng Chontida Asavahame
帕克·克罗夫特,埃米利娅·阿瑞斯·佐瑞安,巴拉克·哈德利,Millie Zinner,杰克·奥尔森,布巴甘特,杰西·加西亚,萨沙·拉斯穆森,乔恩·迈克尔·希尔,尼古拉·瓦尔伯特
林青霞,秦汉,张曼玉,吴耀汉,顾美华,严浩
加里·格兰特,莱斯利·卡伦,特瑞沃·霍华德
Terrence Howard,Gabrielle Union,Queen Latifah,Morris Chestnut,Charles Q. Murphy,Katt Williams,Faizon Love,Jill Marie Jones,Rachel True
李德龙,潘冠男,郑航,端木新卉,韩朔,王昊
