Truly Madly Deeply
TRULY MADLY DEEPLY (PG)
D: Anthony Minghella
BBC Films (Robert Cooper)
UK 1990 (released 1991)
106 mins
Romance/Fantasy
W: Anthony Minghella
DP: Remi Adefarasin
Ed: John Stothart
Mus: Barrington Pheulong
Juliet Stevenson (Nina), Alan
Rickman (Jamie), Jenny Howe (Burge), Bill Paterson (Sandy), Christopher Rozycki (Titus), David Ryall (George)
Originally made as TV movie and screened as part of a BBC
Series, Truly Madly Deeply briefly had a cinema run in the summer of 1991.
Juliet Stevenson plays Nina, a bereaved woman who struggles to
come to terms with her partner Jamie's death and is soon reconciled with his ghost, though the script doesn't clarify whether this is merely a figment of Nina's imagination. As time goes on, Nina
meets a new man, but is still haunted by Jamie's ghost, though she comes to realise that her idealistic view of her relationship with Jamie also had some negatives, as she comes to terms with her
grief and finally moves on.
Anthony Minghella's romantic fantasy is full of sentiment
without being sentimental, witty and an incredibly clever dramatisation of the stages of bereavement, with two excellent central performances from Juliet Stevenson, whose role was written for her
specifically, and Alan Rickman, making a welcome break from his bad guy supporting roles and taking on a leading one.
The TV movie roots are apparent, but this doesn't get in the
way of a brilliant story, led by outstanding performances.
7/10
