CINE MANIC

The latest British invasion has come in the form of Joseph Fiennes, another actor in the fine family first introduced to us by Ralph of The English Patient fame. Harvey Weinstein, the founder of Miramax, definitely has his finger in the Oscar punch bowl again this year with Shakespeare in Love, one of the two films that prominently feature Fiennes--Joseph, that is. The other film is Elizabeth, another indie film with strong performances from all the players.

In both movies, Joseph plays a lovestruck man who would do anything for the object of his affection. His effectiveness in winning the sympathy of the audience lies within his large, brown, soft daschundesque eyes. Like Harrison Ford before him, Fiennes takes the emoting-from-the-eyes technique to another level. The director of each film takes advantage of this tremendous asset with gigantic loving close-ups, making his eyes at least three feet long on the silver screen. When he looks at his lady loves, Gwyneth Paltrow or Cate Blanchett, it is certainly with the utmost sincerity and pathos. A cheap Hollywood trick or some darn good acting? It's up to you to decide.

With Shakespeare in Love, we find Fiennes as the title character searching for a muse to stir up his creative juices. Paltrow is just the ticket as she employs the ol' Victor/Victoria trick to gender bend her way onto the stage and into Fiennes' heart. The adultery angle doesn't really do it for me, but Tom Stoppard, the screenwriter, deftly weaves Shakespeare's elegant language with his own poetic words. If the Scarlet Letter duo don't affect you, at least the verbal swordplay will keep you interested till the end.

In Elizabeth, which traces the early bumps of the title character's Golden Age reign, Fiennes takes a backseat to the Virgin Queen, Cate Blanchett. Again, Fiennes the philanderer takes on the guise of a lovesick puppy who sacrifices everything for his one true thing. His passionate declarations of loyalty play off nicely against the sweet princess turned ice queen. The cinematographic cop-outs distract from the fluidity of the film, as does the production design, which uses color and shadow to beat the symbolic dead horse. That's the curse of the artsy indie, I guess. The film does have its moments, however, where the jumps in time and costumes serve a unique purpose I don't want to spoil. But they are quite amusing and provide the sorely needed comic relief in this maudlin melodrama.

Though Fiennes' characters in these two films are similar, it's the subtle nuances in his eyes which make the differences blossom. His ability to register varying degrees of sorrow, jealousy, giddiness and remorse within those swoon-inducing orbs is amazing. The superb supporting cast in both films adds to the richness of character. Geoffrey Rush, the Oscar winner for best actor from Shine, delivers masterful performances with two very different characters. As the quietly menacing personal servant of Elizabeth, he convincingly radiates a calm, omniscient presence which anchors his queen when all hell breaks loose. As Fiennes' bumbling, clueless theater manager pal with mossy teeth, Rush transforms into a timid man who relies on the whims of Shakespeare--a role for which he has just been rewarded with an Oscar nomination.

Oscar nominee Judi Dench makes a turn here as the aged Elizabeth in Shakespeare in Love, but her appearance repeats her stubborn curmudgeon act from Mrs. Brown. Incidentally, that film and Elizabeth are eerily similar in their portrayal of the relationship between a queen and her trusted manservant.

With the emergence of Joseph Fiennes, Hollywood has discovered another talented leading man. His performances make both films worth seeing, though Shakespeare in Love is the better deal in the package. Gwyneth Paltrow is simply more engaging than Cate Blanchett is, though perhaps the fault lies with the screenplay and cinematography rather than with the innate abilities of the actresses. Paltrow, Rush, and Dench will compete for the little golden boys on Oscar night. But if pitted against Spielberg and a world war, they would probably have to defer to Goliath this time around.