Brideshead Revisited (2008)

Seen on May 2, 2009 - A Netflix dvd

Director: Julian Jarrold
Writer: Anrew Davis, Jeremy Brock

This is based on Evelyn Waugh's 1945 British classic set before World War II. But the main story about the Catholic Flyte aristocratic family who own Brideshead Castle comes through as a memoir of Capt. Charles Ryder who is stationed at Brideshead Castle during II World War. He had once been disturbingly involved with Flyte family and was a witness to the destruction of the fine young lives of the brother and sister of the family, Sebastian and Julia under the repressive influence of Catholic religion enforced by their mother, Lady Marchmain (brilliantly played by Oscar winning Emma Thompson). Lady Marchman's husband had also run away from home to live with his mistress in Venice. Sebastian loathes home while Julia is ambivalently tied to the castle. Charles Ryder who is first drawn to this imposing castle is shocked to see how the lives of the family wilt under the domineering influence of the mother. The strict Catholic upbringing spells disaster in the lives of the children, giving them a sense of sin and guilt. In revolt against this, Sebastian becomes an impossible alcoholic and Julia reluctantly marries someone she doesn't love and someone who has converted to Catholic religion in order to marry her and benefit from the huge wealth of the family. The head of the family is driven into the arms of sin and mistress in an attempt to evade the oppressively domineering wife. Charles Ryder unknowingly walks into this situation and is appalled by the tragic waste of the lives under the pressures of Catholic religion.
This narrative is appears to be a critique of Catholic religion.