A Simple Twist of Fate *** (1994, Steve Martin, Gabriel Byrne, Laura Linney, Catherine O’Hara, Stephen Baldwin) – Classic Movie Review 2151

Director Gillies MacKinnon’s 1994 film of George Eliot’s classic novel Silas Marner comes with a screenplay by its star Steve Martin, who gives it a modern twist.

Martin adapts and comes up with a semi-amusing comedy drama that comes and goes, and has its ups and downs, but perhaps more of the former.

As actor, Martin plays – rather engagingly – miserly Michael McCann, whose hoard of gold is stolen by Stephen Baldwin, and he becomes intensely bitter. But he adopts an orphaned  baby, Mathilda, whose mother died outside his house. The birth father eventually returns to claim the girl from Michael to advantage his political career. But finally Mathilda leads to joy and redemption for Michael.

There’s an expert support cast, especially the funny Catherine O’Hara, Gabriel Byrne and Laura Linney, to help Martin out.

Also in the cast are Byron Jennings, Michael Des Barres, Tim Ware, David Dwyer, Tom Even, Ed Grady, Amelia Campbell, Danny Nelson, Anne Heche and Kristoffer Tabori.

See also Silas Marner (1985).

© Derek Winnert 2015 Classic Movie Review 2151

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