An Angel at My Table **** (1990, Kerry Fox, Alexia Keogh, Karen Fergusson) – Classic Movie Review 6388

Director Jane Campion’s extravagantly praised 1990 New Zealand film production is based on the autobiography of Janet Frame, in which the awkward, agonised, curly red-headed heroine struggles through mental hospital, school and college to liberation as a writer in 1920s and 1930s New Zealand.

It is a most involving, life-affirming feminist-driven story, propelled by the gilt-edged performances of the three actresses who play Janet at different ages, and by the committed, imaginative direction from one of the world’s top women directors.

Kerry Fox plays the adult Janet Frame, Alexia Keogh plays Janet Frame as adolescent and Karen Fergusson plays Janet Frame as a teenager. Also in the cast are Iris Churn as Mother, Kevin J Wilson as Father, Melina Bernecker, Glynis Angell, Sarah Smuts-Kennedy, Colin McColl and Alison Bruce.

It is written by Laura Jones, based on Frame’s autobiographical books To the Is-Land, An Angel at My Table and The Envoy from Mirror City.

It is shot by Stuart Dryburgh, produced by Bridget Ikin, scored by Don McGlashan and designed by Grant Major.

It was shown in cinemas outside New Zealand, but it was made in three parts as a mini-series for TV, which does not dampen Campion’s style or need to work out her obsessions.

It is followed by Campion’s The Piano (1993), The Portrait of a Lady, Holy Smoke and In the Cut.

© Derek Winnert 2017 Classic Movie Review 6388

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