The Name of the Rose **** (1986, Sean Connery, Christian Slater, F Murray Abraham, Feodor Chaliapin Jr, Ron Perlman, Vernon Dobtcheff, William Hickey) – Classic Movie Review 1084

Director Jean-Jacques Annaud’s 1986 worldwide movie hit The Name of the Rose turns the Umberto Eco metaphysical bestselling novel into a thrilling, adult medieval mystery. It won the César for Best Foreign Film and BAFTAs for Sean Connery as Best Actor and Hasso von Hugo as Best Make Up Artist.

Sean Connery is on electrifying form as William of Baskerville, a 14th-century Franciscan friar who’s a kind of 007 monk version of Sherlock Holmes, investigating a byzantine labyrinth of murders most foul and mysterious in a remote Italian monastery.

Of course, William has to have an evil nemesis, and that is well taken care of here. Unfortunately, Baskerville soon arouses the rage of the terrifying Roman Catholic inquisitor Bernardo Gui (a perfect F Murray Abraham).

Director Annaud shows that it is a labour of love and passion for him, and conjures up a lot of tension and great medieval atmosphere with a wonderfully eerie feeling of the rigours of old-time religion and the squalor of the ancient monastic life. The film is most imaginatively handled by Annaud and beautifully shot by the Italian cinematographer Tonio Delli Colli. It is lovingly filmed on location in Abruzzo, Italy, and Hessen, Germany (where Kloster Eberbach was used for the interiors of the monastery), and in the Cinecittà Studios, Rome, for the exteriors of the monastery.

Though Eco was dismayed by the casting choice, and Columbia Pictures pulled out as Connery’s career was then in a slump, Connery more than proves his worth, holding the centre strong and firm in one of his most beguiling performances.

Meanwhile there are some extremely eye-catching supporting performances from a fine gallery of hand-picked character actors, headed by Abraham, Feodor Chaliapin Jr, Ron Perlman, Vernon Dobtcheff (as Hugh of Newcastle) and William Hickey.

Connery has a splendid foil in the very young Christian Slater, cast through a large-scale audition of teenage boys as Connery’s novice Adso of Melk, who acts as his Dr Watson and helps him in his investigation.

The film’s original producer Gerard Leibowitz wanted Michael Caine to star, but Leibowitz was murdered and new producer Jake Eberts cast Connery instead. With an 18 certificate, it is an adult thriller for grown-ups, with some violence, sex scenes and nudity (with Slater).

The Name of the Rose survived doing badly at the box office in the United States, playing in just 176 cinemas and grossing only $7.2 million on a $17 million budget. However, it was popular in Europe and ended up with a worldwide gross of over $77 million. It received positive reviews, even in America.  

© Derek Winnert 2014 Classic Movie Review 1084

Check out more reviews on http://derekwinnert.com/