MY COUSIN RACHEL is a romance, suspense/drama movie based on the Daphne du Maurier novel of the same title. When Philip (played by Sam Claflin) finishes school and returns to his home in England he learns his guardian is not there, but in Italy with his wife Rachel (played by Rachel Weisz). Philip is instantly suspicious of the woman, because he and his guardian share a tight bond. Philip travels to Italy and is disheartened to discover his guardian has passed away. He believes Rachel is fully responsible, so finding out she intends to visit him in England makes him unpleasant, even though Philip lives a charmed life in a country estate and since his guardian has died, he inherited a fortune.
Over time, he begins liking Rachel and feels sympathetic toward her. Emotional manipulation is how the mystery of MY COUSIN RACHEL is woven. A naive young fellow and an older woman match wits, but really they are unequal. One ultimately out smarts the other, and then the other slowly realizes what is happening. It is engaging watching the story play with much suspense of how the circumstances will end.
The British movie THEIR FINEST, based on the book Their Finest Hour and a Half by Lissa Evans is set in London during World War II, and opens with Catrin Cole (played by Gemma Arterton) being hired to write scripts for the Ministry of Information. Her husband, Ellis (played by Jack Huston), is unable to sell his art, so Catrin becomes the only wage earner. She is a very talented scriptwriter, sharing her unique perspective with the staff. Unfortunately, her skills are underestimated by writing partner Tom (played by Sam Claflin) and the pair do not get along. Eventually, Catrin and Tom begin respecting each other and even develop a friendship while being on location doing rewrites for a film.
Bill Nighy is brilliant in THEIR FINEST and offers genteel humor. His character, Ambrose Hilliard, is an actor with pomp. Catrin is able to remain honest with him when others are not, and is ultimately appreciated for it. Other unexpected circumstances cause Catrin and Tom to develop an affinity for one another and it is satisfying for the audience; however, the story takes a startling twist.
THEIR FINEST is a unique film that distinctly shows believable situations while accurately illustrating life during the 1940's. The movie is currently playing in theatres. The official Web site is http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcfilms/film/their_finest.
