Esther Kahn (2000)

Based on a short story by Arthur Symons.

The story of a working class girl who strives to become an actress and succeeds, despite her somewhat listless temperament.

I saw it in a dubbed-in-Portuguese copy, which makes this assessment somewhat provisional. I did not achieve a perfect understanding of the meaning of this film, in its totality. Is it a social story, a depiction of Britain's working class? Is it a depiction of British Jews? Is it a statement about the acting profession? The probable answer I am bound to hear is that it is all that, and what is the problem? Well, I am not sure there is a problem from that angle, although the movie, as it is, feels all over the place. Also, the dialogue and acting style of part of the cast did not strike me as agreeing with the period; it screamed anachronism, and God knows whether I am well equipped to issue an opinion on that regard. Lastly, there is something which never works for me in films about personal growth. You see the "steps" the character takes and you are led to accept they represent stages in his or her development. I'd much rather see a film about visible things, visible behavior, visible actions, visible forces. Something which I believe for myself, without being told to. All that being said, I admit that the narrative, although lengthy, has sufficient interest and stylistic coherence to assert the film's watchability.

Rating: 55