Latest news with #JenniferEhle
Associated Press
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Associated Press
Movie Review: A lyrical ode to the real cowgirls of the new West in ‘East of Wall'
Filmmaker Kate Beecroft points her lens toward the real cowgirls of the Badlands in the lyrical new film 'East of Wall.' The film blends fact and fiction to tell a story about the working women of South Dakota, skilled riders and trainers with ranching and rodeo in their blood who also can't seem to catch a break. There are a few Hollywood actors in the mix, including Jennifer Ehle as a hard living grandmother with a lifetime of regrets as well as some nuggets of wisdom and Scoot McNairy as an out-of-towner who wants to acquire the land, but most of the cast are non-actors playing themselves. The film won an audience award earlier this year at the Sundance Film Festival. At the heart of 'East of Wall,' now playing in select theaters, is Tabatha Zimiga, a South Dakota native whose ability to tame wild horses is the stuff of legend in the area. In the film, the horses she rescues and rehabilitates are sold at auctions and often accepted for far less than what they're worth. She needs the money. There are bills to pay on the ranch and many mouths to feed (not just her own kids, but others from around the town who come to her for safety and shelter when their own caretakers stop providing). Tabatha is also living with new and old traumas, from the generational agony of abuse to the more recent death of her husband, the shocking circumstances of which are withheld for some time. But the effects of the loss are still felt, especially for their daughter Porshia (played by her real-life daughter Porshia Zimiga), whose grief is threatening to turn into hate of her mother. Teenage Porshia provides the poetic voiceovers, in which she talks about riding, her mother and, most effectively, the land. It's reminiscent of Linda Manz's narration in 'Days of Heaven.' 'East of Wall' is best when it's capturing the landscapes and the girls in action, riding and filming energetic TikToks of their friends racing cars on horseback. Some have suggested that 'East of Wall' might have been stronger as a documentary. These women are vibrant and authentic and don't look like anyone we see in the movies these days, with real bodies and imperfect skin, heads half-shaved, tattoos everywhere and the ability to really, really ride — no stunt team required. And they have stories to tell, many of them unhappy, as we see in one of the most moving non-action scenes involving a group of mothers speaking candidly about their lives and their regrets. The real-life drama of financial instability is compelling and likely rooted in truth; however, the introduction of McNairy's suspect Texan feels like a narrative contrivance and drama for drama's sake. He offers to buy the ranch and let them live and work as usual, just for him now instead of themselves. These are the kind of scenes that remind you that the filmmakers, despite all their best intentions and care, are, in essence, also interlopers in this world. Beecroft's story of how she stumbled upon Tabatha and her cowgirls sounds like something out of a folk song. A native of Los Angeles who'd worked as an actress and production designer, Beecroft felt stalled and hopped in a truck with her friend and cinematographer Austin Shelton to find the stories of everyday Americans. A wrong turn, she said, led her to these women. 'East of Wall' is a promising start for a burgeoning filmmaker and a worthy portrait of an insular world that many of us will never know. 'East of Wall,' a Sony Pictures Classics release now in select theaters, is rated R by the Motion Picture Association of America for 'language throughout.' Running time: 97 minutes. Three stars out of four.
Scottish Sun
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Manor house made famous by iconic BBC show is back on the market – can YOU guess where it's from?
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A MANOR house made famous by an iconic BBC show has gone on the market - do you recognise it? The well-known home in Luckington, Wiltshire, was a memorable part of British television in the 90s and has been listed for just under £4million. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 14 Luckington Court in Wiltshire is on sale for just under £4million Credit: Kennedy Newsand Media 14 One of the living areas in Luckington Court Credit: Kennedy Newsand Media 14 The picturesque grounds of Luckington Court Credit: Kennedy Newsand Media 14 Fans can now snap up a piece of iconic British TV history Credit: Kennedy Newsand Media 14 Jennifer Ehle and Colin Firth in Pride and Prejudice 1995 Credit: Alamy Luckington Court famously portrayed Longbourn in the the 1995 BBC adaptation of Pride and Prejudice. Now, Pride and Prejudice fans have a shot at snapping up a unique piece of TV history as the picturesque manor house hits the market. The grade II-listed country house, immortalised to millions as the home of protagonist Elizabeth Bennet and her family, is up for sale for £3.95million. The BBC's 1995 adaptation featured Jennifer Ehle as Elizabeth Bennet and Colin Firth as the dashing Mr Darcy. It is widely lauded as the best adaptation of the Jane Austen classic ever made. Those wanting to live their very own Jane Austen-inspired life can strut through the Queen Anne front pillared portico or wistfully meander through the mature gardens like the on-screen family. The historic country house, featuring a wood carved doorway reputedly by Grinling Gibbons as well as eight bedrooms. It also boasts seven bathrooms and six reception rooms, providing ample room for family life and entertainment. The second floor is a flat and games room, says Knight Frank, who are handling the sale. And there's plenty of outside space too, with extensive lawns approaching the house dominated by a 400-year-old Lebanese Cedar, which has one of the biggest ever recorded in the UK. 14 The Bennet family walking into the front of Luckington Court Credit: PIC FOR REFERENCE ONLY - NOT FOR 14 Pride and Prejudice 1995 is considered the best adaptation of the novel Credit: Alamy 14 Jenifer Ehle, playing Elizabeth Bennet walking into Luckington Court gardens Credit: PIC FOR REFERENCE ONLY - NOT FOR 14 The small country estate boasts luscious views Credit: Kennedy Newsand Media 14 It is described as a 'quintessentially English' property Credit: Kennedy Newsand Media The new owners will also enjoy a tennis court, stable block, a dovecote, an outdoor riding school. The property also boasts home farm buildings, 1.27 acres of woodland and four well-presented cottages. James Walker, Regional Head of Central in Knight Frank's Country Department, said: "It is a privilege to be involved with the sale of Luckington Court, which is the epitome of a classic, small country estate. "The next custodian will appreciate the subtle grandeur and the sense of pride it evokes. "Quintessentially English and wonderfully understated." Prior to the 1995 TV series coming out, another version of Pride And Prejudice was written for the BBC in 1980 by the late Fay Weldon. But the 1995 version is arguably better known as it helped make Colin Firth a household name. And its famous lake scene inspired similar sequences in Bridget Jones' Diary and Bridgerton. Luckington Court at Luckington near Chippenham in Wiltshire had last been taken off the market in 2023, listed with estate agent Wooley & Wallis with an asking price of £6 million. In 2018, it was put up for sale for the first time in 70 years, through Strutt & Parker, with a higher guide price of £9 million. 14 The Bennet sisters walking in the garden of Longbourn which is Luckington Court in real life 14 The picturesque property is nestled in a peaceful area Credit: Kennedy Newsand Media 14 Luckington Court in Luckington, Wiltshire, famously portrayed Longbourn Credit: Kennedy Newsand Media
The Sun
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Manor house made famous by iconic BBC show is back on the market – can YOU guess where it's from?
A MANOR house made famous by an iconic BBC show has gone on the market. The well-known home in Luckington, Wiltshire, was a memorable part of British television in the 90s and has been listed for just under £4million. 14 14 14 14 Luckington Court famously portrayed Longbourn in the the 1995 BBC adaptation of Pride and Prejudice. Now, Pride and Prejudice fans have a shot at snapping up a unique piece of TV history as the picturesque manor house hits the market. The grade II-listed country house, immortalised to millions as the home of protagonist Elizabeth Bennet and her family, is up for sale for £3.95million. The BBC's 1995 adaptation featured Jennifer Ehle as Elizabeth Bennet and Colin Firth as the dashing Mr Darcy. It is widely lauded as the best adaptation of the Jane Austen classic ever made. Those wanting to live their very own Jane Austen-inspired life can strut through the Queen Anne front pillared portico or wistfully meander through the mature gardens like the on-screen family. The historic country house, featuring a wood carved doorway reputedly by Grinling Gibbons as well as eight bedrooms. It also boasts seven bathrooms and six reception rooms, providing ample room for family life and entertainment. The second floor is a flat and games room, says Knight Frank, who are handling the sale. And there's plenty of outside space too, with extensive lawns approaching the house dominated by a 400-year-old Lebanese Cedar, which has one of the biggest ever recorded in the UK. 14 14 14 14 14 The new owners will also enjoy a tennis court, stable block, a dovecote, an outdoor riding school. The property also boasts home farm buildings, 1.27 acres of woodland and four well-presented cottages. James Walker, Regional Head of Central in Knight Frank's Country Department, said: "It is a privilege to be involved with the sale of Luckington Court, which is the epitome of a classic, small country estate. "The next custodian will appreciate the subtle grandeur and the sense of pride it evokes. "Quintessentially English and wonderfully understated." Prior to the 1995 TV series coming out, another version of Pride And Prejudice was written for the BBC in 1980 by the late Fay Weldon. But the 1995 version is arguably better known as it helped make Colin Firth a household name. And its famous lake scene inspired similar sequences in Bridget Jones' Diary and Bridgerton. Luckington Court at Luckington near Chippenham in Wiltshire had last been taken off the market in 2023, listed with estate agent Wooley & Wallis with an asking price of £6 million. In 2018, it was put up for sale for the first time in 70 years, through Strutt & Parker, with a higher guide price of £9 million. 14 14 14 14
New York Times
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- New York Times
‘East of Wall' Review: South Dakota Dreaming
A genuine matrilineal bond anchors 'East of Wall,' a naturalistic drama set on a South Dakota ranch where a group of teenagers tame and train horses to be resold at auction. This is where Tabatha (Tabatha Zimiga), a horse whisperer with a steely expression and the mouth of a sailor, comes in. Alongside the teens, Tabatha lives on the property with her hard-bitten mother, Tracey (Jennifer Ehle), and her fast-riding daughter, Porshia (Porshia Zimiga, who is her daughter in real-life). In her first feature, the writer-director Kate Beecroft gathers the right pieces for an authentic regional-realist film, based on Tabatha's life on the ranch. Beecroft and her cinematographer, Austin Shelton, met Tabatha and Porshia while cruising around South Dakota in search of inspiration, and the filmmakers pair shots of the Badlands' rolling topography with hard truths about the struggles underpinning their characters' lives. Those truths shine in one standout scene around a campfire that finds Tracey's buddies sharing stories of trauma and regret. The movie runs into trouble when it shifts from observational to dramatic, especially in a flimsy second act that centers on a contrivance: a wealthy Texan (Scoot McNairy) bids to buy Tabatha's ranch. It's an offer she can refuse, and clearly should. But narrative beats aren't what make 'East of Wall' worth watching. That would be the people — particularly Porshia and her jubilant pals, whose skills in the saddle leave a lasting impression. East of WallRated R for language. Running time: 1 hour 37 minutes. In theaters.
Telegraph
30-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
Netflix's Pride and Prejudice shows how tedious television has become
It is a truth universally acknowledged that a journalist, when writing about Jane Austen, must resort to an opening sentence that riffs on her most famous novel. So here we are again. Why? Because an adaptation of Pride and Prejudice is in production at Netflix and has already attracted attention for its diverse cast, which includes Daryl McCormack (the Irish actor whose father is African-American) as the amiable Mr Bingley. Of course, this is now the norm: Armando Iannucci's 2019 Dickens adaptation, The Personal History of David Copperfield, featured Dev Patel in the title role, with Rosalind Eleazar as Agnes Wickfield; David Oyelowo played Javert in the 2018 BBC adaptation of Les Miserables; while Bridgerton turned the notion of costume dramas being the preserve of white actors on its head (on screen, at least – theatre has exercised diverse casting for decades). There will always be those who are upset by the idea of a traditional English period drama that features actors of non-Caucasian heritage, but to my mind the real story about this latest Austen adaptation is that it shows how unimaginative television has become. We simply don't need another Pride and Prejudice. For me, the BBC's 1995 version with Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle is definitive, although I realise that Joe Wright's film – made for cinema a decade later, starring Matthew Macfadyen and Keira Knightley – also has its fans. Both were built to last, and while you could argue that new productions of Hamlet and Macbeth are endlessly trotted out on our stages, theatre is an ephemeral art form. An actor on a stage doesn't have the global reach of Colin Firth in a dripping wet shirt. This year marks 250 years since Austen's birth, and while a new adaptation of her most famous work may seem fitting, it does not add very much to the world. In fact, I would argue that we have had quite enough Austen to be getting on with. In the past 20 years, there has been at least one new adaptation of each of her six novels (not to mention Whit Stillman's superb Love and Friendship from 2016, based on Lady Susan, and ITV's strangely popular Sanditon which ran for three seasons from 2019, despite being inspired by a working manuscript from Austen that stretched to a mere 120-pages). If any new Austen adaptation were needed, it would be Mansfield Park, of which there hasn't been a decent version since 1983 (available on iPlayer). The most recent, from 2007, saw a woefully miscast Billie Piper attempt to elicit sympathy for Fanny Price, Austen's difficult heroine. For a lot of readers, Fanny is insipid and moralistic; to my eyes, she is one of the most misunderstood characters in literature. We need, frankly, a new Fanny, from an actress who can bring out her quiet fortitude and strength of will. I would suggest Patsy Ferran, who is watchful, instinctive and always gives the impression that she is capable of great courage. Yet Netflix would never commission Mansfield Park, not unless it has secret plans for an exhaustive, Marvel-Style 'Janeiverse' which would stretch to origin films about Mr and Mrs Bennet, and spin-offs featuring the Bateses from Emma. Why? Because Pride and Prejudice isn't just a better and more accessible novel than Mansfield Park, it is also a brand. People who care little for bonnet dramas or English literature are likely to watch a new Pride and Prejudice simply because they have heard of it. It is strong IP. And of course strong IP is becoming the main reason that things get commissioned in the first place (particularly in the TV industry). That is particularly frustrating in terms of costume drama because, despite having hundreds of years of literature on which to draw, we are seeing the same classics being adapted time and again. That explains why we got three productions of Great Expectations in as many years – in 2011, 2012 and 2023 – and, I believe, no other major Dickens adaptations, at least in this country, during that time. In olden times, Andrew Davies would approach the BBC with Little Dorrit or Bleak House and get the green light, but that seems unthinkable now. For many years, BBC radio gave a home to more unusual works, such as new adaptations of Balzac or Gissing. That era is also coming to an end, as radio drama continues to fall victim to budget cuts. Radio 3 no longer broadcasts any, while Radio 4's output has decreased considerably in recent years. There is a little more room for manoeuvre in the film industry, but even there the decisions are crippled by cautiousness. Next year we will be treated to another Austen, Sense and Sensibility with Daisy Edgar-Jones as Elinor Dashwood, as well as Emily Brontë's Wuthering Heights, starring Jacob Elordi as Heathcliff and Margot Robbie as Cathy. With traditional broadcasters feeling the pinch, and unable to stretch to the budget that a lavish costume drama demands, it is up to the wealthy streamers to do their bit and take a gamble on something that doesn't smack of algorithmic approval. History has proven that with the right cast, director and writer you can make much of a little-loved work. I am thinking particularly of Cranford, Elizabeth Gaskell's – dare I say it, slightly boring – vignette of a provincial town. When it aired in 2007, the combination of a clever script by Heidi Thomas, and the talents of Judi Dench and Eileen Atkins, proved irresistible to both viewers and critics; it won Baftas and became the BBC's most-watched costume drama of the decade. As to whether Netflix's Pride and Prejudice will create a conversation in the same way that the BBC's adaptation did 30 years ago, only time will tell – but it seems unlikely. The problem with repeatedly revisiting a known and much-loved story, is that people eventually get bored. Perhaps somebody will take a chance on Mansfield Park, after all.
