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Geek Vibes Nation
14-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Geek Vibes Nation
‘The Wolf, The Fox, And The Leopard' Review - On The Importance Of Being Human
Our stories are what make us who we are. But what if that is robbed from us and twisted? Does that change who we are, as well? The story of the child raised by animals or non-human entities is a familiar one. Many people of older generations (this writer included) may remember 'Julie of the Wolves,' a novel by Jean Craighead George. Expanded further, many of us remember different versions of The Jungle Book as children. Or maybe you are more linked to the supernatural and connect with Mama. Regardless, the stories of feral children are numerous, but most of them are consumed with nature being human-like in its representation. Despite a title that may seem like that of a child's animated movie, David Verbeek, the writer and director of The Wolf, The Fox, and The Leopard, is certainly not limited in this way, and it is to the benefit of his film. In its opening, Verbeek does not hide his feint. He introduces a young man (Lucas Lynggaard Tønnesen) who is struggling with his place in the world. A voiceover informs us that he believes that he is the main character. This is all preamble to meeting our feral child (Jessica Reynolds), who is known by many names throughout the narrative. As the young man is devoured by the pack of wolves that surround the child, we come to understand that his death is the inciting event for the removal of this child to a more 'civilized world.' From here, the film is divided into chapters, showing her journey from being wild to being hidden in the world and possibly back again. The film borrows from fables but also manages to carve its own path through the human psyche. Pacing issues abound, and it may be difficult for most audiences because there are few, if any, supporting characters that we deeply care about. And yet, the film manages, through the phenomenal performance of Reynolds, to propel itself through the human condition. There is a strange sort of growth that Reynolds manages. As a feral child, she begins the film devoid of language. As she ages and is taught by numerous others, her progression is palpable, vivid, and believable. As anyone who has watched (or read) stories similar to this, this puts her in the upper echelon of physical and vocal actors. Despite this movement, the film smartly leaves you wondering if this is actually a regression. Is she better left alone? Those moments of solitude are punctuated by cinematographer Frank van den Eeden. The care taken in showing the natural world is painstaking, to the point of highlighting the ugliness of the modern world. The decision to show the forest between chapters, combined with pinpoint editing by Matthieu Laclau and Yann-Shan Tsai, wordlessly acknowledges the loss that the protagonist suffers without dwelling unnecessarily. More importantly, The Wolf, The Fox, and The Leopard leaves us wondering what it is to be human. Although hard to understand, she begins with a pack, a community of protection. As she is ripped from this comfortable world, everything begins to change. At first, she is studied by a team of scientists, led by Tanaka (Naomi Kawase). These scenes are literally stark as we transfer from the beautiful wooded area to an antiseptic, white laboratory. Kawase, in her limited screentime, almost makes us wish for a different, happier, maternal film. But this is not to be, because she is removed by a husband-and-wife team (Marie Jung and Nicholas Pinnock), the titular fox and leopard. The chapter in which she is with these new parental figures is perhaps the most challenging of the entire film. As our protagonist has moved from a pack to being a test subject to now a much smaller (and maybe less 'human') community, there is a lot to carry narratively. If this chapter does not hold together, nothing that happens in the final moments will resonate. Luckily, Reynolds, Jung, and Pinnock are more than up to the task. These sequences are sweet, kind, disturbing, upsetting, and rage-inducing in equal measure. Verbeek, as a writer, manages this balance just about perfectly. The result is a final chapter that hits much harder than expected, given the purposefully slow pace. A character's return comes as a pleasant and dark surprise, and Verbeek manages somehow to tie it all together without a hammered home message, leaving us to ponder in the silence as the credits roll. Film has the ability to ponder our largest questions. What does it actually mean to be human? Is that innate in our birth? Is that humanity actually a good thing? The Wolf, The Fox, and The Leopard is not here to answer any of these questions. But it will make you think about them. Is it better to leave well enough alone, or is it our duty to do better, to help with that connection with our own? And who makes that decision, who tells that story? Again, no answers, but Verbeek gave us a lot to think about, and sometimes, that is enough. The Wolf, The Fox, and The Leopard held its World Premiere as a part of the International Narrative Competition section of the 2025 Tribeca Festival. Director: David Verbeek Screenwriter: David Verbeek Rated: NR Runtime: 124m
Yahoo
15-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Film crews spotted for Woman of Substance remake
Crews filming a TV series based on Barbara Taylor Bradford's A Woman of Substance have been spotted across Yorkshire. The new eight-part remake comes 40 years after a 1985 adaptation became the most-watched programme in Channel 4's history. Production teams have recently been seen recording at Barnsley Town Hall, Ilkley Moor and Brodsworth Hall and Gardens near Doncaster. Taylor Bradford's 1979 novel has sold 30 million copies, with a memorial service to the novelist held in London on Thursday. Brenda Blethyn, Jessica Reynolds, Lenny Rush and Will Mellor star in the latest adaptation, with the series written by Katherine Jakeways and Roanne Bardsley. Lisa Brambani saw a "mass of caravans and cars" on Ilkley Moor while out for a morning run in May. "As I approached I was asked to wait a few minutes as they were shooting a scene up on the rocks," she said. "I have never seen the film but I remember reading the book." She added: "I have always been a fan of Barbara Taylor Bradford, her being a Yorkshire lass." A Woman of Substance follows the life of Emma Harte, a business woman who works her way up from poverty in Leeds to riches in New York. Barnsley councillor Robin Franklin said he hoped the filming would showcase the town's "amazing buildings and heritage". "We're really pleased to welcome the production company to Barnsley Town Hall," he said. "It's another great opportunity to put Barnsley on the national stage." According to the Local Democracy Service, film crews arrived in Barnsley at the start of June and recently completed recording the scenes. The 1985 series was also filmed in Yorkshire and featured locations including Brimham Rocks and Yorkshire Dales villages Aysgarth and Middleham. Taylor Bradford was born in Armley, Leeds, and died aged 91 in November. The memorial service for Taylor Bradford took place at St Bride's Church in Fleet Street, with attendees including barrister Cherie Blair, TV presenter Fern Britton and journalist Eve Pollard. Jakeways said it was an "incredible thrill" to bring back the "inspirational" TV series. "I was a child in the 1980s, when A Woman of Substance was on every bookstand, every glass-topped coffee table and hidden, well-thumbed, under every pillow. "The original Channel 4 adaptation was packed full of rolling Yorkshire hills, hairspray, shoulder pads and heaving bosoms and I desperately wanted in." The new series is produced by The Forge Entertainment and will air on Channel 4 next year. Listen to highlights from South Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North 28 Years Later cast and crew film in Yorkshire Film crews in city centre for 'milestone' thriller Full Monty film crew descend on housing estate
BBC News
15-06-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Filming spotted across Yorkshire on Woman of Substance remake
Crews filming a TV series based on Barbara Taylor Bradford's A Woman of Substance have been spotted across new eight-part remake comes 40 years after a 1985 adaptation became the most-watched programme in Channel 4's teams have recently been seen recording at Barnsley Town Hall, Ilkley Moor and Brodsworth Hall and Gardens near Bradford's 1979 novel has sold 30 million copies, with a memorial service to the novelist held in London on Thursday. Brenda Blethyn, Jessica Reynolds, Lenny Rush and Will Mellor star in the latest adaptation, with the series written by Katherine Jakeways and Roanne Brambani saw a "mass of caravans and cars" on Ilkley Moor while out for a morning run in May."As I approached I was asked to wait a few minutes as they were shooting a scene up on the rocks," she said."I have never seen the film but I remember reading the book."She added: "I have always been a fan of Barbara Taylor Bradford, her being a Yorkshire lass."A Woman of Substance follows the life of Emma Harte, a business woman who works her way up from poverty in Leeds to riches in New York. Barnsley councillor Robin Franklin said he hoped the filming would showcase the town's "amazing buildings and heritage"."We're really pleased to welcome the production company to Barnsley Town Hall," he said."It's another great opportunity to put Barnsley on the national stage."According to the Local Democracy Service, film crews arrived in Barnsley at the start of June and recently completed recording the scenes. The 1985 series was also filmed in Yorkshire and featured locations including Brimham Rocks and Yorkshire Dales villages Aysgarth and Middleham. Taylor Bradford was born in Armley, Leeds, and died aged 91 in November. The memorial service for Taylor Bradford took place at St Bride's Church in Fleet Street, with attendees including barrister Cherie Blair, TV presenter Fern Britton and journalist Eve said it was an "incredible thrill" to bring back the "inspirational" TV series."I was a child in the 1980s, when A Woman of Substance was on every bookstand, every glass-topped coffee table and hidden, well-thumbed, under every pillow."The original Channel 4 adaptation was packed full of rolling Yorkshire hills, hairspray, shoulder pads and heaving bosoms and I desperately wanted in."The new series is produced by The Forge Entertainment and will air on Channel 4 next year. Listen to highlights from South Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North
Evening Standard
28-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Evening Standard
Brenda Blethyn to lead Channel 4 adaptation of A Woman Of Substance
Irish actress Jessica Reynolds, who will play a younger version of Emma, said: 'To be a part of A Woman Of Substance and to step into the shoes of Emma is an absolute dream for me.
RTÉ News
28-04-2025
- Entertainment
- RTÉ News
Kneecap star Jessica Reynolds becomes A Woman of Substance
Kneecap star Jessica Reynolds is joining Brenda Blethyn and Emmet J Scanlan in Channel 4's reboot of the Barbara Taylor Bradford bestseller A Woman of Substance. Channel 4 has announced that filming on the eight-part series has begun in Yorkshire with "Brenda Blethyn (Vera, Pride and Prejudice) as Emma Harte and Jessica Reynolds (Kneecap, The Wolf, the Fox, and the Leopard) as the younger version of the iconic character, a housemaid-turned-mogul, daughter, mother, lover, fighter, and a 20th-century feminist icon who refused to know her 'place'". The synopsis for A Woman of Substance reads: "1911. Emma Harte, an impoverished, ambitious maid in Yorkshire, England goes on a dizzying journey to become the world's richest woman, gazing down from a sprawling luxury New York penthouse. "A rags-to-riches tale of women through the 20th century, Emma defies the expectations of her society, fearlessly challenging the roles she's given, smashing glass ceilings, and never, ever deviating from her masterplan: Get to the top. Whatever it takes." Channel 4 previously made the book into a miniseries starring Jenny Seagrove and Deborah Kerr in the role of Emma Harte - with Liam Neeson in one of his early screen roles as Emma's friend and confidant Blackie O'Neill. The miniseries was produced in 1984 and aired in January 1985. "Previously Emmy-nominated and Channel 4's biggest ever drama when it was made 40 years ago, this new revenge romp is a re-imagining of the multi-million bestselling novel and global phenomenon written by Barbara Taylor Bradford, which feels just as searingly relevant today as it did back then," Channel 4 continued. The new series is written by Katherine Jakeways (The Buccaneers) and co-written by Roanne Bardsley (The Buccaneers, Screw). John Hardwick (The Buccaneers, One Day, The A Word) will direct the first block of episodes. Jessica Reynolds said: "To be a part of A Woman of Substance and to step into the shoes of Emma is an absolute dream for me. The team and cast we have behind this are truly inspiring and I'm so excited to bring the stunning scripts and this great piece of literature to the screen." Co-star Brenda Blethyn said: "I'm overjoyed to be taking on this iconic role, in the footsteps of the great Deborah Kerr. As a fan of Barbara Taylor Bradford, it is an unmissable opportunity to play the fierce Emma Harte."
