Rachael Eyre's Blog - Posts Tagged "duchess-of-malfi"
5 Rollicking Revenges
Revenge is sweet, as box office receipts readily testify. Here are five of the best revenge sagas, be they of the stage, page or screen.
After careful consideration, I've only selected works that have revenge as the overarching theme; so while I love Inigo in The Princess Bride and his unforgettable battle cry ("You killed my father. Prepare to die!") and admire Macduff for avenging his family's murders, they don't make the final cut.
As befits such a murky subject, there seems to be no such thing as a happy ending in revenge. In all works, even ones where they apparently get away with it, there's a bittersweet taste to their victory. Confucius was right!
The Duchess of Malfi
John Webster's best known work is hugely divisive. There are those who think it's lurid, melodramatic claptrap - and those who think the same, but love it. It winks at practically every revenge tragedy trope. It has two thoroughly reprehensible villains, one of the earliest examples of the hitman as anti hero, and perhaps the daftest murder in stage history. (Clue: it involves a Bible).
Kind Hearts and Coronets
I'm a fan of charming monsters, and Louis Mazzini (Dennis Price) is suave evil incarnate. When his mother marries a penniless opera singer, her aristocratic family disinherits her. Once he's of age, Louis starts to bump his relatives off in increasingly preposterous ways. This being an Ealing comedy, you're chuckling throughout.
Theatre of Blood
When hammy actor Edward Lionheart (Vincent Price) didn't win a prestigious award, he's thought to have taken his life. Years later, he's back - and the critics who snubbed him are having to brush up on their Shakespeare. Revenge as practised by a lunatic with a Bard fetish - pity the poor chap who reviewed Titus Andronicus!
The Life and Loves of a She Devil
For some reason, revenge seems to be a predominantly masculine occupation. This fiendish satire helps redress the balance.
When Ruth Patchett realises she can't tolerate her life as a morbidly ugly six footer with a cheating husband, she embarks upon a revenge so audacious and complex, it makes your mouth drop open. She is the poster girl for wronged wives everywhere. Julie T Wallace is perfectly cast in the dated but fun TV series.
Kill Bill
Alternatively, you could go straight for the jugular. Lady of war The Bride (Uma Thurman) is left for dead at her wedding rehearsal; one of the casualties that day was her unborn daughter. She goes after the Deadly Vipers, the league of assassins she belonged to - and Bill (David Carradine), her lover turned executioner. Some surprisingly effective twists and touching moments, ultra violence aside.
After careful consideration, I've only selected works that have revenge as the overarching theme; so while I love Inigo in The Princess Bride and his unforgettable battle cry ("You killed my father. Prepare to die!") and admire Macduff for avenging his family's murders, they don't make the final cut.
As befits such a murky subject, there seems to be no such thing as a happy ending in revenge. In all works, even ones where they apparently get away with it, there's a bittersweet taste to their victory. Confucius was right!
The Duchess of Malfi
John Webster's best known work is hugely divisive. There are those who think it's lurid, melodramatic claptrap - and those who think the same, but love it. It winks at practically every revenge tragedy trope. It has two thoroughly reprehensible villains, one of the earliest examples of the hitman as anti hero, and perhaps the daftest murder in stage history. (Clue: it involves a Bible).
Kind Hearts and Coronets
I'm a fan of charming monsters, and Louis Mazzini (Dennis Price) is suave evil incarnate. When his mother marries a penniless opera singer, her aristocratic family disinherits her. Once he's of age, Louis starts to bump his relatives off in increasingly preposterous ways. This being an Ealing comedy, you're chuckling throughout.
Theatre of Blood
When hammy actor Edward Lionheart (Vincent Price) didn't win a prestigious award, he's thought to have taken his life. Years later, he's back - and the critics who snubbed him are having to brush up on their Shakespeare. Revenge as practised by a lunatic with a Bard fetish - pity the poor chap who reviewed Titus Andronicus!
The Life and Loves of a She Devil
For some reason, revenge seems to be a predominantly masculine occupation. This fiendish satire helps redress the balance.
When Ruth Patchett realises she can't tolerate her life as a morbidly ugly six footer with a cheating husband, she embarks upon a revenge so audacious and complex, it makes your mouth drop open. She is the poster girl for wronged wives everywhere. Julie T Wallace is perfectly cast in the dated but fun TV series.
Kill Bill
Alternatively, you could go straight for the jugular. Lady of war The Bride (Uma Thurman) is left for dead at her wedding rehearsal; one of the casualties that day was her unborn daughter. She goes after the Deadly Vipers, the league of assassins she belonged to - and Bill (David Carradine), her lover turned executioner. Some surprisingly effective twists and touching moments, ultra violence aside.
