''Keep the Aspidistra Flying'' (released in the United States, New Zealand, South Africa and Zimbabwe as ''A Merry War'') is a 1997 British

romantic comedy Romantic comedy (also known as romcom or rom-com) is a sub-genre of comedy and Romance novel, romance fiction, focusing on lighthearted, humorous plot lines centered on romantic ideas, such as how true love is able to surmount all obstacles. Ro ...

drama film In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. The drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular ...

directed by Robert Bierman and based on the 1936 novel by

George Orwell Eric Arthur Blair (25 June 1903 – 21 January 1950) was an English novelist, poet, essayist, journalist, and critic who wrote under the pen name of George Orwell. His work is characterised by lucid prose, social criticism, opposition to a ...

. The screenplay was written by Alan Plater and was produced by Peter Shaw. The film stars Richard E. Grant and Helena Bonham Carter.

Plot

Gordon Comstock (Grant) is a successful copywriter at a flourishing advertising firm in 1930s London. His girlfriend and co-worker, Rosemary (Bonham Carter), fears he may never settle down with her when he suddenly disavows his money-based lifestyle and quits his job for the artistic satisfaction of writing poetry.

Cast

* Richard E. Grant as Gordon Comstock * Helena Bonham Carter as Rosemary * Julian Wadham as Ravelston * Jim Carter as Erskine * Harriet Walter as Julia Comstock * Lesley Vickerage as Hermione * Barbara Leigh-Hunt as Mrs. Wisbech (credited as Barbara Leigh Hunt) * Liz Smith as Mrs. Meakin * Dorothy Atkinson as Dora * John Clegg as McKechnie * Bill Wallis as Mr Cheeseman * Lill Roughley as Mrs Trilling * Dorothea Alexander as Old Woman * Peter Stockbridge as Old Man * Grant Parsons as Beautiful young man * Malcolm Sinclair as Paul doring * Derek Smee as Lecturer * Ben Miles as Waiter * Richard Dixon as Head Waiter * Eve Ferret as Barmaid

Production

The title ''Keep the Aspidistra Flying'' is a pun on the

socialist Socialism is an economic ideology, economic and political philosophy encompassing diverse Economic system, economic and social systems characterised by social ownership of the means of production, as opposed to private ownership. It describes ...

anthem " Keep the Red Flag Flying" but with the aspidistra houseplant instead representing

middle-class The middle class refers to a class of people in the middle of a social hierarchy, often defined by occupation, income, education, or social status. The term has historically been associated with modernity, capitalism and political debate. Commo ...

English respectability.

Reception

Rotten Tomatoes Rotten Tomatoes is an American review aggregator, review-aggregation website for film and television. The company was launched in August 1998 by three undergraduate students at the University of California, Berkeley: Senh Duong, Patrick Y. Lee ...

, the film has an approval rating of 69% based on reviews from 29 critics. Derek Elley of '' Variety'' magazine called it a terrific adaptation, and a "constant, often very funny delight to the ears". Elley praised the casting but was critical of the uncinematic direction.

Roger Ebert Roger Joseph Ebert ( ; June 18, 1942 – April 4, 2013) was an American Film criticism, film critic, film historian, journalist, essayist, screenwriter and author. He wrote for the ''Chicago Sun-Times'' from 1967 until his death in 2013. Eber ...

of the ''

Chicago Sun-Times The ''Chicago Sun-Times'' is a daily nonprofit newspaper published in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Since 2022, it is the flagship paper of Chicago Public Media, and has long held the second largest circulation among Chicago newspaper ...

'' gave it 3 out of 4 and wrote: "For me it works not only as a reasonable adaptation of an Orwell novel I like, but also as a form of escapism, since if the truth be known I would be happy as a clerk in a London used-book store. For a time." Lisa Schwarzbaum of ''

Entertainment Weekly ''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American online magazine, digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, ...

'' gave it a grade A−.

References

External links

* {{Alan Plater 1997 films 1997 romantic comedy-drama films 1990s British films 1990s English-language films British romantic comedy-drama films Films based on works by George Orwell Films directed by Robert Bierman Films set in London Films set in the 1930s English-language romantic comedy-drama films