Better In Your Head?--WOMEN IN LOVE

 

Spoiler Alert: size matters.

THE BOOK-Written by D.H. Lawrence, released 1920

THE MOVIE-Directed by Ken Russell, written by Larry Kramer, released 1969

THE STORY-The Brangwen sisters (artist Gudrum and teacher Ursula) are exploring "the intimacies of the mind and the soul" in pre-war England. They fall in love, and revel in their intrinsic marginality. 

MIND THE GAP-D.H. Lawrence wrote a novel using every philosophical argument he'd ever had, or heard, up to that point in his life. Sure it's enriching, but so is cottage cheese. Scandalous? Upon release, but not long after. Misogynist? If depicting multidimensional female characters qualifies, certainly. 

This mad quartet of upper-class bubble-blowers, captivating in their essential paltriness, is best experienced in motion. Although Oliver Reed is disturbingly miscast as sullen industrialist Gerald Crich, Alan Bates is ultra as school inspector/author insert Rupert Birkin, a solo act desperately seeking dyad. Glenda Jackson's Oscar-winning turn as stern and sensual Gudrum steamrolls her competent counterpart Jennie Linden. The contrasts are fascinating.

I wonder if, at any point in my life, I would have enjoyed reading Women In Love. I hope not. 

The title is misleading--and incomplete. Bisexual Intellectuals In Love With The Smell Of Their Own Farts, there we go.

Mankind is broken. Sex is the glue--Beliefs in isolation collapse when believer confronts cynic--To merge is to dilute; to divide, divine--Self-critique is self-care. What torments a mind most, mystery or knowledge? Sentences I wrote while reading Women In Love. Whether I was role-playing, or soul-baring, I still ain't figured.

BETTER IN YOUR HEAD-The "thought over plot" philosophy works better for the film here. It's really the cinematography, shit is gorgeous. Sun provokes shadow, shadow irritates sun, a lover's throat follows the curve of a sieve and snowfall renews wherever it falls. Lawrence's alleged classic vacillates tamely between slog and skip, between pretty pretensions and tense inducements. Russell discarded the book's most brutal bits with the peels, corks and ashes. Chalk one up for naked wrestling guys!