RELATIVE VALUES

“Edward Atterton’s the most delicious looking boy and I think he really looks like he could be my son.”        Julie Andrews

Well, who could argue with Dame Julie Andrews?! She is the star of Relative Values, which marked her return to the big screen after an absence of seven years. Edward also has a starring role as Nigel, the Earl of Marshwood - the son of Julie Andrews' character.

Unfortunately, the Official Relative Values Site is no more, which I think is a real shame as it was very nicely done! (But for as long as it may be around give a try to Edward’s page to see a real video interview....some interesting insights in his answers here). Here's some further comments by Edward, from the Official site:

“Nigel is fun, glamorous, confident and charming. Even though to a degree he is cuckolded in the film he certainly never becomes emasculated. I was determined to make him a strong character. Nigel’s the type of guy who swans around the South of France, hangs out in London and New York and has strings of beautiful girlfriends. He’s certainly not your average hunting, shooting, fishing and tennis racquet wielding toff.”

“I wanted to be involved in this film because making Coward work on film is a challenge. The writers have done a fantastic job. Often with a play adaptation you will see the scaffolding of theatre around the film which was absolutely not the case with this film. Then, when I heard who the cast was, I simply had to have the role. I mean, to have Julie Andrews, the most famous governess in the world as your mother and Stephen Fry as your butler — who could ask for more?”

There is however a fairly extensive Relative Values fan site, which has information about the movie, detailed production and location notes, and an interview with Julie Andrews that I got the above quote from. (Though I did find it annoying that they haven't managed to get Edward’s name right even once!!!!)

The Noël Coward Society site also has a page about the premiere - no multimedia here, but there are pictures from inside the Odeon which gives you a further feel of the event. There is also a page by Julie Andrews fans, which has yet more pictures; a tad blury perhaps, but you really can’t mistake that tall figure in the background! (Well, I actually don't know how tall Edward is but Stephen Fry is an amazing 6' 4 1/2" !)

“When a movie star (William Baldwin) and Hollywood Diva Miranda Frayle (Jeanne Tripplehorn) break up, a playboy prince with a stiff upper lip (Colin Firth) sweeps her off her feet and boldly takes her home to meet his high-class, society-minded mother (Julie Andrews), who is none-too-pleased at the thought of having a “starlet” in the family. But, when the former boyfriend hears about the wedding, he jumps back into the spotlight...and with the help of Miranda’s meddling mother-in-law to be, he might just win her back.”

Editor’s Note: The name in parenthesis after “a playboy prince with a stiff upper lip” should have read “Edward Atterton” and not “Colin Firth” who is in fact playing the gay cousin. This annoyed Editor will restrain herself from commenting further.........

My Edwardian Review:

"RELATIVE VALUES"

I have not read nor seen a production of the original Noël Coward play; but since working on this site I read a great deal about Relative Values before seeing it. What I read left me unsure of what to expect - the plot sounded cliched and predictable, the characters stereotypical and I thought, Edward acting in a comedy???

Since the DVD arrived however, I ended up watching it enough times that I’m afraid the word ‘ghastly’ has started to slip into my vocabulary! And it is indeed ghastly that it took me so long to get to see it, for this is an absolutely charming, entertaining, witty film. The settings are lavish and beautiful to watch; the cast superb; the humor unabashedly English, and Edward.....atterly brilliant!

Starring as “His Lordship, the Earl of Marshwood,” Edward is so delightfully and amazingly - that is, if you’ve only seen him in dramas as I had - funny! His acting is a wholly fresh, unique combination of subtlety with physical comedy....he makes you laugh and feel sympathy for his character at the same time...he makes that quintessential, aristocratic stiff upper lip very real yet also all too human and likable.... you know his character is being foolish in pursuing the marriage but with the entire household conspiring against him, you don’t want to see him lose. As you might expect there is a happy ending, though not necessarily the way you might expect it. Yes, I thoroughly enjoyed this film and especially Edward’s performance!
(The haircut is ghastly, absolutely ghastly dear, but click on image above to see it up close anyway.)

The rest of the cast is great too - Julie Andrews, plumper but as pristine as ever as Lady Marshwood; Stephen Fry, playing the perfect English butler yet again (I only wish he had more scenes as I really like him); William Baldwin as the brash, whisky-drinking American and Colin Firth as the totally camp cousin. I thought Sophie Thompson as Moxie, lady's maid turned "rich relative" was also hilarious. She in fact won the London Film Critics Circle Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Moxie.

If you have not yet seen Relative Values, you really should! Forget the critics, I guarantee you you’ll enjoy it; and what’s more you’ll definitely develop a new and deeper appreciation of Edward’s talent, range and creativity. And befitting of "M'Lord, the Earl", Edward does have a lot of screen time!

Actually, if you’ll excuse me, I think I’ll go and pop in that DVD one more time........