JL Family Ranch: The Wedding Gift (2020)

JL Family Ranch: The Wedding Gift: Directed by Sean McNamara. With Jon Voight, James Caan, Teri Polo, Bo Derek. When Henry proposes it looks like Rebecca will get her fairytale ending until her daughter invites a visitor from her past to the ranch that will change the Petersons and Landsburgs forever.

“This film surely must be in the frame for a number of best ever categories – best Shakespeare film adaptation, one of the best ever war films AND one of the best ever performances by a male actor. Itu0026#39;s truly stunning to see how Shakespeareu0026#39;s words, which seemed dull and difficult to understand at school, can be spoken as passages of such depth, beauty and power. Not one in a thousand actors could do this convincingly – but Kenneth Branagh can. u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003enI think this far outshines the Olivier version from 1944 (very good though that was). Branagh convinces (where Olivier does not always) as he gives a wider range of emotional responses to Henry – self questioning, compassionate, sad at the harsh realities of life. You can really believe that here is a young man who used to be a playboy now faced with having to grow up and behave as a king of England. As others have said, he gives such fire and charisma to the battle speeches that you want to march straight into battle yourself! And importantly, Branagh also convinces utterly in the romantic wooing of the French princess.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eNaturally enough, the film focuses on the main actor playing Henry, but the supporting actors are also excellent. Derek Jacobi, particularly, does wonderfully in a difficult role. If I had to give one very slight caveat however, it would be that Emma Thompson (who I love as an actress), does not quite convince as a native French speaker, though she makes a good try at speaking the language rapidly. Perhaps Juliette Binoche would have been better here? But overall the obvious rapport between Branagh and Thompson (who were married at the time) is more important than any slight problems with the accent.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe only Shakespeare performance that tops this movie is seeing Branagh give a live performance on stage – I was privileged to see him (with Emma Thompson) perform Much Ado About Nothing in the late 1980s, and thatu0026#39;s still the best Iu0026#39;ve ever seen. u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eDonu0026#39;t just see this – buy or record a copy. If you see it once, you will most likely want to see it over and over! 10/10”