King of Hollywood

Chapter 151: Chapter 151: The proud American, the embarrassed Briton

Adrian was right; the media had become eerily calm as they awaited the premiere of “Howards End.” The trailer for the film had been broadcast on major television networks ever since “Scent of a Woman” had made $30 million at the North American box office. What was curious was the conscious silence from both the American and the British media, who seemed to turn a blind eye without any commentary, a stark contrast to the uproar caused by the tango scene in “Scent of a Woman” that had sparked such debates—an interesting occurrence indeed.

Regarding their thoughts, Adrian had guessed a little. The trailer was well edited, lasting only a short two minutes, but the characters, environment, and storyline presented were very much in line with the original novel, putting them in a difficult position.

The American media found it troublesome because if the trailer, so faithful to the original novel, was followed by a disastrous film release, the current praise would undoubtedly be slapping their own faces, as there were countless instances of brilliant trailers followed by terrible films.

And the British media were troubled by the thought that the American kid might actually produce a perfect Victorian Era style film. Although the trailer was different from the feature film, who could say what the final outcome would be?

What was more important was that, due to the controversy sparked by attacking Adrian a few months ago, and the tit-for-tat confrontation on “Scent of a Woman” that had since followed, both the media and critics of the two countries, as if by an unspoken agreement, wanted to settle the score with “Howards End.” Although this situation was due to too many coincidences, it was undeniable that it all started with Adrian’s desire to bring “Howards End” to the big screen.

For the reasons above, coupled with the film’s release date set for December 10, both sides had decisively maintained silence from Thanksgiving, once again unanimously waiting for the feature film’s release.

Could it be that Adrian had managed to keep both American and British media in such tacit agreement over a film? It was inevitably a thought he prided himself on. However, pride did not override his prudence, so he too remained calm, decisively choosing not to mention “Howards End” before December 10, even vetoing the premiere. Given the level of attention from the media of both countries, the publicity was already sufficient. Besides, this was not a commercial film with a focus on box office performance; excessive marketing could very well backfire.

Thus, amidst an unsettling calm, time marched on to December 10, 1992.

“Howards End,” like “Scent of a Woman,” premiered discreetly in 600 cinemas across America. Despite 20th Century Fox, as the distributor, having thought of many strategies, the cinema owners were initially reluctant to allocate so many screens for a niche arthouse drama.

But to the surprise of many who were eagerly waiting for a spectacle, even though the film was niche and only screened in 600 cinemas, it still pulled in $9 million at the box office over the weekend! And the total box office for the first week hit $10 million, snatching the tenth spot in the crowded Christmas season of North American box office charts!

While this figure might not seem impressive for some blockbuster movies, it was quite astonishing for a niche arthouse film. However, this turnout wasn’t because God wanted people to go to the movies to watch it, as could be inferred from the fans who had seen it.

“I’ve always been interested in Adrian’s movies; he’s a genius, and he always tells many interesting stories. But ‘Howards End’ was such a disappointment—flat and dull, with no passion or ups and downs. It got slightly better towards the end, but it made no sense at all. If I had known, I wouldn’t have come to watch it,” said one fan in an interview.

“What kind of surprises could the collaboration of Professor Hannibal and the genius director bring us? That was the main reason I went into the cinema. But I ended up very disappointed, and I have no idea why Adrian would tell such a bland story. Professor Hannibal also completely lost his usual charm. It was so disappointing!” Those were the feelings of a fan who walked out midway through the movie.

Of course, there were some who praised the film. A Harvard University lecturer from Boston thought Adrian had done very well: “He completely captured what the novel wanted to convey and crafted the film as beautifully as a piece of art. I think Foster up in Heaven would be pleased to see Adrian’s adaptation of ‘Howards End.'”

Sadly, such people were few and far between. The majority expressed great disappointment with the film, boiling down to the reason that the plot was lukewarm, with hardly any appealing twists. Like the second fan, who left after watching two-thirds of the film, there were many such cases in various states, leading some to joke that Adrian was overextending his reputation.

Even so, on the second weekend, “Howards End” firmly took in $10 million in total box-office revenue for the week! The total for two weeks is $20 million US Dollars, and it has practically covered its costs without issue.

The result was another jaw-dropping one, but upon careful consideration, it wasn’t surprising, primarily because the fantastic first week spurred an increase to 1000 theaters; secondly, the reputation Adrian has built up since the ’90s, along with so many astonishing accolades—having swept through the three major European film festivals in three years, not only winning awards but also securing the Palme d’Or, and finally becoming the youngest nominee for Best Director at the Oscars—made it so that movie fans still couldn’t resist the urge to satisfy their curiosity and witness “Howards End,” even after hearing how unremarkable it was.

Of course, in addition to the above two points, there was one more critical reason: the media and critic reviews.

In contrast to the majority of moviegoers who grumbled, the American media this time was practically unanimous in their praise and adulation. While “Scent of a Woman” still faced 10% to 20% of critics expressing criticism upon its release, now, that ratio has dwindled to 1%, meaning almost 99% of critics were affirming of “Howards End.” Of course, those tabloids always looking to sing a different tune or to sensationalize as a selling point were not included.

“This is a rather exquisite piece, Adrian has firmly grasped the emotions that Forster wanted to express in the novel and translated them perfectly into images and sound. Yes, the plot of the movie is very dull and uninteresting, and there isn’t a part that could fully engage the emotions of the audience, but it is this dullness that constitutes the true essence of the novel and the film. It’s only within this dullness that we can see what the movie truly wants to convey — the suppressed, the heavy, the fraught with divisions! Nobody expected that Adrian could truly bring ‘Howards End’ successfully to the screen, and those who once ridiculed and questioned him can now shut their mouths.”

— Kevin James, New York Times

“Frankly, I never thought such an exquisitely Victorian-styled film would come from an American director. From ‘Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels’ to now, Adrian always manages to surprise us. Unlike Forster’s other novels, love in ‘Howards End’ is merely an embellishment; it focuses more on life, society, and class discussions. Henry is not a good man, nor is he bad. His pursuit of Margaret is genuine, as is his coldness towards his former lover; he looks down on the poor, believing that’s simply what they are. Meanwhile, Margreta is gentle and reserved, always trying to mediate this awkward relationship.

The performances of the three main actors are all quite remarkable. Anthony’s outstanding effort makes it impossible to connect him with last year’s Professor Hannibal; while Emma Thompson’s Margaret is a bit more lively compared to the novel, it does not detract from her acting, which is the best in the movie. Kate Beckinsale also delivers a profound interpretation of the sensitive and passionate Helen, although sometimes she appears a bit forced and less masterful compared to Anthony and Emma.

In short, Adrian has given me another surprise, and I truly hope for more surprises like this one in the future.”

— Renowned film critic Roger Albert

In any case, the American mainstream media was full of praise, with many subtly suggesting that this was a victory for American directors, and Roger Albert was not stingy in raising his famous thumbs up for “Howards End.” Considering the contradictory feelings that Americans have towards the British, the situation was very amusing.

So, what was the British media’s reaction to the release of “Howards End”? Although the release dates in the United Kingdom and the United States were the same, all media and critics maintained silence for the first three days after the release. This was because they really didn’t know what to say, akin to how the American media was evasive when they initially criticized Adrian’s direction of “Howards End.” But back then, the American media could still digress and talk about other things, whereas the British media now truly didn’t know how to begin.

Praise? That would be tantamount to slapping their own faces, as many remember those reports from half a year ago vividly; criticize? Don’t joke around, although no movie is perfect and faults can be found if one seeks them, remember how many eyes of other nations were watching the British.

A French critic who had followed the initial criticisms visited London to see “Howards End” and then returned to Paris to lavish praise on the film in his column, even claiming that if the movie had also competed in the Cannes Film Festival in May, it would have been one of the strongest contenders for the Palme d’Or.

Such an assessment immediately piqued the curiosity of many French people, especially since Adrian had already won the Palme d’Or for “Pulp Fiction.” Many critics and some directors who pride themselves on being “artistic” also flocked to London to view the film.

In light of this situation, if one were to criticize, it had to be done with caution, or else it would only add to the ridicule. The British had already been slapped resoundingly by that American kid, so did they really need to smack themselves so hard as well? (To be continued, for further developments please visit www.qidian.com, for more chapters, support the author, support genuine reading!)