Venus is a British black comedy starring Peter O’Toole, Leslie Phillips and Jodie Whittaker. A rude, unpleasant girl is sent by her mother to ‘help’ her ageing uncle, Phillips, and he can’t stand her. His best friend, O’Toole, however, is attracted to her and sets out to win her. As the movie progresses we gain insight into the mind of this borderline delinquent and the two old men, famous enough to get work occasionally but old enough to rise every morning wondering if it might be their last. Whittaker rises well to the challenge of working opposite the two veterans and also to her role as the hardened teenager who is both charmed by the sophistication of the old roue, Maurice, and repulsed by his aged body. I am impressed by the courage of the old actors in allowing themselves to face the cameras without the make-up that perhaps any American actor would have insisted on. They present the truth to the world and in doing so make this film an effective message about the challenges of ageing. It shouts to us that we must deal with reality. Life will not be forever and there will be some pretty grotty, uncomfortable and difficult scenes for us to play before we get old. Maurice mourns his past attractiveness and decides to have one last go. Perhaps in the end we can say that his love transforms Jodie and unlocks a side of her character that has been scarred and blocked, healing and giving her the potential to find both love and beautiful nature that was hiding within her. It is a rude, in-your-face, tour de force.
The performances by O’Toole and Phillips are great, particularly O’Toole. He was always excellent and is no less so in this movie. What an actor! There has been little said about Vanessa Redgrave’s performance as Maurice’s ex-wife but she too is one of the best actors Britain has produced in my lifetime and I have never seen her do a bad job. Her part is essential to this movie and she deserves more attention for the way she delivered insights into Maurice’s character. Richard Griffiths also performs his role beautifully as the third of the trio of old actors struggling with the demise of their careers and many of their friends.
Congratulations to Roger Michel for giving us a film that unashamedly examines some troublesome aspects of life, that peers closely at the phenomenon of old age and examines the dynamics within and behind an old man’s attraction to a very young woman and his ability to make an impression on her. Good direction and an unsurpassed choice of cast.