Benjamin Britten — Peace And Conflict - film review

A tragically inept introduction to the life and work of the British composer
24 May 2013

A tragically inept introduction to the life and work of the British composer. Director Tony Britten (no relation, apparently) offers clumsy dramatisations of the young genius at his liberal public school, Gresham's, alongside musical performances and dull interviews with various experts and collaborators.

The voiceover (delivered by John Hurt) is beyond parody, so old-fashioned, pompous and laboured it might be the work of Nabokov’s Pale Fire creation, Kinbote.

It’s clear the film-maker doesn’t want to talk about the sexual skeletons in Britten’s closet. Yet even when exploring apparently safe topics such as Britten’s pacifism, more questions are raised than answered. The material covered in this homage is fascinating but the end product could, unless you’re already a huge fan, put you off Britten for life. It’s 100 years since the man was born. What kind of present is that?

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