A Handful of Dust

Evelyn Waugh novels adapted to the cinema have had a chequered history. There’s the unspeakable (Decline and Fall) and the excellent - A Handful of Dust is definitely ... more >

Evelyn Waugh novels adapted to the cinema have had a chequered history. There’s the unspeakable (Decline and Fall) and the excellent - A Handful of Dust is definitely in the latter category. With its impressive cast – Kristin Scott Thomas, James Wilby, Rupert Graves, Judi Dench, Alec Guinness and Anjelica Huston, the film sports sharp and insightful direction by Charles Sturridge (responsible for the memorable TV adaptation of Waugh’s Brideshead Revisited). A Handful of Dust is a tragi-comic dissection of the indolent aristocracy in pre-war England. Set in the countryside of Hetton Abbey, it tells the story of trust, betrayal and selfishness. Set between the two world wars, Brenda and Tony live a life of luxury and idleness with their young son John Andrew. One weekend their life is changed by the good-looking John Beaver, an ambitious young man from a poor background who quickly lets it be known to Brenda that he could easily fall for her. It is not long before an affair ensues and a series of events that drastically disrupt the course of all their lives This splendidly re-mastered DVD version boast some good extras, including a commentary/interview with Charles Sturridge and impressive 5.1 sound. < less

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Film Details

Cast

James Wilby, Kristin Scott-Thomas, Rupert Graves

Technical Details