# Sirens (1994)

### reviewed by
Mark R. Leeper

                                       SIRENS
                          A        film review by Mark R. Leeper
                           Copyright 1994 Mark R. Leeper

              Capsule review:  This        is a delicious Australian comedy
         based on around real incident from        the 1930s.  An English
         vicar visits the estate of        an Australian famous for painting
         female nudes to convince the artist not to        exhibit        a painting
         deemed blasphemous.  Instead the vicar's wife is seduced by
         the sensuous atmosphere surrounding the artist.  Rating:  +2
         (-4 to +4)

         It        was the        1930s and the Australian art world was shocked by the so-
    called immoral paintings of Norman Lindsey.  There were        some people who        were
    irritated as he        has painted picture after picture with sensuous        female
    nudes.        But for        some, particularly for the local religious authorities,        this
    time he        had gone too far.  A local exhibition included a crucified female
    nude.  Around this minor controversial episode of art history John Duigan
    has written and        directed the most enchanting comedy film since last year's
    MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING.

         Anthony Campion (played by        Hugh Grant) is an English vicar        visiting
    Australia.  His        travel plans will take him near        Lindsay's studio/home.        He
    is given the mission of        visiting Lindsay (played by Sam        Neill) and
    convincing him to pull the offending painting from exhibition.        Campion        is
    deemed an ideal        choice since he        cannot possibly        appear to represent outdated
    ideas to Lindsay.  After all Campion was actually was a        bit of a progressive
    himself        at Oxford.  And        Campion        even goes so far as to smoke Turkish
    cigarettes and call his        pretty wife "Piglet." Lindsay can't help but be
    impressed by a free thinker like that, can he?        Instead        there will be a
    clash of worldviews and        Estella        (a.k.a.        Piglet)        will discover there is an
    entire sensuous        world she never        knew.

         This is a story about conflicting worldviews.  In spite of        considering
    himself        very liberal, Anthony lives in a world of strict, church-dictated
    limits.         Lindsay, his wife, and        his three models live in a world of frequent
    nudity,        open discussion        of sex,        promiscuity, and omni-present paintings        and
    statues        of female nudes        that unnerves even the neighbors.  But it is clear
    that the Campions are not prepared to survive in this hostile Australian
    world.        There is a running gag about hostile animal attacks going on all
    around and the Campion's fear, though they themselves never meet anything
    more savage than the odd wallaroo.  They seem to be followed by        a snake, but
    his presence seems more        metaphorical than real.         Nature        really seems toward
    them to        be its most benevolent and beautiful, as if on its best        behavior for
    guests.

         Hugh Grant, does a        terrific job of        trying to seem free-thinking and yet
    being horribly inhibited.  In the presence of nude models his worldly
    exterior gives way to flustered        stuttering.  Tara Fitzgerald of        HEAR MY        SONG
    initially matches here husbands        disapproval of the sensuous lifestyle but
    slowly defrosts        with time.  There is a marvelous duality in her        performance
    as she tries to        appear straight-laced to her husband while exploring a side
    of herself that        she has        hidden from herself and        others.         Unfortunately Sam
    Neill has little to do in his performance but appeal worldly and in a way
    almost fatherly        to the models he paints        nude.  He is almost the        opposite of
    his character in THE PIANO.

         SIRENS is often very funny        and at the same        time serves as a sort of
    down-under Monroe Doctrine saying "The is Australia--no        Pat Robertsons are
    welcome."  I give it a +2 on the -4 to +4 scale.

                                            Mark R. Leeper
                                            att!mtgzfs3!leeper
                                            leeper@mtgzfs3.att.com

    .

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