A Month by the Lake movie review (1995)

She likes his looks. Specifically, his ears: "He has the ears of a kind and gentle man." She tells him so. I have written that a man will believe almost anything a woman tells him, if she begins with compliments. This does not apply so much to the ears. The major is, nevertheless, intrigued, and invites her to join him for a drink at seven. She is late - so late he has already gone in to dinner. Was she deliberately late? The movie is elusive. She pursues him, and yet at crucial moments she drops out of the chase.

Miss Bentley has a scenario of her own. She observes that the major always carries two tennis rackets, and offers to play a set with him. Now comes the movie's perfect moment, as Redgrave uses indescribable body language to portray a woman who, with all the awkwardness and ungainliness in the world, is a superb player and cannot help humiliating the major on the court. The sight of her hiking up her skirts and tucking them out of the way is worth the price of a ticket.

Within a few days, the major announces, regretfully, that he must return to England. Miss Bentley is devastated; this throws her timing off. As he is leaving the hotel, however, he is shamelessly flattered by Miss Beaumont (Uma Thurman), the nanny of some rich Americans, who even plants a kiss on his face. "That was cruel," Miss Bentley tells her. Miss Beaumont, who lives in the moment and relishes her power over men, couldn't care less. Her gesture has its effect: Soon poor Maj. Wilshaw appears again at the hotel, dragging his libido and pride with him, under the impression that Miss Beaumont really cares for him.

Edward Fox is an elegant and handsome man, but he is not particularly tall, and there is a scene here where Uma Thurman literally towers over him (her name is "Beaumont" - beautiful mountain - for a reason). Observe a scene where the major, having returned in hopes that the young nanny will fall to him, finds himself pursuing her. He would rather run, but dignity requires him instead to walk stiffly, as quickly as he can - his arms flapping behind him. He cannot match her long-legged stride. It is a moment that says more about his character than any words would dare to.

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