Swept from the Sea Movie Review 1997

Shipwrecked foreigner (Perez) and ostracized servant girl (Weisz) are star-crossed lovers in 19th century Cornwall. Told in flashback by Dr. Kennedy (McKellen) to Kathy Bates' invalid Miss Swaffer, he recalls how the native Ukrainian Yanko, who could speak no English, was thought to be an idiot by all in town, except the kind and gentle Amy, who found him washed up on the shore. Kennedy and Yanko bond through a game of chess, and the kindly doctor teaches him English. Armed with the native words of love, Yanko goes a'courtin' Miss Amy. Definitely for die-hard romantics, the films throws in all the melodrama it can muster and then some, but performances are worthy (especially McKellen's). Based on a short story by Joseph Conrad.

Distribution

Not Yet Released

Available on VHS, DVD
Running time 115 minutes.
Originally from British.

Cast and Crew

Genres

Romantic Drama, Period Piece: 19th Century, Great Britain, Flashback, Sex on the Beach, Tragedy, Shipwrecked, Adapted from a Story, Books to Film: Joseph Conrad, Culture Clash, Chess

Screenplay

Tim Willocks

Cast

Vincent Perez, Rachel Weisz, Kathy Bates, Ian McKellen, Joss Ackland, Tom Bell, Zoe Wanamaker, Tony Haygarth, Fiona Victory

Cinematography

Dick Pope

Director

Beeban Kidron

Music

John Barry