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LONDON -- Despite old- fashioned charm and a batch of fine central performances, this adaptation of Noel Coward's 1950s play doesn't quite hit the mark. It is, of course, intriguing to see Julie Andrews back on the big screen, but there is little to indicate she will make a major impact at the boxoffice.

The film opened in the United Kingdom to lukewarm critical response, and it seems destined for a quick exit from the West End. "Relative Values" will probably live a stronger life on video and television.

The project marks the sophomore film for director Eric Styles, whose debut effort, "Dreaming of Joseph Lees", was well-received. His first film was shot on the Isle of Man -- a small island in the Irish Sea between the United Kingdom and Ireland that offers attractive tax breaks -- and here he returns to an impressive 11th century mansion on the island to help re-create postwar Britain.

The story is a series of comic complications set against the backdrop of a country addressing the contradictions of class values in the social turmoil after World War II.

The story starts in the south of France in 1954, where Nigel, the Earl of Marshwood (Edward Atterton), is busy romancing beautiful Hollywood star Miranda Frayle (Jeanne Tripplehorn), unaware that the announcement of their betrothal causes concern to his mother, Felicity, the Countess of Marshwood (Julie Andrews), and Don Lucas (William Baldwin), a Hollywood star and Miranda's former lover.

Back at the family's stately British home, it is revealed that Felicity's maid Moxie (Sophie Thompson) is actually the long-lost sister of Miranda, who left the family 20 years earlier to seek fame in Tinseltown. The family -- with the aid of butler Crestwell (the excellent Stephen Fry) -- sets about concocting a story whereby they can change Moxie's image. But Moxie is distraught when her sister fails to recognize her, and tells terrible lies about her childhood.

Throw into the pot the arrival of a drunken Don Lucas, which allows the film to resolve the various relationships and leave poor old Nigel to wonder what on earth he is going to do. How could he possibly marry his mother's maid's sister? As chaos ensues, the postwar class system is revealed.

Julie Andrews is impressive as the upper-class mother trying to prevent her rather dim son from making a marital mistake. But there is a lingering feeling that she has so much more to offer if only the right movie role would come along. Tripplehorn and Baldwin are in good form as the awful movie stars, while best of all is Fry as the urbane butler (elegantly reprising the Jeeves character he played on British television).

There is much to enjoy in "Relative Values" -- we are talking about a film based on a play by the wonderful Noel Coward, after all -- but there is just not enough quality in all departments to give the film the gloss it properly deserves.

RELATIVE VALUES

Alliance Atlantis

Midsummer Films

in association with

the Isle of Man Film Commission

Producer: Chris Mulligan

Director: Eric Styles

Executive producers: Steve Christian, Chris Harris

Screenwriters/associate producers: Paul Rattigan, Michael Walker

Based on the play by: Noel Coward

Director of photography: Jimmy Dibling

Editors: Caroline Limmer, Ian Seymour

Costume designer: Nic Ede

Production designer: Humphrey Jaeger

Music: John Debney

Color/stereo

Cast:

Felicity: Julie Andrews

Moxie: Sophie Thompson

Nigel: Edward Atterton

Miranda: Jeanne Tripplehorn

Don Lucas: William Baldwin

Peter: Colin Firth

Crestwell: Stephen Fry

Alice: Anwen Carlisle

Running time -- 89 minutes

No MPAA rating...