Dance with a stranger

Miranda Richardson is her usual brilliant self in "Dance with a Stranger," a 1985 film telling the true story of Ruth Ellis and David Blakeley.

Blakeley was a rich young race car driver who becomes involved in an obsessive, passionate, and often violent relationship with night club hostess Ellis. It leads to tragedy.

The scandal took place in the '50s, and the atmosphere of the time is captured beautifully here, and the film is well directed by Mike Newell.

The acting is beyond flawless, with perfect performances by Ian Holm as the passive man who supported Ruth, Desmond Cussen, Rupert Everett as the self-centered Blakeley, and Richardson, one of the truly great actresses of our time, as Ruth.

I'm not certain why Richardson's name isn't uttered along with that of Helen Mirren's or Meryl Streep's. She's a true chameleon. No one can ever equal her supporting performance in "Damage" - I don't really care that someone else won the Oscar! Here she gives a fully fleshed-out portrait of the unapologetic, tough, sexy Ellis.

The script has some disappointments - one of which is, we don't get to the real story until the last minutes of the film - it's not really told, in fact - so obviously, that wasn't considered the real story by screenwriter Shelagh Delaney.

The problem is that Ellis' situation was very controversial, and if you know it, you sit through the movie waiting for that part to begin. If you don't, well, then I guess you won't miss it.

The purpose of "Dance with a Stranger" is to show what led up to the tragedy, which includes the class-consciousness of British society. In doing so, it leaves out the possible involvement of the Ian Holm character, Cussen, in what actually happened.

Still, thanks to the strong acting, the story is fascinating, and these real characters come to life.

There is nothing sentimental about this story of obsession. Set in London in the 1950's--and what could be drearier--this bleak story based on the true story of Ruth Ellis, the last woman to be executed in England, is a tour-de-force for Newell, the director, the two leads, Richardson and Everett, and the incomparable Ian Holm.

Miranda Richardson as Ellis gives a knockout performance in every scene. She has so perfectly captured the emotional pitch of a woman in love with a heel that one cannot help identifying with her. Her all-consuming love, even to the point of neglecting her son, makes it ridiculous to entertain the common query of "why doesn't she just get away from him?" Mike Newell captures all of the emotional highs and lows of a relationship of this kind, and the rakishly handsome Everett is both charming and destructive as Ellis's amor.

The beauty of this movie is that it is not just about two ill-fated lovers, the way many Hollywood movies are. It is also about England's class system. Ellis's attraction to Blakeley is more about her desire to be acknowledged by her "betters" than just by this one man. Perhaps the most heartrending scene comes at the end where one sees Ellis's painted finger going over a letter she is about to send on the eve of her execution to Blakeley's mother, apologizing for the misery she has caused her. The language of the letter is perfect, because it reveals volumes about Ellis's class aspirations, and the hopelessness of her ever achieving them.

This movie is a must-see for movie lovers, but it is not for the Meg Ryan set.

Billing this as the tale of "the last woman who was executed in Britain" sorta lets you know up front that Miranda Richardson's widescreen debut is going to end badly.

Director Mike Newell (Four Weddings and a Funeral) pulls gut~wrenching performances from his leads, Miranda Richardson, Rupert Everett & the always~underrated Ian Holm, in this fascinating fact~based story about utter sexual obsession.

Set in the dark '50s.

Ruth Ellis (Richardson) runs and lives above a nightclub/brothel frequented by several of London's wealthy gadflies. She's platinum blonde, all brass and ummm... well~liked by the local gentry.

She also has a young son named Andy, about to enter school, who turns the blindest of innocent eyes to Mom's lifestyle.

Enter David (Everett), a sullen alcoholic rich boy and LeMans auto racer wannabe who's taken in by Ruth's wiles within moments of seeing her for the first time ~ after being introduced to Ruth and her "club" by his equally well~heeled close friend Desmond (Holm).

What unfolds is the single most riveting ~ and more importantly, believable ~ love/hate relationship film I've seen. There have been tons of movies about obsessive lust (and I'm not talking about the flix they rent behind that door at the back of your video store whose "A" section takes up three aisles) but this one is a real treat.

David, you see, is seriously involved with another woman when he meets Ruth... yet beds the latter in quick fashion. The other woman (eventually his fiancee) is the rub. As is David's penchant for getting drunk and simultaneously developing still a third wandering eye.

Still, it's Ruth he wants. To the point of showing up at the oddest of times to woo (or just rant drunkenly, incoherently at ~ or just to hit) her. All the while winnowing his way deeply into Ruth and her son's hearts and lives.

Meanwhile Desmond stands stoically by until nearly the bitter end, supporting Ruth during LeMans~boy's long absences and sustaining her each time David fails to live up to his promises, which is pretty much always.

The "fights betwixt the leads" scenes are the best, the most creatively acted and directed.

After a while, Newell yanks you into the almost~triangle between the three and one begins to attempt to choose sides. This proves to be impossible, as none of the characters are particularly sympathetic.

IE: this ain't a Hollywood movie. Each character has flaws which are well~defined, there's no happy ending and (are you listening, Jim Cameron?)... no sequel.

Richardson is simply astonishing in her premiere. Each note she plays, screaming or smoldering, is just right (hence Miranda's Rights).

Everett's superb as the sociopathically obsessed lover.

And Holm is, well, brilliant. Color him unrequited with a vengeance.

9 of 10 Niro~Stars

A grim slice of 1950s Britain is expertly recreated in Mike Newell's film 'Dance with a Stranger'. Miranda Richardson gives an expertly judged performance as Ruth Ellis, an ageing nightclub hostess whose desire to keep a little glamour in her life, coupled with a powerful mutual sexual attraction, led her into a relationship with a man who, while not exactly evil, was utterly self-absorbed and prone to intermittent violence. The story ends in murder, and Ellis is now famous as the last woman to be executed in Great Britain. Obviously, the film is sympathetic to her, and while her victim scarcely deserves death, the tale is compelling; and it makes one wonder how many of those killed by the state may have done a terrible thing, but may also have had a tale of their own. Some will argue that in cases such as these, there is no alternative in judgement but to assign absolute individual responsibility; personally, I think it's a more civilised country that retains the capacity to forgive.

Miranda Richardson made her film debut as Ruth Ellis, the last woman to be executed in Britain in 1955.

Ellis was a platinum blonde nightclub hostess and part time prostitute in a drab class ridden Britain still going through post war austerity.

Ellis ended up having a mutually destructive relationship with playboy racing driver and drunk David Blakely (Rupert Everett.)

Both Ellis and Blakely could not keep away from each other despite the physical and mental cruelty they displayed.

Desmond Cussen (Ian Holm) was an older wealthier man who was also obsessed with Ellis and she would have probably been better off with him. He showered her with gifts, paid for her son's boarding school fees and he even housed her when she lost her job and flat. Cussen could not giver ther the excitement that Blakely offered.

Blakey may had been from a well to do family but he was a loser. Both in the racing world and in his personal life. Money problems, a raging libido meant that he constantly let Ellis down and she became increasingly jealous.

Director Mike Newell showed a lot of skill in making this low budget film made for Channel 4 Film but giving it bigger budget aplomb.

Newell decides to concentrate on the relationship between Ellis, Blakey and Cussen. Not on the legal aftermath.

All three actors, Richardson, Everett and Holm are in top form. The first two were rising stars and had a lot to prove.

Miranda Richardson won several awards for her portrayal of Ruth Ellis. Like other young actresses she could had easily disappeared mainly due to a lack of a British film industry. However she played a trump card. Her next role was as Queen Elizabeth in Blackadder II. One of the funniest comedies of all time.