"A Fine Madness" is a film that I'd never heard of before I found it on Netflix and it's certainly NOT among the more familiar films of Sean Connery or Joanne Woodward. And, after watching it, I could easily see why.
Samson Shillitoe (Connery) is a poet...or at least he was once. But he's written nothing in years and cannot hold down even menial jobs. He runs from responsibility and is, in many ways, a very self-absorbed and childish man...as well as being physically abusive. His paramour (at least when he's not out on the make for other women) is a very loud, brash and obnoxious lady (Joanne Woodward). Together they seem like an ad for a divorce attorney! There is more to the film, including the lady getting Samson into psychoanalysis, but by this point I just didn't care.
The film is bad to say the least. Both Connery's and Woodward's characters are a chore to watch...both being loud, unsubtle and really annoying. Normally, to keep a person watching a film you will need to make at least some of the characters likable (there are a few exceptions, such as "The Downfall" which is about Hitler's final days)...and the script doesn't even try. As a result, I had a hard time caring about them or the film. Overall, a HUGE misfire....and a really difficult movie to even finish.
Samson Shillitoe (Connery) is a poet...or at least he was once. But he's written nothing in years and cannot hold down even menial jobs. He runs from responsibility and is, in many ways, a very self-absorbed and childish man...as well as being physically abusive. His paramour (at least when he's not out on the make for other women) is a very loud, brash and obnoxious lady (Joanne Woodward). Together they seem like an ad for a divorce attorney! There is more to the film, including the lady getting Samson into psychoanalysis, but by this point I just didn't care.
The film is bad to say the least. Both Connery's and Woodward's characters are a chore to watch...both being loud, unsubtle and really annoying. Normally, to keep a person watching a film you will need to make at least some of the characters likable (there are a few exceptions, such as "The Downfall" which is about Hitler's final days)...and the script doesn't even try. As a result, I had a hard time caring about them or the film. Overall, a HUGE misfire....and a really difficult movie to even finish.