Much funnier than I remembered, with Allan Corduner and Jim Broadbent in outstanding form as Sullivan and Gilbert, film is also overlong and simply features too much silly opera, though it's a fascinating journey (reference to telephones, fountain pens etc. funny, as is Gilbert's ridiculous attempt to capture 'Japaneseness'). Japanese traditional theatre still appears weird to the Western eye - imagine how it must have seemed to the English of 1885! The fashion for dropping in French phrases also most amusing.
With Leslie Manville, Timothy Spall, Kevin McKidd (Scottish actor), Martin Savage (good as the somewhat effete Grossmith), Shirley Henderson, Andy Serkis, Mark Benton, Ron Cook (as D'Oyly Carte) and Alison Steadman. Shot by Dick Pope, edited by Robin Sales.
Q points out quite rightly that a biopic of Puccini would be great. We are very much looking forward to Turner.
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