The Children

Stars: Ben Kingsley (Gandhi, Bugsy), Kim Novak (Vertigo), Geraldine Chaplin (Dr. Zhivago, Nashville), Joe Don Baker (Cape Fear). Based on Edith Wharton's jazz age novel, The Children is a nicely filmed, compelling little drama, with a characteristically rich performance from Oscar-winner Ben Kingsley. Kingsley plays Martin Coyne, a middle-aged engineer who, having just completed a long stint in Brazil, is enroute to Europe to woo his intended fiancée Rose Sellars (Novak). On the voyage over, he runs into old friend Joyce (Chaplin) and her sprawling brood--seven children from various marriages and adoptions who are determined to remain together, regardless of the flighty escapades of their mother. The film sails into complex waters rather quickly as Martin finds himself drawn to the oldest child, Judith (Siri Neal), a girl in her late teens. Agreeing more for her sake, than for charitable reasons, to shelter and care for the children when they run away from their mother (who plans to split them up), Martin finds himself in dutch with Rose. (Seven squabbling brats is, apparently, not Rose's idea of a cozy, romantic picnic.) Martin, who leads such an ordinary and well-planned life, throws it all away on puppy love and the yearning for the vibrant aliveness of youth...but the much older Martin has forgotten that youth is both fickle and insensitive. Not for all tastes, The Children is nevertheless a thoughtful film, with droll humor, fine acting, and nice cinematography. Audience: Masterpiece Theatre fans.