Themes: Cooks and Chefs, Office Politics, Blackmail
Main Cast: Vanessa Redgrave, Jonathan Pryce, Tyler Butterworth, Freddie Jones, Sammi Davis
Release Year: 1988
Country: US/UK
Run Time: 95 minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Plot
A British production created by Monty Python alumni, this film concerns an inept chocolate-factory executive (Tyler Butterworth) who accidentally knocks three workers into a vat. The product is an incredible hit with consumers, though one of the workers' widows (Vanessa Redgrave) is considering blackmail. ~ John Bush, All Movie Guide
Review
A waste of a quite talented cast, Consuming Passions wants to be a zany, black corporate satire but is too labored and mannered to achieve its goal. A good deal of the problem lies in the premise, which is stated in the first few minutes but never developed; what might have made a darkly daffy short film has been stretched to feature length, and the law of diminishing returns sets in very quickly. The middle section is padded to no discernible purpose -- certainly no discernible comedic purpose -- causing it to come to a dead halt when it needs to be galloping. The plotting problems would be less important if the screenplay provided uproarious laughs or insightful dialogue, but it never comes close to either. Matters are made much worse by Giles Foster's leaden direction, which hammers a nail into any moment that gives even the slightest hint of being ready to take off and soar. Under this direction, a cast of first rate talents tries its hardest -- but to no avail. Vanessa Redgrave gives an embarrassingly grotesque performance, Tyler Butterworth is bland to the point of invisibility, and Prunella Scales is given nothing to do. Only Jonathan Pryce manages to rise somewhat above the proceedings, providing most of the few laughs that the film generates. ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide
Prunella Scales - Ethel; Thora Hird - Mrs. Gordon; William Rushton - Big Teddy; John Wells - Dr. Forrester; Timothy West - Dr. Rees; Mary Healey - Mrs. Eggleton; Andrew Sachs - Jason; Bryan Pringle - Gateman; Patrick Newell - Lester; Preston Lockwood - Josiah; Angus Barnett - Josiah's Son; Debbie Davis - Mrs. Coot; Gerard Dimiglio - Frenchman; Susan Field - Lady on TV; Marc Boyle - Ambulanceman; Leonard Trolley - Mayor; Dick Brannick - Butcher; Robert Bridges - Wooster; Paul Dalton - Ambulanceman; Geraldine Griffiths - Thin Lady; Vicky Ireland - Lady on TV; Linda Lusardi - French Beauty; Julie May - Lady on TV; David Neville - Furniture Store Assistant; Helen Pearson - Supermarket Assistant; Donald Pelmear - Porter; Archie Pool - Rastafarian; Julian Ronnie - Piano Player; Adam Stoker - Trevor; Paddy Ward - Tramp; Jo Warne - Fat Lady; Wincey Willis - TV Presenter
Credit
Terry Ackland-Snow - Art Director, Barbara Kidd - Costume Designer, Roger Simons - First Assistant Director, Giles Foster - Director, John Grover - Editor, Richard Hartley - Composer (Music Score), Naomi Donne - Makeup, Terry Ackland-Snow - Production Designer, Peter Lamont - Production Designer, Roger Pratt - Cinematographer, Patricia Carr - Production Manager, Michael Ford - Set Designer, Ian Wingrove - Special Effects, Tony Dawe - Sound/Sound Designer, Colin Skeaping - Stunts, Paul Weston - Stunts, Ian Wingrove - Special Effects Supervisor, Andrew Davies - Screenwriter, Paul D. Zimmerman - Screenwriter, Terry Jones - Play Author, Michael Palin - Play Author
