08/06/2007

Evelyn Waugh’s 1945 literary masterpiece Brideshead Revisited (see article) finally gets its first cinematic outing as principal photography began in Yorkshire.

The 11-week shoot has kicked off with a five-week stint at the majestic Castle Howard, close to York. The location was made famous when it was used as the setting for the much-loved 1981 Granada Television adaptation starring Jeremy Irons, Anthony Andrews, John Gielgud and Claire Bloom that went on to win multiple Emmys, Golden Globes and BAFTA TV awards. The feature will also shoot in Oxford, London, Venice and Morocco.

Brideshead Revisited is being directed by Julian Jarrold (Becoming Jane [+see also:
trailer
film profile], Kinky Boots) from a script by Andrew Davies, whose credits include the Bridget Jones films and The Tailor of Panama. Collaborating with Davies is Jeremy Brock, winner of the BAFTA Best Adapted Screenplay award for The Last Kind of Scotland [+see also:
trailer
film profile].

The cast includes Matthew Goode (Match Point [+see also:
trailer
film profile]), Ben Whishaw (Perfume: The Story of a Murderer [+see also:
trailer
film profile]) besides Emma Thompson, Greta Scacchi and Michael Gambon, amongst others.

The film begins in 1925 when Oxford student Charles Ryder is befriended by the charismatic aristocrat Sebastian Flyte and is invited to Brideshead – the Flytes’ stately home. Charles becomes infatuated with Sebastian's sister Julia but cannot come to terms with the family’s deeply Catholic value system.

"I'm excited by the challenge of bringing Waugh's heartbreaking love story to the big screen and to a new generation. I'm also delighted with the exceptional British cast we have on board,” said Jrrold.

Produced by Kevin Loader, Brideshead Revisited is an Ecosse Films production (with Robert Bernstein and Douglas Rae producing) in association with BBC Films, 2 entertain, the UK Film Council's Premiere and Development Funds, Screen Yorkshire and Miramax Films, who will distribute the film in North America and in the UK through BVI for 2 entertain.

Dreamachine will handle worldwide sales.