The Vintner's Luck...

[fajrdrako]

I have said before that one of my favourite novels is The Vintner's Luck by Elizabeth Knox. It's a beautifully written historical fantasy about a 19th-century Frenchman named Sobran, and his relationships with his family, his patron, and an angel named Xas.

Though the story is told through Sobran's eyes, I remember it as very much Xas's story.

There's always a danger in seeing a movie based on a much-loved book. I was prepared for that. And, truthfully, I quite enjoyed the movie, though I was baffled by the cinematic choices. Instead of Xas as being the central core of the story, the centre of gravity shifts to Sobran and his wines. Instead of being about a man and an angel, it's about wine-growing. The trailer at this site gives a true picture of the movie: a lot about a peasant wine-grower and his pretty wife, not so much about sexy angels.

Which took a the magic out of it. (I'll cut here for spoilers.) Even Xas's big revelation halfway through, that he is a fallen angel, which shook Sobran's love and faith, was less impactful than it ought to have been - and we lost the story of Xas braving and defying both Heaven and Hell for Sobran's sake. The movie does have an angel, but no Lucifer. Xas has no background. He loses his wings - but it's Sobran himself who cuts off Xas's wings, which cn=hanged the ideology completely. I was wondered why an Angel would want to work in the vinyards. We saw so little of the love between Sobran and Xas that Xas's motives seemed vague. The text on the website even refers to Sobran's 'friendship' with the angel. In the book, it's unquestionably love.

In fact, the movie features so much happy sexuality between Sobran and his wife Celeste, that Xas seems unimportant in his life - inspiration for wine, yes, maybe, but the love (erotic and otherwise) is underplayed to the point of invisibility. The Baroness is given better characterization.

It doesn't help that most of Xas's scenes takr place in the dark.

So the scenes I most loved in the book are gone: Sobran's story of his army days and his love of his friend, Xas's attempt to infiltrate Heaven, the stunning reprisal of Lucifer, Xas walking on knives.... All are simply missing.

Things I most liked about the movie:

1. It takes seriously the passion for grape-growing and wines - the sensual wine themes are superb
   
2. Keisha Castle-Hughes is delightful as Celeste
   
3. The relationship between Sobran and the Baroness is beautifully depicted
   
4. Gaspard Ulliel as Xas has a lovely smile (and dimple); and an angelic name.