The Name of the Rose
Umberto Eco's novel is brought to the big screen with mediocre results.
Some books just don’t translate well onto the big screen. Umberto Eco’s The Name of the Rose is one of them. What makes the book a gem is the convoluted twists and turns in the central plotline of the book, a murder mystery. Eco’s intricate plot and the many little tidbits showcasing his extraordinary knowledge on an endless expanse of topics are an integral part of the story, and the film does not deliver.
The film stars Sean Connery as the sleuthing Franciscan monk, William of Baskerville. Playing his novice assistant is a young Christian Slater. F. Murray Abraham plays William’s archenemy, Inquisitor Bernardo Gui. The basic plot, after being stripped down to movie form, is this: monks are dying in an abbey and William means to find out who, or what, is responsible.
The movie presents the bare bones version of the most important events in the story, but in doing so, it fails to convey the many subtleties and intricacies of the novel. Director Jean-Jacques Annaud makes a good faith attempt to do the story justice, although even he admits that the film is, at best, a palimpsest of the book. The imagery and gritty realism of the film are well-planned and executed, and many aspects of the story lend themselves well to the big screen. However, the plot is not one of them. Opt for the book instead.
The film is rated R for graphic violence and a rather explicit sex scene. The DVD contains director commentary and a good deal about bringing the novel to the screen.
Written by: Jess Boettger
Reviewers Rating: 6
Reader's Rating: 8.00
Reader's Votes: 1
Added: 9-Feb-2007
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