'Dalloway' denes the indescribable

Like a painter's brushstroke, "Mrs. Dalloway" unfolds deliberately, revealing layers of colors and textures previously unseen. Based on the Virginia Woolf novel of the same name, "Mrs. Dalloway" breathes new life into a frequently explored subject - London upper-class society.

"Mrs Dalloway" is not to be confused with the numerous Merchant Ivory productions that treat the same material. At once elegant and surprising, the film finds unexpected complexity in the story of Clarissa Dalloway, a woman of means and charms.

The film runs like a stream of thoughts and unburied memories, with chance encounters revealing a deeper meaning.

Courtesy of Miramax Vanessa Redgrave stars as the titular lady in the film adaptation of Virginia Woolf's "Mrs. Dalloway," also starring Natasha McElhone and Rupert Graves.

Clarissa, played delicately by Vanessa Redgrave, is a middle-aged woman married to a prominent parliamentarian in early 20th-Century London.

The film opens a young soldier shouting as an explosion rips his world apart. In contrast to this brief sobering prelude, the film then continues with the dawning of a new day, revealing Clarissa dressed exquisitely. She spends her time planning parties and arranging dinners, with another such event planned for that evening.

We follow Clarissa through her day, as she walks through the English gardens, passes old acquaintances and smiles gloriously. Clarissa appears carefree and the movie follows the tangents of her life just as smoothly as her gait.

Staring at bouquets in a flower shop, her gaze finds it way to the eyes of a young man outside the store. A veteran of the war, none other than the soldier at the film's beginning, he looks as if transfixed by memories of exploding bombs and decapitated limbs.

Later, Clarissa is visited by her former beau, Peter, who stirs up memories of young womanhood. Flashbacks ensue all of her encounters and Clarissa's story is clarified.

Clarissa abandoned Peter, the one who loved her passionately for Dalloway, an elegant man who could provide security and ease her fears. Peter, on the other hand, offered only his sense of adventure and more modern tastes.

REVIEW
	Mrs. Dalloway 4 stars At State

Clarissa, raised prudish by her prim parents, chose the safer choice. Yet regret does not tinge her thoughts nor does the movie pass any judgment on the wealthy woman's life. She has never suffered, as one character tells her daughter, nor will she ever.

Can knowledge, or indeed satisfaction with one's life, be gained without pain? That question seems to remain unanswered as "Mrs. Dalloway" ends, ambiguously leaving us dancing with melancholy.

Those searching for greater meaning will be disappointed by "Mrs. Dalloway," for indeed there is no moral to this tale. Rather, the filmmakers have eloquently captured an ordinary woman's story.

Clarissa sees in the young veteran's suicide an act of courage. He has abandoned life, with its sordid wars and evil characters, while Clarissa enjoys the fruits of her planning - in her party she finds enough meaning to live on.

Clarissa spends more time thinking than she does speaking; as she observes her party, she smiles inwardly at her success. She wishes to make others happy to live, she says to her husband.

Every flower, champagne-filled glass and sumptuous appointment contributes to the perfection of the party. Yet the event lasts but a brief moment, returning all its guests to reality.

Clarissa lives an escapist fantasy - her parties help her avoid the questions of life. The young veteran's death, her love for Peter, her ambiguous relationship with her woman friend, her feelings for her husband - all these concerns can be ignored with the planning of the party.

Redgrave offers a subtle performance, showing the older woman's attention and concern for every detail of the party. Her expressions gracefully supplement the voice-overs that indicate what she is thinking.

The ensemble cast is also marvelous, including a notable performance by Rupert Graves, who plays the young veteran. His bloody visions compare starkly to the calm and ephemeral Mrs. Dalloway.

"Mrs. Dalloway" takes the viewer on a ride through life. Ambiguous and subtle, the film somehow manages to define an indescribable something that cannot be explained in words.

04-20-98