The Bachelor (1990) ⭐ 6.5 | Drama (original) (raw)

There isn't much to say about this Italian made, English language drama, starring Keith Carradine as a reserved but supposedly charming Austrian doctor trying to juggle two lovers and ultimately losing them both. The story is set in that familiar age of grace before World War One, but all the period costumes and picturesque European settings can't hide what looks like a bargain basement Merchant-Ivory production. Bright spots are provided by a boisterous Max Von Sydow (an actor who can work miracles with even the most lackluster script), and Miranda Richardson in a curious dual role. The only liability in the cast is Carradine himself, whose flat American accent is totally out of place in the Old World setting (recalling his similar miscasting in Ridley Scott's 'The Duelist'). The role demands more depth and charisma (or at least more enthusiasm) than he can muster, and under the perfunctory direction of a certain Roberto Faenza the film is never more than polite, mannered, and (for lack of a better word) inert.