Remando al viento (1988)

Director:

Gonzalo Suárez

Writer:

Gonzalo Suárez (written by)

Release Date:

1 July 1989 (Japan)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Tagline:

Byron sólo lamentaba los pecados que no había podido cometer

Plot:

The film is situated in the time when Mary Shelley wrote her novel "Frankenstein". It describes the relationship between Lord Byron...

Plot Keywords:

Female Nudity | Bath | Beautiful Woman | Frankenstein | 1810s

Awards:

10 wins & 7 nominations

Cast

Hugh Grant	...	Lord Byron
Lizzy McInnerny	...	Mary Shelley
Valentine Pelka	...	Percy Bysshe Shelley
Elizabeth Hurley	...	Claire Clairmont
José Luis Gómez	...	John Polidori
Virginia Mataix	...	Elisa
Ronan Vibert	...	Fletcher
José Carlos Rivas	...	Criatura
Kate McKenzie	...	Jane Williams
Jolyon Baker	...	Edward Williams
Terry Taplin	...	Godwin
Karen Westwood	...	Fanny
Bibiana Fernández	...	Fornarina (as Bibí Andersen)
Josep Maria Pou	...	Oficial aduana (as José María Pou)
Aitana Sánchez-Gijón	...	Teresa Guiccioli

Also Known As:

Rowing in the Wind
Rowing with the Wind

MPAA:

Rated R for some sexuality/nudity.

Runtime:

126 min | Spain:96 min | USA:105 min

Country:

Spain

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Spain:13 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Asturias, Spain

Company:

Ditirambo Films

Movie Connections:

Version of Haunted Summer (1988)

Good Idea But Poor Development

Rowing With The Wind took an excellent idea from the life of Frankenstein's author, Mary Shelley. For anyone who is familiar with the life of Mary Shelley, this film will make more sense and be appreciated better. However, for the average movie-goer, this film will probably be of disinterest. Having said that (and for those of you still reading), I would have to applaud the youthful talents of today stars, Hugh Grant and Elizabeth Hurley, who play Lord Byron and Claire Clairmont, respectively. This Spanish production keeps with European exposure in several nude scenes, most notably of Elizabeth Hurley.

The film in a nutshell describes a visit to Lord Byron by Mary Shelley, her husband Percy Shelley, half-sister Claire Clairmont, and Byron's physician Dr. Polidori. According to history, Lord Byron challenged each of them to develop the most horrific story they could come up with. This is when Mary Shelley came up with the idea for Frankenstein, published in 1818. Oddly, Mary Shelley's biography was rife with a large number of deaths of those around her. Her mother died when she was born. One of her sisters died. Her husband's ex-wife died drowning. Ironically, her husband dies drowning.

She loses a couple of children. And on and on. She seemed so unable to escape death soon after the publication of Frankenstein. This film takes on the idea that her abominable creation is the cause of such deaths.

Kudos definitely go to whomever wrote the script for Lord Byron. Hugh Grant plays him brilliantly and in a very intelligently decadent sort of way. He's hilarious! Elizabeth Hurley and the other actors are good, not outstanding. But the film fails, despite its great plot creativity, when it hands out a quick and un-compelling revival of the evening in which Mary Shelley came up with Frankenstein. It gives far less attention than it should have, as I would have thought it a bigger turning point in the story.

With better direction and production (beginning of the film is a bit grainy), this would have truly made a compelling story. 5/10