Mrs. Soffel (1984)

Good story, Not enough for a whole film

For all the hype it got I was expecting a lot more!

It is neither dumb nor smart enough to be fun, and spends way too much time with its boring human characters.

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

I was overwhelmed that a woman could leave her young children behind. No matter, at that point that her husband did nothing to inspire or excite her. The French women had or have it right. Don't ruin the family, take a lover. I have seen similar situations occur in my lifetime.Mostly,though, it is the man that makes horrible choices and pays dearly afterward. I thought that Diane Keaton's performance was fantastic. The dark dank surroundings were shot perfectly, which actually made the first part of the movie appealing. The scene at the house with the children in a loft and the utter desperate setting filled in a lot of background as to why the two men grew into useless men that stole instead of working for a living. Sadly, the movie could be played out in 2001 just as well as it was in 1901.

Mrs. Soffel is one movie with a fine cast that I missed in the 1980's so when I saw this move as a $2 DVD, I snapped it up. It is a period drama and romance with interesting sets depicting Pittsburgh in 1901 and the prison for death row brothers, Ed and Jack Biddle. They are befriended by Diane Keaton, as Mrs. Soffel, the well-meaning wife of a prison warden played by Ed Hermann. The Biddle brothers are Mel Gibson and Matthew Modine as Ed and Jack Biddle. They are likable and good-looking and far from the image of hardened criminals, thus winning the hearts of working people, women especially. Mrs. Soffel is a Christian activist, who visits them with Bibles in hand trying to comfort them. She is a bright, middle class woman with a hard-working, responsible husband and three children. But Mrs. Soffel, who suffered from depression, is not content. Diane Keaton portrays a woman of her time who wants to go beyond her comfort zone and live a meaningful life. Thirty eight at the time of the movie, Keaton's age is about right to portray Mrs. Soffel, who is reaching middle age with her children getting older but she is a passionate woman whose own husband is focused on his career. Mrs. Soffel falls deeply in love with Ed Biddle. No small matter for a woman of her time. Both Diane Keaton and Mel Gibson were clearly chosen for their star appeal. Gibson is 10 years younger at 28, so this makes the romance more scandalous for the early 1900's and possibly titillating for a modern audience. As a period drama, it falls short because the romance gets the upper hand. Nevertheless, the prison sets, the on-location train travel and views of the horse drawn sled in the countryside are quite effective. I did like Matthew Modine as Jack Biddle, the less mature but more fun-loving younger brother. Mel Gibson cares deeply for his brother and wants him to be spared the noose; he feels it's his fault. He also is the true romantic who falls head over heels for Kate, Mrs. Soffel, writing poems about her and showing as deep an affection as he can behind the bars that separate them. Ed Hermann gives a good performance as Mrs. Soffel's husband, a man who performs his roles as husband and father, while awkwardly carrying on as prison warden.

Kate Soffel, the wife of the Allegheny County jail warden, is a woman whose married life appears to be lacking the warmth and love that might have brought her together with Peter Soffel, in the first place. When we first meet her, she appears weak, recovering from an unknown ailment. She is willing to continue her Christian work, distributing bibles to the inmates in her husband's jail.She gets interested in Ed Biddle, a handsome young criminal who is serving time, together with his brother, Jack. It's easy to see why this meek and somewhat shy woman falls deeply in love with the prisoner. He is what her husband is not. When Ed Biddle asks her to help them escape, she is happy to comply. In her mind, Ed represents freedom from her dull life. Kate, who appears to be a loving mother, doesn't mind throwing all away when she falls in love.Nothing goes right as the plan is put in practice. Kate, Ed and Jack are doomed from the start; in the few days she spends time with her new lover, Kate finds a bliss she never knew. She throws away all her responsibilities aside to go with the brothers into an unknown territory, hoping to escape to Canada. In the end, Kate is alone as she must pay for her actions.Gillian Armstrong, a feminist director, seems attracted to strong female characters, as it's the case in this picture. This is a story based on a true incident in the Pittsburgh of the beginning of the 20th Century. Although Ms. Armstrong has succeeded in presenting interesting women, her Kate Soffel, seems the right person to bring to the screen since she has a personality that recalls other strong women the director has examined before.Diane Keaton, an actress whose choice of roles in comedies, and light fare, have been her trademark, here shows a range most viewers didn't know she had. As Mrs. Soffel, she is full of lust and a passion that only a criminal, Ed Biddle, awakens in her. Ms. Keaton's work is the best excuse to see the film. Mel Gibson is effective as the criminal Ed Biddle in one of his rare dramatic roles. Matthew Modine gives a restrained performance. Edward Herrmann, Trini Alvarado, Jennifer Dundas, Terry O'Quinn, Maury Chaykin, are seen among the supporting roles."Mrs. Soffel" came and went without much fanfare, but it's worth a look because of the powerful combination of Gillian Armstrong and Diane Keaton and the interesting cinematography by Russell Boyd.

Mel Gibson's performance in "Mrs. Soffel" is superb in any event, but viewed in the context that it is the first time he played an American character on film, that his brother was played by American actor Matthew Modine, and that the film was based on a true story of two men from Pittsburgh, it is an even greater achievement.