A Colorless Adaptation of James’ ‘The American’

A subplot of Henry James’ “The American” involves a copier of masterpiece paintings who clumsily and lifelessly reproduces the originals. Unfortunately, the same sort of workmanship mars the adaptation of James’ early novel that appears tonight on area PBS stations.

The movie is part of “Masterpiece Theatre’s American Collection,” highlighting American authors. Yet as written by Michael Hastings and directed by Paul Unwin, this adaptation rearranges, compresses and outright alters much of James’ original, often to confusing effect. The result seems to have stymied its gifted actors--Matthew Modine, Diana Rigg and Brenda Fricker--who turn in surprisingly vacant performances.

“The American,” from 1877, predates James’ breakthrough novel, “Daisy Miller,” by a year. Though not revered as highly as such later works as “The Portrait of a Lady” or “The Ambassadors,” it contains keen sociological and psychological observations, and its theme turned out to be one of James’ favorites: the clash of America’s brash entrepreneurial spirit and Europe’s moldering aristocratic ways.

The American of the title is Christopher Newman (Modine), a self-made millionaire in his middle 30s who is making his first visit to Paris when he falls in love with the beautiful widow Claire de Cintre (Aisling O’Sullivan). His overtures, however, are blocked by Claire’s iron-willed mother (Rigg), who wouldn’t dream of allowing the family’s aristocratic blood to be tainted by this nouveau riche vulgarian. But Rigg’s Madame de Bellegarde harbors a dark secret, which, unknown to her, has been passed along to her housekeeper (Fricker).

Though the action is set in Paris, the movie was filmed in Ireland and cast mostly with English or Irish actors. The surroundings look not the least French, and Newman never has a language problem because all of Paris speaks the queen’s English--a blunder that robs the story of its fish-out-of-water context. (The confusion is so profound that a programming spotlight feature in KCET’s own member magazine misidentifies the setting as England.)

The movie essentially elevates the evil mother to the central role while reducing Newman to a sketchy outline. Normally, Modine’s natural charisma would have gone a long way toward filling in the gaps, but even that fails him here. He is remote--very nearly characterless. Fricker, meanwhile, is required merely to recycle her earth mother persona.

That leaves the field to Rigg, who at least manages to frost up the screen with the stern look frozen onto her face. But James was after so much more than this chilly little gothic romance has turned out to be.

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* “The American” airs tonight at 9 on KCET, KVCR and KPBS and repeats Sunday at 9 p.m. on KCET. The network has rated it TV-PG (may be unsuitable for younger children).