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Editorial Review:
Amazon.com:
Adapted from Evelyn Waugh's Jazz Age satire, A Handful of Dust is a brutal story of a failed marriage with shattering consquences. James Wilby stars as a country gentleman, Tony Last, who loves rattling around his expansive estate, Hetton Abbey. Tony's wife, Brenda (Kristin Scott Thomas), however, pines for London's excitement and commences an affair in the city with penniless aristocrat John Beaver (Rupert Graves). The fallout of Brenda's betrayal includes a family tragedy and creative divorce settlement ultimately undone when fed-up Tony goes on a naturalist trek through Brazil and becomes the hostage of a mad, illiterate explorer (Alec Guinness). One might wonder whether it's more appropriate to laugh or tremble at these events, and director Charles Sturridge's handsome, graceful production ingeniously accomodates the story's streaks of dark comedy and horror. With brief, memorable supporting roles for Anjelica Huston and Stephen Fry. --Tom Keogh
Customer Reviews
Average Rating: 
Rating: - Typically British
So, I'm a little late. I'm trying to find good British movies. American movies are terrible. This movie is well written, cast, acted, and produced. In short, Tony, the husband is a nut-case (albeit a nice one). Besides Brenda, he is in love with an old, really, really old house. Naturally, Brenda, the wife, gets bored, really bored. She would have to be because she finds her "fun" in another really boring, poor, younger,wimpy mama's boy. Old story told a million times. But from this point ... Read More
Rating:  - Unusually Strong Cast for a TV Movie
"A Handful of Dust," (1988), based on Evelyn Waugh's famous novel by the same name, a jazz-age satire, was made by London Weekend Television, which invested in an unusually strong cast for a television movie. Perhaps as a result of this, the film received theatrical distribution, by Miramax, in the United States.
The film stars James Wilby as Tony Last, so involved in trying to live a nineteenth century lifestyle, and keep his estate Hettam afloat, that he fatally fails to notice his ... Read More
Rating: - No subtitles??
Beautiful scenery and good acting, but this DVD does not hav e subtitles as the initials CC would indicate. These British actors are hard to understand, especially the leading lady.
Rating:  - Beautifully Filmed But For Me A Waste of Time
I recently saw Brideshead Revisted which I found completely wonderful. It was perhaps one of the most enjoyable and captivating films I've ever immersed myself in.
So, hungry for more Evenlyn Waugh (whose books I read in a college course that was based exclusively on his work), I found "A Handful Of Dust" at my library and figured I'd give it a try. Since the same author wrote it and the film was made by the same film people as Brideshead I was filled with anticipation.
... Read More
Rating:  - If "Requiem for a Dream" were a period peice film ...
I will admit, I was not a fan of this film during the first fifteen minutes when it nearly went into the "Period Film Sleeping Bag" category, but after you get through this first hump (which is to wean out the naysayers) this is a very disturbing and thoughtful film. In fact, I loved it. It took me awhile to think about it after the first viewing, but I was very impressed. Not only did this film break the boundaries of the dreaded "Period Piece Snore-fest", but also the standard of some films dating ... Read More
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