Basil (film)

Plot

Basil (Jared Leto) recalls his younger days when he and his ennobled British family live at their Cornwall estate of Windermere Hall. His father, Frederick (Derek Jacobi), is a firm believer that people should know their place in society. Clara Fairfax is an orphaned daughter of Basil's father's friend, and comes to live with them. Basil's older brother, Ralph, is for his transgression with a local girl banished to a distant derelict family manor in Yorkshire. Later, Basil is home from Oxford University when he is rescued by a London merchant, John Mannion (Christian Slater). Basil comes to think of John as his mate.

While staying at the family's London home, Basil attempts to reconnect with John and instead meets Julia Sherwin (Claire Forlani), the daughter of John's employer. Basil pursues her and she rejects him but shortly before Basil is to come of age and inherit money and property he secretly weds her. Julia sets her aspirations on owning Windermere Hall in exchange for her affections.

Basil finds Julia in bed with John, and Basil stomps on him until he cannot get up from the street. John disappears. Basil tells his father of the marriage, and is banished. Basil makes his way to his brother in Yorkshire. It is there that Basil receives a letter from John telling him of the scheme involving Julia to revenge the death of his pregnant sister after Ralph was banished years before.

Julia is at Windermere, and Basil helps deliver her newborn baby. John with his face wrapped in cloth arrives. Julia dies. John leaves the child behind when Basil pursues John with a zulfiqar. During the scuffle John's face is revealed and he sees his disfigured reflection in the sword; he takes his own life by falling off the seaside cliff.

Basil takes the newborn child and escapes to Ireland, naming her Clara, after his childhood friend Clara. There, Basil has returned to story telling that he had started when he w,as a youth and they come to London when the stories are to be published. Walking along a pond Basil and Clara come upon the older Clara who beckons Basil to make amends with his father sitting nearby. The elderly Frederick explains that he loved Basil's dead mother and that the banishments were the result of having seen mirrored in his sons his own treatment of his dead wife. Basil and Clara make London their home.

Cast

Reception

The director’s cut for Basil was selected twice to be the closing night film for the Toronto International Film Festival’s Special Presentation series. The film was pulled from the festival screening at the last minute, foregoing an opportunity to screen at one of the world’s premier film festivals. Basil was also chosen for a prime slot at the Los Angeles Film Festival. In February 1998, Basil was screened at the American Film Market.

Release

Basil’s financiers released their cut of the film, complete with their choice of sound, design and music. This is the version that was subsequently released on cable, and then in videotape and DVD.

While American Film Market released the film theatrically on 4 March 1998, the film was released on videocassette on 1 February 2000 by Buena Vista Home Entertainment. On 4 March 2003, Buena Vista Home Entertainment released a DVD for region 1, while a DVD for region 2 was released on 12 April 2005 by ILC Video.