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Howl's Moving Castle By Harry Forbes Catholic News Service NEW YORK (CNS) -- When's the last time you saw an American animated film with a feisty old woman as its heroine? Well, master Japanese director Hayao Miyazaki has no qualms about featuring such a character for he has brilliantly adapted Diana Wynne Jones' popular novel, "Howl's Moving Castle" (Disney). (Jones, by the way, was a student of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien.) The hugely imaginative film concerns Sophie, an 18-year-old girl who works in a hat shop (voice of Emily Mortimer), and is transformed into a 90-year-old lady (Jean Simmons) by the curse of the Witch of the Waste (Lauren Bacall). The setting is a sort of early 20th-century European vista, with Jules Verne-like cars and airships peppering the colorful, indeterminate European landscape. One of most extraordinary aspects of the story is the grace and equanimity with which Sophie accepts her lot, the first indication that the film will celebrate the sagacity that comes with the state of old age. She becomes a housekeeper to handsome, but cloistered, wizard Howl (Christian Bale), who lives in a dilapidated castle that moves around the town's periphery on mechanical legs. It looks somewhat like a metallic turkey with appendages, striking fear into the town's inhabitants. Sophie had earlier been rescued from the unwelcome advances of a couple of soldiers by Howl (not knowing his identity). Howl doesn't recognize the old crone -- at least, not at first -- when she moves in with him and his young apprentice, Markl (Josh Hutcherson), and Calcifer, his fire demon (voiced as comic relief by Billy Crystal), who serves as sort of a generator for the peripatetic domicile. The king of the land is engaged in a senseless war, and part of the reason for Howl's self-imposed seclusion is his desire to avoid a conflict he can't believe in. Howl expresses regret for his cowardice in not facing up to the king, and the fact that he's always running, and assuming a series of aliases. Howl is basically a noble character, but not without an element of vanity and selfishness. (It was for the latter reason that he never finished his wizardly apprenticeship, we learn later.) When Howl loses the formula for his lustrous blonde hair, he bemoans that life is not worth living if he can't be beautiful (a sentiment he will wisely reject by the film's conclusion). But Howl has taken in Sophie out of kindness, not through any romantic designs on her younger self, though as the film progresses it's clear there's a loving bond between the two. Now an imperious dowager, the Witch is the primary "villain." But such is the goodhearted nature of the story that when old Sophie goes to the king to plead Howl's case for peace (one of the most remarkable sequences) she magnanimously talks the aging and corpulent Witch into climbing the long stairs to the palace. (The Witch has herself received a royal invitation.) Later, Sophie and Howl will actually give the old Witch shelter at the castle, not for a minute treating her badly because she was responsible for their misfortune. The camaraderie among Sophie, Howl, Markl, Calcifer and the turnip-head scarecrow (who doesn't speak, but instead hops behind Sophie on his peg leg, helping her like a sort of guardian angel) is an understated validation of fellowship. Toward the end, the "action" elements increase, and Howl sprouts actual wings and takes to flight over the battle raging below. The film momentarily looks like a superhero adventure. But the episode is relatively brief, and germane to the story. Miyazaki's utterly absorbing film -- which tops his last masterwork, "Spirited Away" -- works so well on many levels that it can be equally appreciated by children and adults. It imparts clear and admirable messages about abhorring a senseless war, taking a moral stand when you must, having tolerance and respect for the aged, forgiving your adversaries and appreciating life's beauty. The amazingly detailed artwork is a joy to behold. And, best of all, it's not at all formulaic. Joe Hisaishi's affecting score is a far cry from the pop-influenced scoring prevalent in the genre, though there's a pop-sounding ballad (in Japanese) toward the end. If you can imagine a surreal combination of "Beauty and the Beast" and "The Wizard of Oz," with the old biddies from the adult French animated feature "The Triplets of Belleville" thrown in for good measure, you'll have an idea of what's in store here. This English-language version is completely satisfying, and the big-name voices are all superb. How nice to have Jean Simmons in a leading role again, even if we don't actually see her! And also outstanding is Blythe Danner as Madame Suliman, the royal sorceress, in love with Howl. Disney is also releasing the film in the original Japanese with subtitles, which we're sure has its own pleasures. The film contains battle scenes and some frightening images for very young children. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-II -- adults and adolescents. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG -- parental guidance suggested. - - - Forbes is director of the Office for Film & Broadcasting of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. END Copyright (c) 2005 Catholic News Service/USCCB. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed. CNS · 3211 Fourth St NE · Washington DC 20017 · 202.541.3250 |
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