Apparently, the subject matter here - older man falls in love with 15-year-old girl - proved too hot a prospect for many British actors. Ben Kingsley, originally cast in a smaller role, let director Tony Palmer know that he'd "kill for the role" and so Palmer decided to save his neck and cast the 'Gandhi' star. Previously filmed in 1929 as 'The Marriage Playground', starring Frederic March and Mary Brian, this version of Edith Wharton's 1928 novel, 'The Children', was reworked by playwright Timberlake Wertenbaker, who has recently been acclaimed for her work, including 'Our Country's Good'. Fans of the Merchant-Ivory school of Edwardian English period drama may well enjoy a good wallow here, but for others Palmer's lingering pace will soon grate despite the endless, picturesque shots of Venice. The cast is top-heavy with stars, and there's a score that relies heavily on the music of Benjamin Britten and Ralph Vaughan Williams.

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