Brideshead Revisited 2008

As a young man at Oxford University, Charles Ryder’s artistic aspirations are temporarily sidetracked by his fascination with the extravagant world of Lord Sebastian Flyte, a flamboyant and wealthy aristocrat. Their unlikely friendship is forged amidst the grandeur of the Marchmain family estate, Brideshead, where Charles is captivated not only by the opulent surroundings but also by the enigmatic residents, including Lady Marchmain, a devout Roman Catholic, and her children, Bridey, Julia, and Cordelia. Sebastian’s mother, however, disapproves of her son’s lifestyle, particularly his heavy drinking.

When Lord Marchmain invites Sebastian and Julia to visit him and his mistress Cara in Venice, Lady Marchmain sees an opportunity for Charles to exert a positive influence on her wayward son. As Charles grows increasingly enamored with Julia, he finds himself drawn into a complicated web of emotions, unaware that Sebastian is watching their every move from the other side of a canal. The tension between them reaches a boiling point when Sebastian becomes jealous of Charles’ attention towards his sister.

The seeds of discord are sown as Lady Marchmain makes it clear that Charles cannot marry Julia due to his lack of Catholic faith and professed atheism. Meanwhile, Sebastian’s mother grows increasingly concerned about her son’s worsening addiction, canceling his allowance in a desperate attempt to curb his behavior. It is during this tumultuous period that Ryder befriends Sebastian, who has already begun to drown his sorrows in drink.

The situation becomes even more dire when Lady Marchmain announces Julia’s engagement to Rex Mottram, a Canadian businessman. Sebastian arrives at the celebration late and improperly dressed, leading to an embarrassing scene that ultimately forces him to flee the party. In her private rebuke of Charles, Lady Marchomain announces that he is no longer welcome at Brideshead, sending Sebastian into exile in Morocco.

Four years pass, marked by Lady Marchmain’s terminal illness. She implores Charles to find Sebastian and bring him home, prompting Ryder to embark on a perilous journey to the Moroccan desert. However, Sebastian is too ill to return, trapped as he is in a hospital with fluid in one of his lungs, where doctors warn that he is too sick to travel.

Time continues to march forward, marked by Julia’s marriage to Rex and Charles’ own union. As an artist, Charles achieves success, but the memories of Brideshead and its enigmatic residents continue to haunt him, a poignant reminder of the complexities and contradictions that defined his youth.

As Charles and Julia (Julia) find themselves reunited on an ocean liner traversing the vast expanse between New York and Britain, it becomes alarmingly apparent that their ardor remains unextinguished. With the weight of their respective spouses’ constraints momentarily lifted, they resolve to abandon their current lives and embark upon a new chapter together. Upon returning to Brideshead, Charles sets his sights on persuading Rex to relinquish his claim to Julia, hoping to secure her hand in marriage. Initially, Rex appears resolute in his refusal to part with her, casting aspersions on Charles’s motives and implying that he is merely seeking to claim the estate for himself. However, after a momentary lapse of reason, Rex relents, consenting to release Julia from their arranged marriage in exchange for two of Charles’s prized paintings, which have taken on a new significance as a shrewd investment opportunity. As an added caveat, Rex reveals that he converted to Catholicism solely to win Julia’s affections and decries Charles for his reluctance to follow suit, feeling that this lack of devotion has rendered their union unpalatable. Julia overhears these revelations, her shock and indignation giving way to a sense of being bartered goods.

With their marital arrangements settled, Charles and Julia prepare to depart Brideshead, only to be thwarted by the arrival of Lord Marchmain and Cara at the estate. As they settle in for what will prove to be Lord Marchmain’s final days on this earth, he finds solace in his faith, ultimately passing away reconciled with the Roman Catholic Church.

Deeply moved by her father’s transformation, Julia is compelled to reevaluate her own spiritual convictions, ultimately deciding that she cannot relinquish her faith to pursue a life with Charles. With heavy hearts, the two part ways once more.

Years later, as the Second World War rages on, a disillusioned Charles finds himself back at Brideshead, this time serving as a military base. As he navigates the tumultuous landscape of war, a corporal shares the news that Julia is serving overseas with the women’s services and that her elder brother, Bridey, has fallen victim to the devastating effects of the Blitz.

As Charles seeks solace in the family chapel, he discovers a solitary lit candle casting its gentle glow. With reverent hands, he dips into the holy water, intending to extinguish the flame, but ultimately decides against it, allowing the warm light to burn on, a poignant reminder of his enduring connection to Julia and the world that lies beyond the fray of war.