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Customer Reviews of Wild Duck, The

"Self-deception is the stimulating principle of life."
Originally produced in 1983, this 93-minute adaptation of Henrik Ibsen's play stars Jeremy Irons, Liv Ullmann, and Lucinda Jones. The mostly British cast uses Anglicized versions of the original Norwegian names, though the themes, mood, and conflict remain true to the original. Harold Ackland (Irons) and his wife Gina (Ullmann) live modestly, operating a photography studio where Harold dreams of inventing a machine which will change his fortunes. His father lives in the attic and raises rabbits there, dreaming of his former life as a hunter and soldier and trying to forget his imprisonment for cutting timber on public lands, a business venture he shared with a partner, Mr. Wardle, who avoided trial.

When thirteen-year-old Henrietta Ackland is given a wounded wild duck, which has been retrieved from the bottom of a pond, she and her grandfather nurse it back to health, treating the bird as the rarity it is, since wounded wild ducks would rather drown than be captured alive. The fourteen year marriage of Harold and Gina is brought to the breaking point when Harold questions whether he is really Henrietta's father and accuses Gina of dishonesty, and their deteriorating relationship ultimately affects every other person in the play.

Director Henri Safran takes full advantage of the talents of his brilliant cast, showcasing them in revealing close-ups and emphasizing the changing moods through contrasts in lighting. Harold (Irons), self-indulgent and spoiled, reveals a cruelty held barely in check. Gina (Ullmann) suffers with dignity, and Henrietta (Jones) is as tearful as one would expect of a child and as determined to make things right as a willful teenager. The themes of reality vs. dreams and of truth vs. self-deception raise religious and ethical questions which are so obvious (and even dogmatic) that in the hands of lesser actors these pronouncements could overwhelm the play with moralizing.

The sharp contrast between light and dark scenes, along with the use of the staircases, continues the symbolism and thematic development, should anyone have missed it. The symbol of the wild duck and its fate are clearly presented, and the ending unifies the action and the themes, though the climax is more melodramatic than modern audiences may expect. By no means subtle in its message or its development, the story is still effective and moving in the hands of these actors. Mary Whipple