The Marvelous Story of Henry Sugar has been released - Wes Anderson's little masterpiece

On September 27, Netflix premiered The Marvelous Story of Henry Sugar. In 37 minutes, Wes Anderson explains why he can't be written off, and his reasons are compelling.

The film is based on the collection of stories of the same name by Robert Dahl. Anderson has already filmed the writer (“Fantastic Mr. Fox”) and returned to his work 14 years later.

The Marvelous Story of Henry Sugar is the first and longest of four planned Dahl films directed by Wes Anderson for Netflix. The main roles were played by Benedict Cumberbatch, Ralph Fiennes and Ben Kingsley.

Writer Robert Dahl tells the story of Henry Sugar, who came across a story about an Indian magician who learned to read with his eyes closed. Sugar, being a hereditary aristocrat, devoid of vital interests, decides to master this gift, to which he devotes all his free time.

High tempo

The strange timing of the film has nothing to do with the paucity of the story - on the contrary, it is rich in events, colorful characters and unusual locations. By the fifth minute, it becomes clear that Anderson could have made an hour and a half film, simply by adding details and slowing down the pace of the story quite a bit. But the director decides to sacrifice the status of the film (surely, years later, “The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar” will be lost due to timing), but he invests as much as possible in every second.

Sometimes the movie feels like it's rewinding, but it's better described as a fast-paced page turner graphic novel. Intra-shot editing with scenery changes, and sometimes seamless editing, allows the story to unfold without interruption. As with the book, sometimes you have to pause the movie or rewind to get a good look at the background. It is a rare case when it is better to watch a film at home rather than in a cinema.

Incredible scenery (nothing fancy)

Praising a Wes Anderson film for its scenery is like praising salt for being salty. The Marvelous Story of Henry Sugar is absolutely beautiful. There are no scenes in which the background is plain or boring. Although, in essence, this is not a background, but something more.

It gives the story a theatrical feel as every element of the set is visible, be it the stand on which the levitating yogi sits or the bookshelves. The acting adds theatricality to the proceedings. The pace forces us to come up with so many sets that it would be enough for two full-length films, and Ed Wood - for all forty.

It seems like Wes Anderson is the only person in the world who can do this kind of work and just live up to expectations. However, it is his own fault that he got used to this level.

Style, not repetition

Anderson's two previous films areFrench Herald" and "Asteroid City" - were annoying with their visual splendor, within which there was almost no life. The persistent feeling of “playing too hard and drowning in the scenery” affected even the most devoted fans of the director. It seemed that Anderson was doomed to experiments with structure, the purpose of which was to justify the fabulousness of the films and explain why they no longer evoke emotions.

The Miraculous Story of Henry Sugar also relies on metanarratives (as doesAsteroid City", this is a story within a story within a story), but has real emotions. True surprise, the existence of a miracle, unusual life challenges - in this way the film is reminiscent of the director’s early films. The result is not a plastic “French Messenger”, but a brilliantly filmed fairy tale, within the framework of which simplifications of the characters are quite permissible.

The real Cumberbatch

It is unlikely that among the star actors there is anyone more “Andersonian” than Benedict Cumberbatch. It’s even stranger that it wasn’t until 2023 that they worked together.

Cumberbatch has a natural charm matched by a comedic oddity in his appearance. His gift is manifested in his gaze, facial expressions, voice - he is an exemplary comedian who does not even need a good script to make the viewer at least grin.

The borderline between normality and comedy is a hallmark of almost all the main characters in Wes Anderson's films. This is why Cumberbatch is incredible in his role. It seems that he didn’t even need to prepare for it; it was such an accurate hit that the actor was simply required to learn the script.

It's in "Patrick Melrose" or "The Imitation Game" he imitated someone. The role of Henry Sugar requires him to be himself. Cumberbatch's naturalness is striking, especially given the rather abnormal, unusual events of the film. In general, this is definitely the actor’s most striking work in recent years.

“The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar” is a small (in terms of volume) masterpiece from a director who clings to his style with all his might and believes that there is no need to abandon it. But if the two previous films hinted at a creative crisis, the new film gives hope - Anderson is still not lost in the scenery. This time he upped the tempo and showed a theatrical fairy tale, which means that in the future he will probably come up with some other way to make his symmetrical, elaborate shots evoke emotions. Well, if he decides to cast Cumberbatch in every film, then it’s unlikely that anyone will say a word against - not Doctor Strange after all, he has to play.