Rachel's Man

The biblical saga of Jacob (Whiting), who received his father's blessing instead of Esau, ran away and fell in love with Rachel (Bat-Adam), courted her for seven years, but then got fobbed off with her elder sister (Tushingham). Lots of simple sunny visuals, combined with some flashy photography, make the film look like a cross between a Russell Flint watercolour and a Pirelli calendar. Attempts to beef up a desperately slim story include much emphasis on Jacob and Rachel's love story, some discreet nudity, a couple of songs 'Smother Me With Kisses For Ya Love Is Sweeter Than Wine', and an outrageously hammy (but thankfully diverting) performance from Rooney, offering his interpretation of the original Jewish businessman. Overall, the film's attempts to capture the measured pace of the Old Testament are terribly laboured, making it seem twice as long as it actually is.