Premiere is a family affair

Natasha Richardson stars in the film opposite Ralph Fiennes.
11 April 2012
The Weekender

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The premiere of one of the final Merchant Ivory collaborations, The White Countess, turned into a family affair last night.

Screen legend Vanessa Redgrave, 69, her sister Lynn and Vanessa's daughter Natasha Richardson all star in the movie - opposite Ralph Fiennes.

The film, set in Shanghai in the late 1930s, was one of the last to be made by the acclaimed James Ivory and Ismail Merchant partnership, before producer Merchant died in May last year.

Richardson, 42, who plays penniless Russian emigre Countess Sofia was with her mother, who is cast as Sofia's aunt Sara, at tonight's premiere.

Lynn, who plays Sofia's sullen mother-in-law, was not able to attend the event.

Of the family casting, Richardson said: "We certainly had a laugh and a gossip. We worked on scenes together, on how we could make them better. We share an approach to the work.

"I wanted to do this film because it offered a wonderful opportunity. Parts like these don't come along that often. It was a wonderful opportunity to play opposite Ralph and my mother and all the rest of the fine cast."

Richardson, who was wearing a white Vera Wang gown, added sadly: "I wish Ismail was here with us today."

The White Countess is the first Merchant Ivory film to be shot in China and charts the relationship between a blind American ex-diplomat (Fiennes) and Countess Sofia.

Merchant and Ivory have made more than 40 films together, including A Room With A View, triple Oscar-winner Howard's End and The Remains Of The Day.

Ivory said tonight: "We cast Natasha right away. We thought she would be very good in this part and then we thought it would be great to get Vanessa onboard and Lynn and she was free, too.

"What came out of that is one of the tangible strengths of the film."
He said that the Merchant Ivory name would continue and that he was set to work on another film which Merchant was involved in before he died at the age of 68.

He said: "This is not the last Merchant Ivory film, it's not even the last film Ismail worked on.

"I'm going to work on a film in Argentina which Ismail helped prepare."
Another family duo are also in The White Countess, stage actress Madeleine Potter and her daughter Madeleine Daly, 10.

Vanessa attended on a crutch while Fiennes, who has recently split from his partner Francesca Annis, did not talk to the print media.

Others who attended tonight included Carole Thatcher, Tom Parker Bowles, Honor Blackman and Sarah Ferguson.

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