Portrait of a Lady
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VHS Movie Reviews of Portrait of a Lady
Movie Review: MALE - ORDERED BRIDE.
Summary: 5 Stars
NICOLE KIDMAN delicately dominates this superb adaptation of the James novel directed with great sense and feeling by Jane Campion.Yes, it's still another 'view into the life' of the so easily misled [we think....] Victorian lady, but at least there's hope at the end of this one. This one takes us back to a time when women were considered to be 'husband's property' - just another bauble. Same scenario too - wealth, greed, lies, sensuality, violence [that 'discipline scene with Mr. Malkovich!], and yet more lies and finally truth.
Barbara Hershey 'shines' as the tortured and initially mysterious Madame Serena [apt name] Merle, a somewhat shady figure - hooking it all together, but it's Nicole Kidman's gradual awakening to the horrors of male dominated marriage that remains with the viewer.
Beautifully photographed and costumed, this is a must see and have for the serious collector.
Movie Review: MIXED UP SCENE SEQUENCES
Summary: 4 Stars
I love Henry James' works. "Portrait . . ." is my favorite novel. I've read the book twice. However, Director Campion must not know the story line very well, because some scene sequences are reversed, which detract greatly from the impact of the story unfolding. Campion must not have picked up on these "errors" because they are not flashbacks. They are too close in the sequencing. For example: In the beginning Isabel arrives at her uncle's London Manor and then the next scenario is of her still in America packing. Also late in the film/book (when the secret of Osmond's daughter is about to be made known) there is an error. In the book Isabel first visits Osmond's daughter at the convent and meets Madame Merle also visiting and wonders why. Later the housekeeper tells her Madame Merle is the mother and it all becomes clear to Isabel and the reader. In the film Isabel is told first that Madame Merle is the girl's mother and then she visits the daughter at the convent and finds Madame Merle, which is anticlimactic. Also in the book the heroine's rejection of Caspar Goodwood is much earlier. These switches in sequencing appear to be gross errors and detract alot from the film for people who know the story well. I had my heart set on it being "perfect!!"Movie Review: MIXED UP SCENE SEQUENCES
Summary: 4 Stars
I love Henry James' works. "Portrait . . ." is my favorite novel. I've read the book twice. However, Director Campion must not know the story line very well, because some scene sequences are reversed, which detract greatly from the impact of the story unfolding. Campion must not have picked up on these "errors" because they are not flashbacks. They are too close in the sequencing. For example: In the beginning Isabel arrives at her uncle's London Manor and then the next scenario is of her still in America packing. Also late in the film/book (when the secret of Osmond's daughter is about to be made known) there is an error. In the book Isabel first visits Osmond's daughter at the convent and meets Madame Merle also visiting and wonders why. Later the housekeeper tells her Madame Merle is the mother and it all becomes clear to Isabel and the reader. In the film Isabel is told first that Madame Merle is the girl's mother and then she visits the daughter at the convent and finds Madame Merle, which is anticlimactic. Also in the book the heroine's rejection of Caspar Goodwood is much earlier. These switches in sequencing appear to be gross errors and detract alot from the film for people who know the story well. I had my heart set on it being "perfect!!"Movie Review: Love amoung the repressed!
Summary: 5 Stars
I would have to say that Kidman is outstanding in this film as well as Martin Donovan, who plays her plays her sickly cousin.Some might find this film boring and too long, this is probaly because there are no car chases, ha!
I love the end the best, it is great:)
Movie Review: Something's just a little off
Summary: 3 Stars
The moment that I finished reading the James novel, I rushed out to rent a movie adaptation of it. Although the film was visually stunning, I felt that it didn't portray the Isabel, Gilbert, Henrietta, and Madame Merle that I had come to know. I found the book to be satisfyingly depressing, but this movie was just harshly and hurtfully depressing. Also, the finale, haunting as it was, didn't even intimate how Isabel leaves Caspar Goodwood in England and goes back to Rome; it let the viewer believe that she might actually stay with him. Either this was an enormous oversight or I am just missing out on a deeper meaning created by Campion; more likely the latter since no one else has commented on this. Anyway, although it followed closely to the novel, I still found it disappointing.