This is by far one of the most tepid art films I've seen in a long while. I went into the theater with tremendous expectations. These were the people who made Maurice, Howards End, Room With a View. How could it fail?
There are three death blows dealt to this film.
One. James Ivory's direction is slow, uninspired, and mediocre. He doesn't create any tension or passion. The movie's story (which is not complicated) meanders along like a Wagner opera without great music or voices!
Two. The screenplay is very badly written. The actors sound stilted reading it and it makes Henry James seem like the worst author ever to achieve classic status.
Three. The casting is a disaster. Everyone save Anjelica Huston is miscast. Not a single character has any chemistry with any other character. Uma Thurman is simply horrible. She's boring, dull, and unable to create any real interest in this central character. Jeremy Northam is totally unbelievable as an Italian Prince. Chico Marx had a better accent. He creates not an iota of romantic tension or Mediterranean warmth, and they've made him look like Mandy Patinkin!!! Roberto Bengnini would have at least been more interesting! Kate Beckinsale is as vacuous as Thurman and annoyingly bland throughout the movie. And when are the Merchant Ivory people going to realize that Nick Nolte doesn't work in a period costume epic. Listening to him do the lines was liking listening to a high school play. Ughhhh!
The one plus for this movie is the art direction. It's stunning. But you can't look at sets and costumes for 2 1/2 hours without any sparks. And thank God for Anjelica Huston who brought energy that seemed to be lacking everywhere else. Possibly a cast of Julianne Moore, Antonio Banderas, Kate Winslet, and Michael Caine could have breathed life and interest into James's story.
5 thumbs down. Wanted to walk out, but like a fool, I stayed til the bitter end.
There are three death blows dealt to this film.
One. James Ivory's direction is slow, uninspired, and mediocre. He doesn't create any tension or passion. The movie's story (which is not complicated) meanders along like a Wagner opera without great music or voices!
Two. The screenplay is very badly written. The actors sound stilted reading it and it makes Henry James seem like the worst author ever to achieve classic status.
Three. The casting is a disaster. Everyone save Anjelica Huston is miscast. Not a single character has any chemistry with any other character. Uma Thurman is simply horrible. She's boring, dull, and unable to create any real interest in this central character. Jeremy Northam is totally unbelievable as an Italian Prince. Chico Marx had a better accent. He creates not an iota of romantic tension or Mediterranean warmth, and they've made him look like Mandy Patinkin!!! Roberto Bengnini would have at least been more interesting! Kate Beckinsale is as vacuous as Thurman and annoyingly bland throughout the movie. And when are the Merchant Ivory people going to realize that Nick Nolte doesn't work in a period costume epic. Listening to him do the lines was liking listening to a high school play. Ughhhh!
The one plus for this movie is the art direction. It's stunning. But you can't look at sets and costumes for 2 1/2 hours without any sparks. And thank God for Anjelica Huston who brought energy that seemed to be lacking everywhere else. Possibly a cast of Julianne Moore, Antonio Banderas, Kate Winslet, and Michael Caine could have breathed life and interest into James's story.
5 thumbs down. Wanted to walk out, but like a fool, I stayed til the bitter end.