Drama: A young American woman in 19th century Europe yearns to experience life and gets more than she expected.
PLOT:
Isabel Archer (NICOLE KIDMAN) is a young American woman who yearns for experiencing life in the 1800's while living with the Touchett's, a wealthy English family. When the patriarch (JOHN GIELGUD) dies, it's learned that her cousin Ralph (MARTIN DONOVAN (II)) convinced his father to leave a large inheritance to her so that she could fulfill her dream. She does so with the help of her American friend Henrietta Stackpole (MARY-LOUISE PARKER), whom the family considers a bohemian. It's during this time that another woman, Madame Serena Merle (BARBARA HERSHEY), introduces Isabel to Gilbert Osmond (JOHN MALKOVICH), the father of a young girl, Pansy (VALENTINA CERVI). Isabel and Osmond are later married and he acquires her wealth through their union. Soon she discovers that Osmond isn't the man she thought she had married and loses her self esteem. After some time she learns the true reasons behind Merle's involvement with their marriage, and in particular, to Osmond. She eventually regains her confidence and goes to the man she's always loved, her cousin Ralph, who's dying of an incurable disease.
WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT?
Unless they're fans of the novel or of Kidman, it's highly unlikely that they'll want to see this one.
WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: PG-13
For mature sensuality and some brief nudity.
CAST AS ROLE MODELS:
NICOLE KIDMAN plays a young woman who wants to experience life, but instead strangely marries a rather unsavory fellow and thus is miserable for most of the rest of the film.
JOHN MALKOVICH plays a deceitful and unsavory character who takes advantage of Isabel's inexperience in life, and marries her for her money.
While this much anticipated film version of the well-known novel is luscious to look at, it's an incredibly boring production. We have to admit that we haven't read the Henry James novel, but we certainly hope that there's more to it than this film brings to the screen. It does look great, as director Jane Campion bathes many of the scenes in the customary golden light to induce feelings of opulence, wealth and a late 19th century setting. It also has the obligatory wonderful costumes and occasional drab dreariness of European weather. And the actors and actresses involved certainly give it their all, but they can't compete against the dull and pace-challenged plot. Now it is possible that Campion (who directed the wonderful movie "The Piano") was aiming to make us feel trapped (in the theater) the way the Isabel must feel (by her unfortunate choice of marriage), but we doubt that this is the case. And Nicole Kidman, whose previous work we've enjoyed, does her best to get an Oscar nomination for the best and most prolific crying on screen. Sorry, but that just doesn't cut it, especially when it's done in so many scenes. And if her character was such a strong willed, independent woman, she never would have allowed herself to get into such a predicament (Why does she marry Osmond when earlier she wanted to explore the world, and looked at marriage as a trap?). Even if she did, she certainly would have gotten out of it faster than she does here and would have done so without being such an emotional "wimp." The rest of the cast is good and Malkovich gives what's becoming his customary "ready to bite like a snake" creepy performance that used to be fascinating to watch, but now has become old hat. Sorry, but we weren't impressed by this boring production. We give it a 2 out of 10.
OUR WORD TO PARENTS:
There isn't very much to object to in this production. There are two sexually related scenes, one where Isabelle fantasizes about making out with three men at the same time (with one fondling her clothed breasts) and another where there's a quick black and white glimpse of a bare butt and breasts. There's just a little drinking and smoking, and a few slapping scenes make up the violence that's present. Other than what's listed under Sex/Nudity, there's nothing here that you wouldn't find while watching broadcast TV.
Isabelle has a fantasy where she and three men are making out on her bed. One passionately kisses her, while another fondles her clothed breasts and the third is between her legs and kissing the inside of her knee. The scene ends when the men dissolve away into thin air.
Osmond kisses Madame Merle on the neck.
In a quick black and white sequence, Isabelle's bare butt and breasts are seen.
![[Screen It]](/images/underground_header.jpg)
