The Portrait of a Lady **** (1996, Nicole Kidman, John Malkovich) – Classic Movie Review 1264

Director Jane Campion’s 1996 period drama literary adaptation is a chilly but excellent version of the Henry James novel, set in 1870s England.

Everything about it is extremely plush, subtle, expert and just right. Nicole Kidman is superb as the heroine, Isabel Archer, a free-thinking American heiress who travels to Europe and is torn between the independence she believes in and her discovery of love. John Malkovich and Barbara Hershey are creepily effective as Gilbert Osmond and Serena Merle, the American dilettante architects of her misfortune.

It must have been a shock for everyone concerned that it wasn’t more popular at the box-office and that the reviews were grudging.

Mary Louise Parker, Martin Donovan, Shelley Winters, Richard E Grant, Shelley Duvall, Christian Bale, Viggo Mortensen and John Gielgud bolster the brilliant cast.

Laura Jones makes a lovely job of the screenplay adaptation, Stuart Dryberg’s cinematography is glorious, Janet Patterson’s production designs exceptional and Wojciech Kilar’s score is striking. In what she makes look like a labour of love, Campion ensures that everything is beautifully crafted.

(C) Derek Winnert 2014 Classic Movie Review 1264

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