The Age of Innocence, 1993
Lawyer Newland Archer (Daniel Day-Lewis) is engaged to the youthful May (Winona Ryder). But his life is spun all around when May's cousin, Ellen (Michelle Pfeiffer) arrives to the States fresh from a split--though not an official divorce--from her husband, a wealthy count. As Ellen tries to navigate her new social scene, Newland goes from sympathetic friend to aspiring lover.
This is EXACTLY the kind of literary adaptation that I love: one that keeps the spirit of the novel intact while using cinematic elements to enhance the emotion of the story.
Everything in this movie is on point. The performances, first and foremost, really sing. Da-Lewis is his usual dependable self, and Pfeiffer brings a great mix of vulnerability and steel to her role. Actually, both she and Day-Lewis are playing characters who are vulnerable-but-determined, and their performances and characters compliment each other greatly. Ryder is also solid as the seemingly naive May who always has you wondering just how much she knows of her fiance's infatuation. They are surrounded by a stable of perfect supporting roles like Richard E Grant as one of Ellen's suitors or Miriam Margolyes as Ellen's grandmother.
The look of the film is period piece gorgeous, with just enough granular detail in the costuming and set dressing.
Back when I watched Coppola's
Dracula, I complained about the in-your-face nature of the cinematic elements. But this film shows a way to do such maneuvers and make it fully coherent with the story. There are some great, overt
film moments, such as a shot that dives into Newland's pocket, then through a nesting-doll-like series of envelopes to show us what, finally, is inside. Later, on learning a certain piece of information, the whole room goes dark red. When Newland and Ellen speak at a theater, the camera zooms in on them and everyone around them goes dark. The choices all feel like natural extensions of the emotions of the characters, and specifically how Newland feels about everything.
It's also interesting to see how the film keeps things, very literally, PG-rated. The attraction between Newland and Ellen is confined to glances, hands touching hands, and a 30-second near makeout session. I'm not opposed to sex scenes in romances (historical or otherwise), but it does both heighten the sense of longing and center the emotions and social politics around the characters.
My only complaint is a complaint about the novel and the film. I do not care for the way that May is portrayed as being manipulative and "trapping" Newland. He is the one who actually tries to rush their marriage. And here's a thought: if you don't want someone to possibly be in your life for a long time, you should not have sexual intercourse with that person. Newland is certainly sympathetic (as is Ellen), but the nature of the story makes May the enemy--the impediment to their love. I didn't like how the film sort of rolls with this angle on her character. This is the one downside to how thoroughly the film is in Newland's corner. We're meant to cheer when he asserts that women should have the same social rights as men, and yet also nod along when he says that May is too stupid to ever emancipate herself.
A really sumptuous, well-acted period piece that is more than worth checking out.
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