THE PORTRAIT OF A LADY (PG)
Director: Jane Campion
Stars: Nicole Kidman, John Malkovich, Barbara Hershey,
Martin Donovan, Mary-Louise Parker, Shelley Winters, Richard E Grant, Christian Bale, Shelley Duvall, Viggo Mortensen,
John Gielgud, Valentina Cervi
Running Time: 142 minutes.
For many, Jane Campion's eagerly anticipated adaptation of Henry James' novel The Portrait Of A Lady, her follow up to the
highly acclaimed Oscar winning The Piano, will prove to be something of a major disappointment. With his dry tone, long
descriptive passages, and in depth analysis of the characters, James is not the easiest of writers to read, and transferring his
complex novel to the screen is a demanding task for any film maker. Campion and writer Laura Jones (An Angel At My
Table, etc) have pared away much of the novel's early scenes to produce a literate and intelligent screenplay that concentrates
on the melodramatic qualities of the central story, although with mixed results.
Like most of Campion's films, The Portrait Of A Lady is a subtle and enigmatic melodrama seething with repressed sexuality,
that deals with a headstrong, independent and innocent young woman determined to face life and establish her own identity on
her terms. Set against the comfortable splendour and decadence of the Victorian era, the dark edged narrative contrasts the
more romantic and enriching ideals espoused by the refined English society folk with the brutal realities of the sexual corruption
and emotional depravity of European society.
The heroine of James' novel is Isabel Archer (Nicole Kidman), an orphaned American who comes to England to live with her
distant relatives, the Touchetts, in the early 1870's. Fiercely independent and preferring to experience life on her own terms,
she rejects a number of marriage proposals from wealthy, influential and eligible bachelors who would certainly guarantee her
status within society. Due to the benevolence of her consumptive and ailing cousin Ralph (Martin Donovan), Isabel inherits a
small fortune, which she is determined to use in order to travel and gain experience of the world.
It is while visiting Rome that she falls into the sphere of the enigmatic Madame Merle (Barbara Hershey) and her sinister,
self-centred companion Gilbert Osmond (John Malkovich), who eventually seduces her for the money. Despite the warnings
of Ralph and her friends, the head strong Isabel marries Osmond, and eventually she finds herself completely dominated by
him as he exerts a hypnotic influence over her and moulds her to his own design, stifling and crushing her spirit and her highly
prized sense of independence. Her small acts of rebellion and defiance are severely punished, and Osmond never wastes an
opportunity to humiliate his wife or his convent raised only daughter Pansy (Italian actress Valentina Cervi in her first English
speaking role). It is only after she learns Osmond's dark secret that Isabel is able to find the strength to break away from
Osmond for good and attempt to start her life anew.
However, it is in the casting of the central character of Isabel that Campion has let both the film and audiences down. Despite
having a fragile and delicate porcelain beauty that is suitable for the role as the rebellious society matron, Kidman seems totally
unsuited to the part, her biggest and most demanding role yet. Her stolid performance lacks the necessary depth and emotional
range to effectively portray the turmoil of emotions, repressed sexuality and inner fire of this complex and challenging
character. Malkovich, who has established a fine reputation for playing malevolent characters, was originally cast in the role of
the doomed cousin Ralph, but stepped into the part of the reptilian Osmond after William Hurt had doubts about the role. He
relishes the role of the slimy, repellent and unfathomable Svengali-like Osmond, suffusing the unlikeable character with his usual
suave and sophisticated grace tinged with an unsettlingly sleazy edge.
Campion has also assembled an impressive supporting stars to die for, although veterans John Gielgud and Shelley Winters, as
Ralph's elderly parents, are virtually wasted in small roles that give them little to do. There are solid performances from
Hershey, Christian Bale, Richard E Grant, Mary-Louise Parker, and Donovan, who obviously enjoys this rare opportunity to
explore a character of greater depth and substance than usually permitted by the minimalist style preferred by his regular
director Hal Hartley.
The other main problem facing this ambitious and lavish, big budget film comes from the disjointed rhythm of the narrative and
the uneven pacing. At times this flawed portrait is numbingly slow and laboured, and, with a running time just shy of two and a
half hours, this disappointing film is something of a torturous slog for audiences. On the positive side, Campion's film is certainly
gorgeous looking, with great attention paid to costumes and period detail, and sumptuous locations in both England and
Europe that evoke the lazy wealth and comfortable life style of society's elite. Where possible, Campion has set her film amidst
the glorious villas and the luxurious gardens of Rome, Florence and rural England, which have all been breathtakingly
photographed by her regular collaborator Stuart Drysburgh. Wojciech Kilar's haunting score also adds to the film's
atmosphere.