VIRGIN TERRITORY

US, 2007, 97 minutes, Colour.
Hayden Christensen, Mischa Barton, Tim Roth, Matthew Rhys, Anna Galiena, Rosalind Halstead, Christopher Egan, Rupert Friend, Nigel Planer, David Walliams.
Directed by David Leland.

Virgin Territory is said to be loosely based on The Decameron Nights by Boccaccio. There are some familiar elements, the gardener in the convent, the nuns and their preoccupation with sex… However, it is difficult to know how serious this film is meant to be and how comic – along the lines of Robin Hood, Men in Tights, The Princess Bride, or, using contemporary music, like Sofia Coppola’s Marie Antoinette. However, it is not particularly funny (despite a cameo from David Walliams as a man with a cart) and a whole lot of dirty jokes. The French title for this film was Mediaeval Pie!

After the sex emphasis, the film concentrates on a love triangle, the men vying for the hand of the leading lady, with a touch of gunpowder and swashbuckling swordfights.

The film isn’t particularly witty, the jokes rather obvious, the acting of the principals rather strained. Hayden Christensen is the hero, Mischa Barton is the lady, the object of marriage for Christensen, Tim Roth as the villain (doing variations on his performance in Rob Roy and The Musketeer) and Matthew Rhys, enjoying himself as a Russian count.

The film was written and directed by David Leland, who has written a number of films and television episodes and directed a few films like The Land Girls.

1. The impact of the film as comic, serious, seriocomic?

2. The beauty of the Italian locations, the mediaeval buildings and their style? An authentic look? The musical score, military style, strong beat? The range of songs – from contemporary groups? Incongruous or an amusing comment on the action?

3. The title? The relationship to the characters? Marriage? Premarital sex?

4. The voice-over from Tindaro, his painting, the cherubs on the church roofs? His narration, his observation of Gerbino? Challenging him after dressing as a monk? His concern about Pampinea? His leaving the city, promising to do the wedding? His character, pretending to be a priest, the hearing of confessions of Paminea and Gerbino, the marriage ceremony, his trying to delay it? A serious comic character?

5. Lorenzo, the man about town, pursued by Gerbino’s men, his skill in eluding capture? His love for Pampinea – on what basis? His leaving the city, the encounter with the funeral, the cart carrier and the comedy? His going to the convent after falling from the tree, pretending to be deaf and dumb? Work as a gardener, the sex with the nuns? The meeting with Pampinea and kissing her, blindfolded? His being expelled, going to the country house? The confrontations with Gerbino, the marriage, the swordfight, Gerbino falling down the well? With the count? In love with Pampinea, the kiss, discovering that she was his true love?

6. Pampinea, her father, his death, debts, Gerbino controlling her, wanting to marry her? Promise to the count? Her leaving the city, hiding in the convent, disguised as a nun, the kiss for Lorenzo? Her leaving, the confession, the marriage to Gerbino, the fights, the count and his being in love with Elissa? The happy ending and the kiss with Lorenzo?

7. Gerbino, the villain, control, properties, his henchmen? His seeing the rifle and wanting it? His wanting to marry Pampinea? The pursuit of Lorenzo? The marriage, the confession, the delays, the fight, his death?

8. The count, comic style, reciting his name, the confrontation with Gerbino, the pursuit, using the rifle? His meeting Lorenzo? Finding Pampinea, the encounter with Elissa at the lake, falling in love with her?

9. The presentation of the nuns, all glamorous, Boccaccio’s idea of women trapped in convents, sexuality?

10. The group going to the country house, Filomena, Elissa, the young men? The talk, the young men going off with the women to the dairy? Filomena and her fiery temper? Their being captured, the Tunisian, the devices of the women, the line-up of the men for their virility, getting the keys, the escape?

11. Uncle Bruno, his driving the dray to the country house?

12. The blend of parody, comic style, serious swashbuckling matinee material?