PORTRAIT OF A LADY

UK, 1996, 144 minutes, Colour.
Nicole Kidman, John Malkovich, Barbara Hershey, Martin Donovan, Vigo Mortensen, Mary Louise Parker, Shelley Winters, Richard E.Grant, Shelley Duvall, Christian Bale, John Gielgud.
Directed by Jane Campion.

Written by Laura Jones (An Angel at My Table, Oscar and Lucinda, The Well) and directed by Jane Campion - strong credentials. The film is quite long and moves at a leisurely pace. It is often quite dark. Having seen the film twice, I was surprised how much better it seemed the second time, how much better the artistry seemed and also the performances.

Henry James was a would-be European, fascinated by the age-old experience of Europeans contrasted with the innocence of the Americans abroad. Isabel Archer is a young woman in 1873, a woman with prospects, who inherits a small fortune and is able to make choices for life that other woman of her time would have not possibility of making. She almost ruins her life.
Nicole Kidman is impressive as Isabel, moving from nice ingénue to hurt and disillusioned young woman. She is supported by an outstanding star cast, some in cameo roles, but John Malkovich as the self-absorbed aesthete, Gilbert Osmond, and Barbara Hershey as the calculating Madame Merle stand out. The location photography, especially of Italy, is beautiful. The film requires full attention, once again for the power of the words and for the themes of power, gender and relationships that it is exploring. It is not a light night out.

1.The writings of Henry James and his world? Europe? Americans in Europe? Affluent society? The experienced and the naive and innocent? The roles of men and women? The latter part of the 19th century?

2.The work of Jane Campion, her studies of women, trapped women? Isabel Archer as yet another?

3.The Panavision photography? The cinematic style, the emphasis on close-ups and profiles? Compositions of faces? The contrast with long shots and the English countryside, the mansions? Florence and its buildings, its art? Rome and its beauty? 1870s affluence? The scenes of balls, funerals? The use of colours, cold colours, blue, black? A glacial aspect of the film? The rare use of warm colours? The atmospheric score?
4.The prologue, the women discussing the nature of kissing and affection? Women's and men's responses? The visuals of the portraits of women in the late 20th century? The extended hand and the transition to the title and a portrait of a lady in the 1870s?

5.The strength of the cast? The choice of actors acting against expected type from their other films?

6.Nicole Kidman as Isabel Archer? Her screen presence, style? Her age, her American background, her innocence and naivety, experience in Europe and in England? Her relationship with the Troughtons? Her relationship with her aunt, her aunt wanting to control her? Roger and his illness, her concern about his consumption? Her place in the family, lack of money? Her prospects and the importance of a satisfactory marriage? The transition from the United States to Europe? The portrait of a young lady over a period of five-plus years, a lady in her twenties? Her life before her?

7.Isabel's decision to refuse Warburton's proposal? Her tenderness towards him and yet her firmness? His devotion and his attempts to understand? Roger and his love for his cousin, his desire to marry her, especially after Warburton's refusal? Casper Goodwood and his love for Isabel, following her from Boston to England? Her reasons for rejecting him, finding him distasteful? Her manner in dealing with these men? Her looking into the mirror, exploring her face and her body, herself? A Victorian treatment of sexual desire? Her imagining the three men in her room, their competitive love for her, their gradually vanishing, leaving her to her freedom?

8.John Gielgud as Mr Touchett? His advice to Isabel, about Warburton, about Ralph? The discussions with Ralph about his will? Ralph wanting Isabel to have all the opportunity to choose her life in freedom and not worry about money? Mr Touchett and his dying, his concern for Isabel, the cigarette with his son? Isabel's aunt and her running the household, wanting to control Isabel? Mr Touchett's death, the will, her inheritance? Her puzzlement? Thinking that it came from her uncle and not realising Ralph's intervention? Its giving her a new status? Her friendship with Henrietta, tourism - and the whistling guards in London during their tour? Her plans to go to Europe? The attentions of Casper Goodwood and her continued rejection of them?

9.Her meeting with Madam Merle? Her playing the piano, an attractive older woman, her discussions with Madam Merle, her being a novice - and Madam Merle's planning and `throwing her into an abyss'? The power of her influence, role model?

10.The relationship between Madam Merle and Gilbert Osmond? The past relationship and the audience and Isabel not knowing this? Being introduced to Osmond at the convent, his concern about Pansy, her education and training with the nuns? An authoritarian father? His demands on his daughter? His concern for a suitable and wealthy marriage? The discussions with Madam Merle and his jaded attitude towards life and partners? The artistic dilettante? A lazy man - yet his desire to have influence and power over others? The encounter with Isabel, the attraction, his decision in her regard - for himself, for Pansy? The influence of Madam Merle? Madam Merle and her plan for Isabel and Pansy?

11.Gilbert Osmond in himself, John Malkovich's presence and style? His relationships? Daughter, Madam Merle, Isabel? His sister? His wealth, place in society, art? His devotion as a father? The encounter with Isabel, the nature of her attraction, her curiosity, the mystery of the man and his life, her decision to marry, her inexperience? Her expectations, his expectations? Osmond imposing his expectations on Isabel?

12.The background of Italian society in Florence and Rome? The glimpses of the cities, the outings, the tours, the balls? Madam Merle and her place in this society, wealth, manipulation, gossip? Countess Gemini and her relationship to Gilbert, her place in the household, her relationship with Isabel?

13.The passing of the years, Casper Goodwood and his return after two years and her continued rejection of him? Her continually seeing Ralph and her compassion for him - but not love? Lord Warburton and his concern for Pansy? Isabel finding her place in society? Yet her personal unhappiness? Any love for Osmond? Her obedience - and then her starting to defy him, manipulation? Power and control?

14.Isabel's relationship with Pansy, their having so much in common? Pansy unwilling to step over the line, literally, to disobey her father? Isabel and her asking Pansy to do this - but acknowledging the virtue of obedience? Pansy and her marriage, Lord Warburton and her not loving him? His attentions? Mr Rosier and her encounter with him? His background, personality, lack of wealth, being dismissed by Osmond? His attentions at the dance, engaging Isabel's support? His later return to realise his fortune and to propose to Pansy? Isabel and her attempts at control and manipulation - against her husband, for Rosier, testing Warburton? Her discussions with each of the men? The promise of the letter - and its not arriving, Osmond's view of each man, his becoming more cruel and determined? Isabel becoming more determined?

15.Ralph and Casper in Rome, their continued pursuit of Isabel? Declarations of love? Lord Warburton and his love for Isabel even though he would be prepared to marry Pansy? Isabel and her continued rejection of her suitors?

16.Osmond moving to thwart Isabel's plans by sending Pansy to the convent? Constricting her? Pansy and her final decision not to disobey her father? Madam Merle's presence at the convent - and the Countess Gemini revealing the truth about Madam Merle and Pansy? Madam Merle facing Isabel and trying to acknowledge the truth?

17.Isabel and her decisions, the confrontation with her husband, permission to go to England for Ralph's death? Going to the convent, the truth about Pansy? The truth about Madam Merle? Her decision to go to England? Her deciding to break out of the trap?

18.Isabel's going to England, her being at home at the Touchett house? Discussions with her aunt? The discussions with Ralph, her gradually seeing his continued devotion to her, the prospect of his death, going to his room, lying beside him, the reticence but quality of the love?

19.The final discussions with Casper Goodwood, the passing of the years, his insistence on his love? Her not wanting to face this?

20.After the discussions with Casper Goodwood, her running, the film going into slow motion - Isabel breaking free of all of the men, the nature of her experience, the years of hardness and not revealing her true self, her being cold? The years of manipulation by Madam Merle and Osmond as well as others? The experience of being manipulated - and the further possibilities of freedom?

21.A satisfying adaptation of a classic novel? Novel on screen and an interpretation of a literary source? Characters? Issues? The relevance of these issues of the 1870s to the 20th and 21st centuries?