Back To Index The House of Mirth
 Barnes & Noble A New York socialite circa 1905 learns hard life lessons in this beautifully austere period piece from British director Terence Davies (The Neon Bible). Based on Edith Whartons celebrated novel, it stars Gillian Anderson (The X-Files) as Lily Bart, a young, husband-hunting society woman whose unique blend of integrity and naiveté leads to her exile from the world of privilege. Davies charts Barts spectacularly steep fall from grace with superb restraint, allowing the story to unfold slowly and quietly, with subtly executed scenes that work as set pieces. Insinuation and innuendo propel the story line, which is punctuated by the briefest moments of intense emotion. Anderson plays the lead with a perfect combination of strength and vulnerability, allowing Barts charm to fray in the face of adversity while keeping her dignity intact. The helpless witness to Barts seemingly inexorable downward slide is a young lawyer (Eric Stoltz), the only man for whom she harbors genuine affection, but here true love offers little promise of lasting happiness. The House of Mirth is anything but mirthful, yet its no tearjerker, either. Rather, a permeating sense of hopelessness, unfettered by any overt sentimentality, results in a film that rises above typical period fare into a realm of hushed introspection as it contemplates Barts fate and the irrelevance of truth in the face of propriety. Gregory Baird Interested in the song lyrics? - Check out themostlyrics.com! Looking For A DVD? - Check out dvd-a-rama.com! |
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