Rating: 
Summary: How farce will you go?
Review: "Triumph of Love" is a lighthearted romp, a farce, very sweetly presented in this production of Marivaux's 1732 play. Clare Peploe, wife of producer Bernardo Bertolucci, directs this zany cast through its labyrinthine plot. Mira Sorvino is enchanting as the beautiful princess going to great lengths to secure her throne and fall in love. Her maid Hermidas is intelligently played by Rachael Stirling, Diana Rigg's daughter. Ben Kingsley as Hermocrates does a great job of moving from stoic philosopher to melting schoolboy in love. Aunt Petunia -- or excuse me -- Irish actress Fiona Shaw, who may have a hard time overcoming the recognition from her Harry Potter appearances, positively shines as the uptight Leontine who falls for the romantic murmurings of Phocion, who is really the princess disguised as a man. Newcomer Jay Rodan plays Agis whose bare derriere sends the princess' heart aflutter. Completing the cast are Ignazio Oliva as Harlequin and Luis Molteni as Dimas, the two servants who are comically bribed. I didn't quite know what to make of seeing the modern day audience flash in and out of frame or the modern day curtain call at the end. It seemed a bit artsy and jarring for me. But I found the film to be quite endearing and well-performed. Enjoy!
Rating:
Summary: How farce will you go?
Review: "Triumph of Love" is a lighthearted romp, a farce, very sweetly presented in this production of Marivaux's 1732 play. Clare Peploe, wife of producer Bernardo Bertolucci, directs this zany cast through its labyrinthine plot. Mira Sorvino is enchanting as the beautiful princess going to great lengths to secure her throne and fall in love. Her maid Hermidas is intelligently played by Rachael Stirling, Diana Rigg's daughter. Ben Kingsley as Hermocrates does a great job of moving from stoic philosopher to melting schoolboy in love. Aunt Petunia -- or excuse me -- Irish actress Fiona Shaw, who may have a hard time overcoming the recognition from her Harry Potter appearances, positively shines as the uptight Leontine who falls for the romantic murmurings of Phocion, who is really the princess disguised as a man. Newcomer Jay Rodan plays Agis whose bare derriere sends the princess' heart aflutter. Completing the cast are Ignazio Oliva as Harlequin and Luis Molteni as Dimas, the two servants who are comically bribed. I didn't quite know what to make of seeing the modern day audience flash in and out of frame or the modern day curtain call at the end. It seemed a bit artsy and jarring for me. But I found the film to be quite endearing and well-performed. Enjoy!
Rating:
Summary: How farce will you go?
Review: "Triumph of Love" is a lighthearted romp, a farce, very sweetly presented in this production of Marivaux's 1732 play. Clare Peploe, wife of producer Bernardo Bertolucci, directs this zany cast through its labyrinthine plot. Mira Sorvino is enchanting as the beautiful princess going to great lengths to secure her throne and fall in love. Her maid Hermidas is intelligently played by Rachael Stirling, Diana Rigg's daughter. Ben Kingsley as Hermocrates does a great job of moving from stoic philosopher to melting schoolboy in love. Aunt Petunia -- or excuse me -- Irish actress Fiona Shaw, who may have a hard time overcoming the recognition from her Harry Potter appearances, positively shines as the uptight Leontine who falls for the romantic murmurings of Phocion, who is really the princess disguised as a man. Newcomer Jay Rodan plays Agis whose bare derriere sends the princess' heart aflutter. Completing the cast are Ignazio Oliva as Harlequin and Luis Molteni as Dimas, the two servants who are comically bribed. I didn't quite know what to make of seeing the modern day audience flash in and out of frame or the modern day curtain call at the end. It seemed a bit artsy and jarring for me. But I found the film to be quite endearing and well-performed. Enjoy!
Rating:
Summary: 18th Century French Farce played to a fare-thee-well!
Review: Another movie missed in the theatrical release, this DVD caught the eye because of the sterling cast and the fact that Bernardo Bertolucci was connected to it. Happy accident! TRIUMPH OF LOVE is a fine period piece which, though thoroughly cinematic, plays (before an occasionally glimpsed modern day dress audience in the garden)as a theater piece. The oft-used altered identity technique (woman dresses as man dresses as woman etc depending on the object of the game of courtship)is well traversed by Mira Sorvino who manages to stand tall (!) in the company of such fine British actors as Ben Kingsley (as a delicious fudd of a philosopher who can make a 180 degree turnaround of character a true acting feat), Fiona Shaw, Rachel Stirling, and Jay Rodan. The settings are beautiful, the costumes creatively correct and the music score is additive. The only flaws are in the rather glichy editing that makes the movie a bit broken at times. But overall, this is a fine outing courtesy of Bernardo Bertolucci. Highly recommended.
Rating:
Summary: 18th Century French Farce played to a fare-thee-well!
Review: Another movie missed in the theatrical release, this DVD caught the eye because of the sterling cast and the fact that Bernardo Bertolucci was connected to it. Happy accident! TRIUMPH OF LOVE is a fine period piece which, though thoroughly cinematic, plays (before an occasionally glimpsed modern day dress audience in the garden)as a theater piece. The oft-used altered identity technique (woman dresses as man dresses as woman etc depending on the object of the game of courtship)is well traversed by Mira Sorvino who manages to stand tall (!) in the company of such fine British actors as Ben Kingsley (as a delicious fudd of a philosopher who can make a 180 degree turnaround of character a true acting feat), Fiona Shaw, Rachel Stirling, and Jay Rodan. The settings are beautiful, the costumes creatively correct and the music score is additive. The only flaws are in the rather glichy editing that makes the movie a bit broken at times. But overall, this is a fine outing courtesy of Bernardo Bertolucci. Highly recommended.
Rating:
Summary: Shakespearian in spirit
Review: Doubtless the title of this movie will ring a bell with those who remember the short-lived Broadway musical of the same name, which featured Susan Egan, F. Murray Abraham and Betty Buckley. Based on an early eighteenth century play by French playwright Marivaux, this work can quite easily be compared to Shakespeare in its plot. A young and beautiful princess (sometimes called Leonide, but not here) has fallen in love with the rightful heir to the throne--and her sworn mortal enemy--Agis. Agis has been kept secluded from the outside world by his aunt and uncle, both of whom are serious, strict philosophers who have no time or patience for anything that does not have to do with logic and thought. This, of course, includes love. In order to get close to her beloved, the princess must first get through to both of these characters. She does so by first posing as a young man called Phocion; she succeeds in seducing Agis's aunt, Leontine, but cannot fool her brother, Hermocrates. The Princess then passes herself off as a young woman named Aspasie and works her way into his heart, while still diligently pursuing Agis. As with all plays like this, things are bound to come out, and they do. The casting in this film was all first-rate, particularly that of Mira Sorvino as the scheming Princess. The costumes, scenery, and music add a whimsical touch to an already whimsical story. One must applaud the creativity of the director/screenwriters, in choosing to make it appear as though this is not a movie, but a play performance captured on film. Highly recommended.
Rating: 
Summary: What a great story and movie!
Review: How funny! We rented this recently because we had just ordered the musical also adapted from the same play (which is also excellent, by the way). We couldn't stop laughing! The plot just kept getting thicker and thicker as the princess sunk deeper and deeper into these webs she was spinning, and the reactions of everyone around her just made for a very good story. The acting in this is superb by all involved. Ben Kingsley, as always, was brilliant, and I've never liked Fiona Shaw more! Sorvino was a new one for me, but she too did a wonderful job.
This movie does have the feel of a stage play, in the way it's filmed and the clips and angles chosen, but I do not think that it detracts from the film at all. On the contrary, it's nice to see a recent film made in this fashion - few films do a play justice anymore.
Highly recommend!
Rating:
Summary: What a great story and movie!
Review: How funny! We rented this recently because we had just ordered the musical also adapted from the same play (which is also excellent, by the way). We couldn't stop laughing! The plot just kept getting thicker and thicker as the princess sunk deeper and deeper into these webs she was spinning, and the reactions of everyone around her just made for a very good story. The acting in this is superb by all involved. Ben Kingsley, as always, was brilliant, and I've never liked Fiona Shaw more! Sorvino was a new one for me, but she too did a wonderful job.
This movie does have the feel of a stage play, in the way it's filmed and the clips and angles chosen, but I do not think that it detracts from the film at all. On the contrary, it's nice to see a recent film made in this fashion - few films do a play justice anymore.
Highly recommend!
Rating: 
Summary: Pointless and Stupid...a Waste of Time--1 Star is too many
Review: I had to watch it twice to get through it. At first, I thought, "how sick is that! She's "leading on" all three people, tricking that poor woman into thinking she's a man!" I thought it was cruel, and stupid, and sick. The second time, I managed to gut it out all the way through, and thought, "wow, that really WAS cruel, stupid and sick." I realize it was a fictional story (which is probably a good thing for the Princess because we all know that would never work in the real world, 18th century OR 21st century), but I found it to be a complete waste of time. The Princess' remorse doesn't even save her in my eyes, she just shouldn't have done it. The only saving grace for this movie is that it can keep you hanging on, waiting to see the whole situation blow up in the Princess' face. I can say, I think the period costumes seemed very well done, and the actors did a good job with what they had to work with...an otherwise pretty lousy story. Call me old fashion, I still like movies and stories where people do the right thing for the right reason.
Rating:
Summary: wow!
Review: I haven't seen the DVD, I have, however, just seen the movie in the theater. It was fabulous! Mira Sorvino gave such an incredible performance it wowed me. I had previously had her stereotyped as a dumb blond from her role in Romy and Michelle's High School Reunion, but she gave such an incredible performance, I'll no longer stereotype her in any role, but I am now a loyal fan. Also giving a great performance was the GEORGOUS Jan Rodan!! Parts of the movie were so funny, I was cracking up in the theater! I'd give the movie more than 5 stars but that's what I'm limited to.
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