Rating: 
Summary: Completely Absorbing
Review: I went into House of Mirth with considerable expectations - both the novel and Gillian Anderson are high on my list of favorites. I had put off viewing the DVD out of fear that it would disappoint, but there was no need - it was wonderful.Gillian Anderson has the ability to pull the viewer completely into her world - whatever it may be. Her subtlety is perfect for the role of Lily Bart - propelling this film into my personal top ten list. Without giving too much away, Anderson's Bart is a beautiful study of grace and dignity under pressure. The tone and style of the film is as close as possible to that of the novel - very well done.
Rating: 
Summary: No Mirth here.
Review: This movie definitely needed a laugh or two; it was deathly dull. Gillian Anderson's dialogue sounded as if she was reading from a book, and the rest of the characters weren't much better. We didn't particularly care what happened at the end; we just wanted the tedious affair to expire. These period piece usually don't move very fast anyway, but this one made glaciers look like tornadoes in comparison. The DVD picture quality was uneven; some shots were spectacular, while others (expecially those with Ms. Anderson) looked like they were shot through some sort of filter. I know this film was well received by most critics. I guess we just missed the point.
Rating: 
Summary: Stunning performance by Gillian Anderson
Review: I watched this movie purely because Gillian Anderson of the X-files was starring in it. As an X-files fan, I have followed movies by David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson, having enjoyed both their roles on TV. I suspected but did not know that Gillian Anderson, had the range, I saw in this movie. She is phenomenal. She conveys all the emotions, so clearly on her face. SOCIALITE LILY BART IS A FREE SPIRIT WITH A GOOD HEART: As socialite Lily Bart, she conveys the intelligence and understanding of social politics that a single woman of that day often had to have. But, unfortunately, she also conveys an genuine pureness of heart as few others that played this game did. She opted for an integrity that few around her employed. THE SOCIAL POLITICS ARE INCREDIBLE: This movie in the first half an hour paints the main players of the social circle Lily is in and you see the positioning and games that are being played. It is a bit confusing at first until you learn who is who. IN THE EARLY 1900s, HIGH SOCIETY YOUNG WOMEN HAD ONE JOB, FIND A POSITIONED HUSBAND WITH A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF MONEY. The only real job for a young women of this time in this circle is to find a husband. Such a calculated manuever, without involvement of the heart she has already given, does not suit Lily. She is stuck in a quandry. She knows what she needs to do to secure her position, but does not have the calculating heart to do it. Ironically, she is well aware that she is alone in this devotion at one point in time, but remains steadfast in her devotion. Except for one moment in time when she was tempted and regretted what she was about to do. A MANUEVER OF A CLOSE FRIEND, COMPROMISES LILYS SOCIAL POSITION AND ECONOMIC FREEDOM; The manuevers of a so-called friend, that Lily trusts compromise her position, and in turn influences many other facets of her life that she does not as yet comprehend. Amazing how none of her friends intervene to help. I guess the society thought then was if you are too stupid to protect yourself that is a fault in itself. However here, ignorance is not bliss. To reveal the situation, would do you the reader an injustice. But, it really is amazing how situations can be manipulated. Gillian Anderson, does a remarkable job of portraying a young woman with integrity realizing she is in a game that is not quite so cleanly played. WARNING: To those of you, that like to walk away from a movie in a cheerful up mood, this is not the movie for you. It is true to life and particularly frustrating in the lessons learned. Reputation is something not so much owned by you, but by others idea of you and is influenced only so much by what you actually do and the rest is pure spin. You just have to be careful on who else can influence that spin. Masterful job. THE REASON THIS MOVIE GOT A 4 INSTEAD OF A 5 IS THAT IS WAS A BIT TOO ARTSY IN PARTS You were at a loss occassionally with the sweeping pictures of covered furniture, water being cut by the bow of a boat and a couple of other scenes that seemed pure visual effect. These did not seem overly pertinent and added about 15 minutes more to the picture.
Rating: 
Summary: Worthy of Masterpiece Theatre . . .
Review: In other words, shallow. The fact of the matter is that this film is little more than a costume period piece, with not much in the way of character development. Lily Bart is hardly an admirable heroine. A compulsive gambler, she is looking for a RICH MAN to solve all of her financial problems. In other words, like all other people who want to marry for money, she is simply a prostitute. There is nothing unique in this sad little drama; in fact, it is constantly being played out in Silicon Valley today. Like Emma Bovary, Lily leaves her readers (viewers) with a lingering sense of disgust.
Rating:
Summary: Worthy viewing, sharp look at class culture of the period
Review: While you may find the story bleak going at times, the authentic period details and stunning homes of the time will keep your attention during the slower portions of this film. Gillian Anderson is surprisingly good in her role as Lily, a woman who is both naively unaware of the conventions and manners of the day as well as admirably independent in her own way. Unfortunately, Lily makes some mistakes which "compromise" her and set her course for life, a course that spirals steadily downward. What makes this movie particulary moving, to my mind, was watching Lily fall from a possible place in the upper classes, a place she was never sure she wanted in the first place. By the end of the movie, it is clear that she regrets her choice. A convincing portrait of a particular woman in a particular time, well-acted by Gillian Anderson. Strong supporting roles by Dan Ackroyd, Laura Linney, Eric Stoltz.
Rating:
Summary: Very good, but lacks emotional bite
Review: The symbolism in this film begins from the start: Lily arrives late and misses her train. As she said at one point, "I always seem to do the right thing at the wrong time," to which her companion Laurence adds, "Or vice versa." Hers is a life of indecision, naivete, and bad timing. At the heart of the tragic story is the fact that neither she nor Laurence can fully commit to each other, despite their obvious but suppressed love. She cannot do so because she still is holding out for a richer suitor. His motives for not marrying her are more difficult to discern, but they seem to be a combination of emotional aloofness and concern about the slightly scandalous reputation she acquired from picking up gambling debts. All through the film she vascillates, missing opportunities to marry into great wealth but never taking the plunge with Laurence either. Her poor gambling skills are also a metaphor for her life -- in both gambling and life Lily is against players much better than she is at getting and using money. She has come from humbler origins than the rich people she mostly hangs out with, and although she is much more charming and intelligent than most of them are, they have a ruthlessness that she lacks. Furthermore, most of them know what they want and are prepared to do whatever it takes to get it. By the time Lily tries to grab an opportunity, the train has left the station. Hence, the opening scene is quite appropriate. Lily ignores some prudent advice that would have prevented her from unfairly losing her social reputation. (She was already a little tarnished by her gambling, but a much worse scandal would surround her later.) After the scandal erupts, she effectively is banished from her social group and disowned by the wealthy aunt who financially has supported her, leading to a slow and tragic descent. This is the American dream turned into an American nightmare: the mirror image of rapid upward mobility. Anderson gives a wonderful, charismatic performance as Lily. You may only know her from her affectless performances in the X-Files, but she reveals a sparkling charm in the House of Mirth. Other strong performances abound. My complaint about the film is that it did not have the sort of emotional punch that it should have. It is sad story, but it's not the three-hanky film it should be. Like all period, costume dramas, it can be a little stiff, and that can make it harder to feel the emotions that lie beneath the mostly genteel surface. Still, it's a good film that is worth seeing.
Rating:
Summary: Anderson, Linney are outstanding
Review: I saw this film two weeks ago and it has still got me thinking. While the notion of watching another adaptation of an Edith Wharton novel didn't initially excite me, I took the time out and it was definitely worth doing. I won't go through the plot but the movie shows the downfall of Lily Bart played by Gillian Anderson, as she fails to take the chances offered her of marriage. Instead she bides her time, hoping a romance with the less than wealthy Laurence Selden will come to marriage. Anderson is a revelation, as she moves from manipulator to the manipulated, expecially at the hands of her so-called friend, played here with wicked aplomb by Laura Linney. As with all Wharton novels, things do eventually turn pear-shaped for our Lily and we witness the long (perhaps a bit too long) tumble into poverty. Even at her lowest point Anderson gives Lily a certain radiance - we are frustrated by her plight and want to call out to help her but to no avail. An underrated movie that deserves more exposure and certainly shows that Ms Anderson is not a one hit wonder.
Rating:
Summary: Gillian Anderson, a talent that should not be overlooked
Review: I watched this movie because I am a hugh Gillian Anderson fan. But I never imagined that her depths in acting were so great. Terriece Davis really let her shine in his adaption of Edith Wharton's early American book. She managed to show the audience every emotion that Lily Bart was experiencing whether she was speaking or not. Her facial expressions were so vivid and clear that even I could feel her pain. Knowing that she was making this movie, I managed to get a copy of the book of the same title. Even though the movie did not contain a lot of the book it still represented what Lily Bart was brought up to do and the pain and anquish she went through to acheive it. Even though it led to her demise. The DVD had great color and clear sound which showed off Davies' scenery and classical music. I highly recommend this movie to everyone whether you are a Gillian Anderson fan or not.
Rating:
Summary: Read the book first
Review: The three stars are for excellent performances (including one by the city of Glasgow, which very convincingly impersonates New York in 1905) and beautiful cinematography. But if you haven't read the novel, it may be difficult to understand just what's going on. A great deal of the action in Edith Wharton's novels happens inside her characters' heads. Even the most sensitive and intelligent of her characters, like Lily Bart, have had all the gumption bred out of them by a suffocating society, and the plot depends mainly on their making bad choices at crucial moments. Wharton can tell us what the character is thinking, and why she is always working at cross-purposes with herself, right up to and including the last thing she ever does, when she takes an overdose of sleeping medicine; she may intend to kill herself or she may not, Lily herself doesn't really know. A movie simply can't tell you all that, it has to simplify and shorten the plot, and some characters have to be written out. But did they have to sacrifice Gertie Farrish? She's a wonderful character, a glimpse of hope for women in gilded age society, in that she has managed to build an independent life for herself, and to do something more worthwhile than sit around in drawing rooms serving tea. When she's first mentioned, it's as a drap spinster whom Lily pities, but in the end, Gertie is Lily's only true friend, and this in spite of the fact that she knows they both love the same man. Her generosity is quite a contrast to the society women who dump Lily for supposedly having an affair with a married man, even though they all know perfectly well that she's innocent. At the end of her life, Lily gets a glimpse of redemption when she meets one of the poor women whom she and Gertie helped with their charitable work. And why don't we get even a glimpse of Lily's parents, in at least a brief flashback? It was Lily's mother who effectively wrecked her daughter's life, by bringing her up to accomplish one thing only, namely to marry rich, and win back her family's status after her father lost his fortune. (The scheming mother in "Titanic" was the same stock type; she may even have been modeled on Wharton's character). The movie is worth seeing, but it's no substitute for reading the novel.
Rating:
Summary: This "House" Has a Home on My List of Favourite Films
Review: From its dream-like beginning, in which Lily Bart emerges from the fog surrounding a steamtrain, to its simultaneously tragic and beautiful ending, "The House of Mirth" is a profound but startlingly cynical tale of social cruelty that is still relevent today. The film begins in 1905. Lily Bart is a poor, albeit beautiful and clever socialite. However, her subconscious qualms about the morality of marrying a man only for his money have prevented her from securing for herself a permanent position amongst New York's wealthy. Now twenty-nine, Lily is beginning to become uneasy about her position. Her life begins to begins to spiral out of her control, and she finds her position increasingly dangerous. Three things elevate the film above standard period films. First, there is the frankness of Edith Wharton's writing. Her piercing narrative cuts to the heart the tragedy that is the human condition. Her novels will remain popular in the years to come for the same reason Victor Hugo's have: society may change, but ultimately, people don't. Second, there is Davis's direction. Rather than become distracted by the elaborate sets, (as was the problem with "The Age of Innocence"), he effectively uses the locations to frame the characters. Third, there is the acting. Some in this review achive have stated that they feel the performance of Ms. Anderson is stiff and that the dialogue is stiltled. To the contrary, her performance is an exceptionally accurate portrayal of women's deportment, mannerisms, and speech at the turn of the century, which was extremely stiff and formal compared to modern times (for an example of this, look to the early "talkies" to have a better idea of how people in general, but especially women, carried and conducted themselves in the early 1900's). Unfortunately, in most period films, this formality is lost, giving an innacurate representation of nineteenth and early twentieth century behaviour. As well, we are also viewing a performance within a performance - Lily is not truly comfortable in her own skin, rather, she is conforming to Edwardian notions of "proper" behavior for young women. It is this performance within a performance - which, if one examines Ms. Anderson's scenes carefully, still allows the viewer to get a feel for Lily true emotions - that earned her so much critical praise from professional reviewers. Unfortunately, it is also the cause of some viewer's feeling that Lily Bart is clearly "acted" - for Lily is indeed acting, and unlike Ms. Anderson, she is, ultimately, a poor actor - and this is what leads to her downfall. Amongst the supporting cast, Laura Linney is wonderfully cat-like in the role of Bertha Dorset, while Eric Stoltz effectively captures Seldon's hypocrisy.
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