Dangerous Beauty

Rating:
Summary: Lush, historical drama -- but a severe lack of DVD extras!
Review: Let me just start out by saying that this movie has been one of my personal favorites since it tanked in movie theaters several years back. I didn't expect much, due to the fact that historical dramas typically don't do well. 'Dangerous Beauty' is the 'true' story of Veronica Franco, a Venetian courtesan of the 16th century. Now, Veronica Franco was a real person, but I suspect that a few historical facts were glossed over to make this movie a tad more interesting -- I don't mind, gloss away!

As a lover of historical films, I have to say that the thing that impressed me the most about this movie was the setting. The costumes, the sets, hairstyles, etc....everything is beautifully opulent and perfect to the period it is set in. No cheap budget here -- you truly get the feel of the Italian Renaissance.

The story line is most fascinating when Veronica's mother is teaching her about being a courtesan, and slows a bit towards the end of the movie, but ends on a happy note. I found Catherine McCormack (Veronica) and Rufus Sewell (Marco) a bit stiff in their roles in certain scenes, and charming in others, so it's hard to judge, but the movie moves along swimmingly well, the best being the small part that the indomitable Moira Kelly has playing Veronica's ill-fated-in-marriage best friend.

The movie itself receives 4 out of 5 stars from me. The DVD picture quality is good, and the sound quality is good, but as usual with 'less popular' movies, the DVD Extras are simply lacking. You have your pick of 3 theatrical trailers (which don't interest me), a few production notes (while interesting, not a very meaty filler) and subtitles. If you are wanting to buy this DVD for the extras, don't. If you want it simply to own and don't mind the version, I suggest you save yourself a few dollars and go VHS.

Rating:
Summary: Very Sexy! Very Enjoyable!
Review: In the hands of a less talented cast, this movie might have been relegated to the status of a soft porn timefiller on latenight cable TV. However, Catherine McCormack takes the story of Veronica Franco, a sixteenth century Venetian courtesan and fills it with intelligence and sensuality.

Veronica is a relucant (an exceptionally reluctant) recruit into the profession of courtesan; tutored by her mother (played by the ageless Jacqueline Bisset). Denied a marriage to her true love, a young aristocrat (Rufus Sewell), by the unfortunate combination of flimsy economic and precarious social standing, she is forced into a calling that allows her to exploit her beauty, wit, brains and... uh... physical prowess into a position of power and weatlth. She blossoms from innocent girl to sophisticated woman, sought by men for both her body and companionship; despised by women for her independence and influence. Her standing is eventually threatened by competing forces that hide behind the Church, culminating in a trial before the Inquisition.

As always, the afforementioned Ms. Bisset is endlessly capable of making the male heart race. And the montage of scenes during which she educates the young Vanessa in the ways of a courtesan is unforgettable! I would go so far as to say that this segment will make you forget the famous dinner sequence from the classic "Tom Jones" for its demonstration of lust and sensuality.

Oliver Platt also stands out in this cast for his portrayal of an evil opportunist who slithers into a position of Inquisitor, bent on defeating the woman he could never afford. Other well known names are so immersed in their roles that you might not recognize them, actresses like Naomi Watts, Melina Kankaredes, Moira Kelly and Joanna Cassidy.

There are a number of films that merge history with an examination of the sexual politic, but perhaps none do it as well as this one. It portrays a society that sees itself as genteel and refined, albeit one in which a simple rhyming contest between man and woman can escalate into a bloodletting and exile. Above all, it is quite simply one of the sexiest movies I've ever seen!

Rating:
Summary: The crown jewel of chick flicks!
Review: This movie is superb if for no other reason that Catherine McCormack was wonderful and the cinematography was breathtaking! Even though the movie was based on a real person, I never expected the film to be historically accurate. If it had been, then it would have been a documentary, not a Hollywood film.

When I watch certain movies, I want to get caught up in the fantasy of it and be swept away to another time and another place. This movie delivers that and more, wonderfully romantic. Yes, it does glorify prostitution, but so did Pretty Woman, and that movie was a huge hit.

If you are a history buff looking for historical accuracy...pass on this film. However, if you are a romantic who is looking for a beautiful period love story...this is your movie! It has been and remains, my all-time favorite movie.

Rating:
Summary: Beautiful, heart warming, and nude chicks
Review: I think the title itself catches interest in a few people. Dangerous Beauty was a very good movie. They did a great job acting and the sets and scenery were beautiful as well as the costumes. The plot was also very interesting. It seemed like a Romeo and Juliet flick'somewhat. Girl can't get guy, guy can't have girl so girl becomes a courtesan to try and get guy. Problem is that being a courtesan is more complicated then she realizes.

It is set in 16th century Venice, the time where women didn't have a say in anything and were treated like property. Veronica Franco, Catherine McCormack, falls in love with the nobleman Marco, Rufus Sewell, but can't have him because she is not rich. He was also arranged to marry someone else which was very common back then. Veronica becomes a courtesan, with the help of her mother, to try to get Marco. Veronica ends up becoming the best courtesan in Venice but when a plague strikes Venice Veronica stands along when she is charged with witchcraft.

I really recommend this movie only to adults. There is quite a bit of flesh in this movie. Besides that, this movie had a great plot. The movie is very passionate, dramatic, funny, and historical. This flick is well worth a look and deserves five stars.

Rating:
Summary: Magnifico!
Review: Veronica Franco was a real courtesan. This movie is dedicated to her popularity, her poetry, her defiance of social restraints, and lifetime love affair. Catherine McCormack (Braveheart, The Land Girls) is a stunning courtesan whose mere look stops the heart of every married and unmarried Italian. Her lack of means and title sever her from the possibility of marrying her true love. She is surprised to learn her mother (Jacqueline Bissett) was a courtesan and she will be taught how to become one herself - or else become a nun. Hmm - Tough choice. The rigors of her training are humorous and will make most blush.

She learns to quickly love the affluence of a courtesan and the BOOKS. She can openly learn and practice her poetic arts. Love still holds her captive though and challenges abound.

The scenery of 'Dangerous' is lush and antique. The costumes, too, are gloriously romantic. I love the small details - the furniture, shoes, jewels, books, the canals, the boats...It's all exquisite. Another great Italian period flic is 'The Wings of the Dove' based on Henry James' novel of the same name.

Rating:
Summary: Breathtaking History
Review: This movie touches a special place in my heart. As a history and art history lover, the richness of the story and the beauty of the film keep me watching it over and over.

A true story (see The Honest Courtesean) that takes place in Venice in its most gorgeous era, the film brings the viewer into a world forgotten by many. The art direction and the use of the real palaces in Venice complete the total package.

Catherine McCormack is not only beautiful, but a heartfelt actress as well. You may remember her as William Wallace's wife in Braveheart (brunette there).

On a final note, if you are headed to Venice, catch this movie for a quick introduction of the Golden Age of this city and an inside look at those who used to roam the halls of the gorgeous palaces you will see lining the Grand Cannal.

One of my favorites.

Rating:
Summary: The Beauty of it all.
Review: Hesitant I am to review this after perusing the many reviews it has already recieved. Many glowing, and several in disdain.

I will agree though with the glowing reviews for the movie is splendid in tugging at the heartstrings and most magnificent with its display of Venice, the city.

If one does research before seeing this movie then I suggest they not bother watching the film and perhaps study a textbook instead. Movies are for enjoying visually and possibly emotionally. They aren't history lessons. I knew only little going into this movie many years ago when I first saw it, I knew it was based on a true story. I didn't care how accurate that story was with the facts, I wanted to see if it could accomplish the feat of entertaining me and not prompting me to walk out of the theatre. Not even close did it come to injecting those latter feelings. I was awestruck. Why?

Beauty. Plain and simple. In the portrayals of the characters by the more then capable actors, to the way that Veronica jousted with the men with her words-something that very few women back in that day were able to do, and quite many never even entertained the thought of doing. To the emotion that flowed effortlessly. For the reason that it tangles you up into a world that you were never a part of and may never be a part of.

So as soon as I could I purchased the DVD, and these are some of my comments below as to why I love it so-

The Actress:
The actress playing Veronica,Catherine McCormick was a delight to watch, not only for her intelligence, but also for the quiet heartbreak that she was displaying. What this film did is portray how one suffers but continues on in silence, trying to show a different face to the rest of the world. Women of early Europe did not have much of a choice when it came to survival, and knowledge was near forbidden. That would make them equal to men and that was punishable for a price. Veronica had a choice, as she was neither poor(though close to it) and she was neither rich...she could marry,if there was someone to marry her as her family no longer had a dowry to provide, so she could marry someone in her class who may not be able to provide for her- or she could become a Courtesan, where at least her intelligence and hunger to learn was allowed to be fed.

The Actor:
I fell in love with Rufus Sewell after watching this movie. He may not be what would be considered a "hunk"(ohh how I hate this word) but he resembles what men back then just may have looked like and how they carried themselves. His character is stoic, quite often burning with rage and love and instead of being able to display the emotions, he goes forth in wonder questioning his position without giving too much away as to why. And when he does get to love Veronica, it's fiercely. He understands why she does what she does, he lets her continue on her path, when most men would have tried to own her. For on this path of hers, he knows they will meet up time to time.

The Controversy???

The movie is a love story, yes. I question those who refer to it as soft porn and are disturbed by the sexuality and the nudity within the film. Surely upon seeing what this film is about they would not be surprised at seeing such. Nudity is nothing to be ashamed of, as neither is what men and women do with another. I see nothing about the movie that would make it soft porn. I see something called "art". I do suggest however, that these same people should avoid French Films at all costs.

I could go on with what it was I loved about the film. There is one part of this film that stands out and grabs attention though, and that is:

The Artistic Design. The Photography. The Lighting. The Costumes. The movie itself, plot and actors aside, was a cinematic wonder. The background set the tone for the rest of the movie, and one would have to have a steel heart not to love and appreciate it.

Oh, and as an aside: I have introduced this film to several men-from my brother, to my father, a friend, and now my husband. Every single one of them love it. This is not a chick flick. It's the romance. Every one of them found it romantic.

Rating:
Summary: Promise not fullfilled
Review: Simply put, this film fails to deliver on a multitude of levels. The very least I expected this movie to provide was some eye candy such as, lush scenery, resplendent costumes, exceptional film quality, and a bunch of really good looking people.

The first thing that struck me is that Catherine McCormack and Rufus Sewell were too old for their respective roles. It's not quite as bad as the days when a 50ish Jimmy Stewart was playing characters in their twenties, but it was still a bit embarrassing. McCormack spent the first half hour of the film quite literally jumping up and down, overwhelmed with girlish enthusiasm. These breathless expressions of glee got old real fast. When she was playing this role she was 26 pretending to be 16. Likewise Sewell was 31 trying to convince us that he was a young rascal looking for a good time.

The dialogue was at best, uneven. At times there seemed to be an attempt to utilize language is such a way as to suggest 16th century Italy, but for the most part the phraseology was distinctly 20th century. The long distant views of Venice were unconvincing and cheaply produced. Given the available technology, this was simply inexcusable and reflected the overall laziness that permeates the movie. Even the costumes looked as if they were retreads from other films.

At the very least I expected to see beautifully lit scenes, reflecting the glorious paintings of that era and magnificent beauty of Venice. Instead, the best that could be said about the cinema photography was that it was undistinguished.

(...)

Rating:
Summary: lovely movie to watch in 4:3
Review: A most lovely movie.

But once again the DVD releasing company is telling the BIG LIE about photographic ratios. This is another example of a SUPER35 full frame format movie being modified in theatres and on the fake scope widescreen side of the disc. Once again they put the statement about "this film has been modified to fit your screen" blah blah on the FULL SCREEN (4:3) side NO IT HAS NOT!! Yes it has on the fake scope side but the FULL FRAME/SCREEN is the real version NOT the REAL modified/FAKE WIDESCREEN one. It is the so called widescreen version that has been modified. I am so sick of studios promoting this disinformation about ratios. Furthermore if a filmmaker wants a scope presentation then shoot it scope! OR shoot it 1:85:1 but don't shoot FULL FRAME and then create a fake scope image. Why are they ashamed to admit that this movie is better in FULL FRAME?

Howard
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Rating:
Summary: A beautiful romance
Review: I have been reading the reviews of this movie and most are very good. I am concerned, however, about some of the poor ones. They seem to mostly complain about the historical inaccuracies. My view is that if you want a history lesson, go the the library. I watch movies to be entertained, and on that score, this movie delivers flawlessly. It is lush and beautiful, moving and romantic. Arguably one of the greatest fantasy romances, the Princess Bride, is based upon real historical figures as well, but because there is no attempt whatsoever to recreate history accurately, no one ever complains. I agree that Dangerous Beauty is not a historically accurate film. For one thing, anyone who fell in the canal waters of Venice during the Renaissance would not only stink, but probably die of dysentery. But this movie is not about history. It's about love and the strength of one woman, a woman who was faced with three choices: (1) to marry a man whom she would not love and be forced to serve him as little more than a slave, not to mention having to be an uneducated ninny, (2) to live in poverty and disgrace as an unmarried woman, or (3) become a courtesan, paid hansomely by the city's rich men to entertain them, allowing her access to education and finery. And while, no, likely the life of a Renaissance courtesan was not as glamourous as here portrayed, I would not want to watch a romance story filled with images of disease and whatever else the afforementioned history buffs want to see. Like all movies, you must suspend disbelief to appreciate the story. We do it all the time for movies like Die Hard, so why not here? Everyone knows there is no such thing as a fantasy romance in real life, yet we love the genre anyway. See this movie because it is a stunningly beautiful, moving, and powerful love story, not because you want an accurate life history of a woman who chose freedom over slavery.