Jane Campion, director of The Piano (1993), has a keen eye for detail in this patient period piece. From the macro shots of the hand stitching to which Ms. Brawne dedicates herself, to the script of Mr. Keats’s love letters, and even in the sad, dark portraits of sickrooms and poverty that punctuate the film we are treated with carefully, beautifully and thoughtfully composed images and a tasteful soundtrack. Period pieces are usually focused on costuming and setting, but here Campion’s efforts shine as something truly special.
As for the story content of the film, I have to say I took the whole thing very personally. Based on historical happenings, the film isn’t about building suspense and action. It is about getting to know characters, feeling how they felt, and knowing what it meant to be them on some level. Excellent acting, real dialogue.
It should be made clear, however, that this movie was far more centered on Fanny Brawne than it was on Keats (which, if you know Campion’s work, is not a huge surprise). We see the story unfold through her eyes and we get many more insights into her emotions than those of the often absent Mr. Keats. That’s not really a weak point of the movie, but you should be aware of that fact so you don’t go to see it thinking you’re going to get to know John Keats.
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After weeks of being on the top of my "to-see" list, I finally got around to seeing this movie today. As weekend errands started piling up, I almost put off seeing it yet again. I am so glad I didn't. This is the best film I have seen in a very long time.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with your feelings about the film. There's one more thing I feel I have to add though, and its what I felt truly made this film shine. There's a sense of truth to Fanny and Keat's relationship that you rarely see in movies. It wasn't grossly over-romantic (as it very easily could have been considering the main characters). I didn't feel like I was watching some hyped up and hollywoodified version of what love is. It just felt very...true. I can't think of any other word to describe it, and I'm not the writer Ms Cait is, so I won't bother trying. It had that quality about it that made me feel like I was watching two real human beings deal with emotions we have all felt, at least to some degree, before.
I definitely agree. I was actually crying when Fanny cried, and not just tears sort of coming out of my eyes. I was actually crying. It was very real, and yeah, hit pretty close to home in terms of emotional content.
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