Friday 10 October 2014

Review: Effie Gray

Once upon a time there was a girl called Miss Lovely.  She married Mr Grumpy and went to live in a land where no-one smiled.  Then she met Mr Hot Artist and everything was alright.
The End.



I cannot remember a film I felt such consuming anticipation for like Effie Gray. Much like Desperate Romantics, I was so eager for it to be here that it overcame any reticence I felt about having fact brought to the screen as entertainment, but if Desperate Romantics has taught me anything, it is knowing a lot about a subject can colour the way you view poetic licence.  I better start with what I liked about the film...

I want everything she wore.  Even the man-repelling nightie.
It is very beautiful to watch.  The colours, the scenery, the fact that a film is addressing the work of the Pre-Raphaelites - all these things made it a delight to watch.  The film is packed with acting talent and no-one gives a bad turn.  I think my favourite has to be Julie Walters as Effie's Monster-in-Law, truly the most grim mother to grace the screens in ages.  Emma Thompson looks gorgeous as Lady Eastlake, with the biggest hair and the most sensitive approach to Victorian marriage.  The costumes were astonishing, and the echoes of paintings of Effie in Scotland were much appreciated.  I also wondered if the constant loose hair and candle-light poses were meant to be reminiscent of The Bridesmaid, hinting at Effie's sexuality, awaiting reception.  Denmark Hill was a palace with claustrophobic layers of sumptuous fabric, wallpaper and furnishings, a gilded cage indeed.  The contrast of the little Scottish cottage was beautifully rendered, leaving you in no doubt which was preferable.

Worst Mother-in-Law ever.  Seriously, puts mine to shame.
So to the things that I didn't like - Greg Wise did not crack a smile for the entire 100 minutes.  Holy mother, are we to believe that Ruskin, for five whole years did not have a chuckle?  Ruskin is a pantomime baddie, stony faced, weird, a little Norman Bates-y with his mum and, forgive me, too old.  There is a big difference in a man of 30 who is treated like a baby by his mother and a man of 50.  When Dakota Fanning (with a decent accent but no life in her voice) looks so very young and Bambi-eyed, to match her with a grayed-up actor is taking a very particular angle which is unfair and untrue.  Flashing back to Ruskin's attention to the child-Effie, to his attention to little Sophie, he looks like a pedophile, the archetype of sexually perverted old Victorian man.  All nuance of Ruskin's character has gone to this one note.  We did not even need to have him point and scream at Effie's lady-garden, it's too ingrained in pop-culture.  It is now set in film.  He saw her naked, he recoiled and ran away because she was a full grown woman.

Effie with Rossetti, sorry, Millais.
The Italian adventure seemed too long and a little pointless other than to show us Ruskin was weird even without his parents around.  I like the hot Italian chap who was given more to do than Millais and managed to give a saucy character to his scant screen time.  However, it really only felt like a delay to getting back to London, to Millais and the ill-fated trip to Scotland.  I really wish that Millais had looked less like Rossetti and that he had been given more to do other than look hot and concerned.  Oh and a bit naked.  That should have been under the stuff I liked.  Shame on me.

It's no secret that I'm Team Ruskin, so it's not a surprise that I didn't really like the hatchet job done on the man who ensured the continuation of Pre-Raphaelite art.  However, the title of the movie is Effie Gray, and so in many ways all the problems, the layers of character that explained his behaviour were unnecessary.  John Ruskin was unknowable to Effie and so it could be argued that he should remain so to the audience.  There is no doubt that she hated him by the end of their marriage and all his imperfection, cruelty and damn-right weirdness should be reflected in the film that bears her name.  However, and this is a massive however, a film is believed to be unbiased in its narration.   We are shown scenes of cruelty strong and poetic and they seem to be fact, but really none of what you see is pure truth save that Ruskin and Effie were married and then it was annulled due to non-consummation, all else is 'he said - she said'.   I only hope that viewers of the film seek out both sides of the story before making up their minds, and maybe the best thing about the film is that it will bring more people in to appreciate Pre-Raphaelite painting and the fascinating stories behind the art.

Effie Gray opens nationwide from today.

18 comments:

  1. I've always wondered how much the patchy education women received contributed to unhappy Victorian marriages, especially when the husband was something of an intellectual (and more than that in Ruskins case).

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  2. This world needs more people who want to wear the clothes in period dramas to actually wear the clothes like in period dramas.

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  3. Hmm. I've been looking at the movie poster, wondering about why it has the Ophelia with Siddal as a model and uncertain whether I want to see the film. Maybe not. I'm a history student so "poetic license" is just painful for me.

    And even the theme of the film is a bit risky - the less I know about the messy private lives of the artists, the more I can usually appreciate the art.

    Its very common these days, that films look just perfect in settings, costumes etc, but are unsatisfactory story-wise.

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  4. It is those messy lives that inspired each and all artists artworks...to divorce their lives from their art is almost a sin

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  5. It is a good film and where they have used poetic licence, it is all very reasonable. It's not one of those films where you come out and say "that did not happen". Kirsty, have you already done a post representing Ruskin's point of view?

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  6. No such thing as bad publicity is I believe the old adage to apply here!
    Such a stellar cast with Emma,Greg(aren't they married?),Julie etc bound to get bums on seats of people who will not have a clue about the PRB etc.
    Of course got the Turner film out later this month with Ruskin again being featured! Incidently some scenes from that film shot across the water from me in Plymouth at Kingsand depicting Margate I believe,with around 100 plus locals being used as extras,beautiful place as well for walks and sea views.
    Saw this review the other day about Ruskin,very good I thought,in case you missed!

    http://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2014/oct/07/john-ruskin-emma-thompson-mike-leigh-film-art

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  7. I agree David..very good article and there are a few connected to that article that were just as good too.....seems later a Producer will have to do a major movie on Ruskin's life ... there's enough to raise an eyebrow or two!

    When he was announced to have some sort of mental breakdown, do you know if he was put in hospital or mental institution for it ...just curious?

    I went into his Bio in Wikipedia and it goes on 'forever'...they really did a lot of research on him but did not find anything yet while reading of his so called "lunacy" stage in later life....thanks :-)

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Ruskin

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  8. Ruskin film would be very interesting if they could get all the facts right,althought the young girl fixation from 10-16 would not really cast him in the best light I fear!

    Regarding the lunacy stage as you rightly call it,found this on the web giving quite a lot of detail about his illnesses,might be of interest

    http://brain.oxfordjournals.org/content/brain/131/9/2520.full.pdf

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  9. wow David...Thank you for the site...I saved the PDF file to my computer to print out!! marvelous!
    ....My personal opinion is with this in his background it truly has all the making for a great film...a well filled intriguing life to say the least .

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    1. Sure it would be with the right director not obsessed with the pubic hair scenario as Kirsty rightfully mentioned!

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  10. I've done a couple of posts in the past on Ruskin (if you use the search box at the top of the page you should be able to find them and I'll try and pop the links over on The Stunner's Boudoir).

    Thanks for your comments, Ruskin certain was a fascinating chap, like him or loathe him. It seems a shame (but a bit typical of people) that he just gets reduced down to the bloke who was scared of pubic hair.

    Thanks all for a great discussion!

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    1. Thanks Kirsty will check them out!

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    2. Obviously that's not reduced down to the pubic hairs as you stated Kirsty....because there are sooooo many articles out on his biography and what went on during his life.
      .....It is an eye catcher to read something like that and would be foolish to believe it but if that's what gets the people's attention to read up on his life, well it serves its purpose then...teehee.

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  11. I was just posting a painting inspired by the pre raphaelites when I saw your post. Since I am a painter and love the costumes of the time, I am sure I will have to catch the movie. PS I just posted my painting on my own blog for anyone who wants to check it out. I usually take a master work and change it up a bit, often put them with a backdrop of an amazing Oklahoma sky. This one got taken out of the cathedral and dumped in the forest to gather greens and herbs :-) http://margaretaycock.com

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  12. It can't be repeated too often that, fascinating though his personality and life-story undoubtedly are, the important thing about Ruskin is his books. Read them and stop fixating on his sanity and his sexuality, for heaven's sake.

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  13. I thought Emma Thompson's screenplay gave a reasonably balanced view of Ruskin. The scene where he pleads the PreRaphaelites' worth in opposition to Royal Academicians who want their paintings taken down does establish him as an influential figure. There was nothing said or even implied about pubic hair in the film. Effie was portrayed as a victim of course and was so anaemic that it seemed hardly credible Millais would fall madly in love with her. In my view that was the main weakness of the film.

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  14. The scene where little Effie drops her nighty and Ruskin looks horrified was an obvious nod to the most prevalent rumour regarding Ruskin, they did not need to elaborate. I did like the bits where Ruskin was shown doing what he did best but he looked so damn miserable that it made me miserable too, however it was a film about her not him. Simon, not to enrage you anymore because I'm rather fond of you, but what do you make of the fact that they chose to make a film about the 'victim' not the 'genius'? That I feel is the root of why we won't stop talking about his sexual disfunctions...

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  15. I'm not enraged at all, honestly (and I'm fond of you too), but it saddens me that most people engage with the biography and not with the work. Of course, victims are easier to identify with than geniuses. But who is the victim here, really? Effie died a matriarch, mother of a large family, the wife of a rich baronet who was the President of the Royal Academy. Ruskin died mad and alone (alright, he had carers, but you know what I mean). I know who has my sympathy. All that is neither here nor there, though. The books are the important thing.

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Many thanks for your comment. I shall post it up shortly! Kx