The Wings of the Dove (1997)

Directed by Iain Softley. Starring Linus Roache, Helena Bonham Carter, Alison Elliott, Elizabeth McGovern, Charlotte Rampling, Alex Jennings, Michael Gambon, Alexander John. [R]

Lush, rueful adaptation of Henry James’ novel, simplified yet vivid in its wealth of complex human emotions and period detail. After a shaky start, we settle into the machinations of a once-privileged, now-impoverished woman (Carter) who convinces her secret lover (Roache) to seduce a wealthy, terminally-ill American heiress (Elliott) in a scheme to inherit a sizable portion of her fortune. This plan backfires when Roache falls for the vivacious young woman, and Carter is left alone to deal with her avarice and jealousies. Handsomely dressed and beautifully photographed, Carter is both luminous and devious, a villain in her desires but a victim of conflicted sensitivity. Roache, however, can be monotonous in his portrayal, and he never successfully swoons for either love or money to turn him into a credible rake or patsy. Good supporting cast, although Michael Gambon is underused as the antiheroine’s dissolute father. Screen adaptation by Hossein Amini.

72/100