FemaleFirst.co.uk: DVD: The Governess [DVD] [1998]

The Governess [DVD] [1998]
enlarge	Director: Sandra Goldbacher Actors: Minnie Driver, Tom Wilkinson, Harriet Walter, Florence Hoath, Bruce Myers Studio: Momentum Pictures Category: DVD Buy New: £49.90 as of 22/11/2009 19:10 GMT details New (2) Used (4) from £32.95 Seller: g515tfl Rating: 9 reviews Sales Rank: 49405 Format: PAL, Widescreen Languages: English (Subtitled), English (Original Language) Rating: Suitable for 15 years and over Region: 2 Discs: 1 Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 Number Of Discs: 1 Running Time: 110 Minutes Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2 Dimensions (in): 7.1 x 5.4 x 0.6 EAN: 5060021171399 ASIN: B000056IFW Theatrical Release Date: July 31, 1998 Release Date: February 26, 2001 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days


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Customer Reviews: Showing reviews 1-5 of 9 1 2 Next » Brilliant! May 31, 2007 Miss Tery 7 out of 10 found this review helpful I'd never heard of this film when it suddenly appeared on TV last night. I thought it was brilliant! I checked out the director and writer online, Sandra Goldbacher, to try to send her some good feedback, but it seems she's not contactable, unfortunately. I thought the plot and the writing were excellent, as was all the acting. For me, all the characters were well developed and believable - in contrast to what has been said in some of the more critical reviews on this site. In fact, the acting and directing are exceptional in their conviction. There's too much disappointing and non-believable cinematic "passion" around, but this drama was engrossing from the start. It's an unusual story that one suspects is partly based on truth. It took me totally by surprise as I was ignorant of the film. I reckon it didn't get the exposure it truly deserves at the time it was released. Sandra Goldbacher was only 38 when this was made - an astonishing accomplishment! The performances of the actors will remain memorable for me in their subtlety and skill. A knock-out! A sensual masterpiece May 13, 2000 k.r.hales@sms.ed.ac.uk (Edinburgh, Scotland) 7 out of 15 found this review helpful With it's artistic camera work and evocative soundtrack, this film quickly draws you into it's sensual world. Minnie Driver is convincing as usual and an excellent choice for the role. I thoroughly recommend this film to anyone who likes such films as 'The Kama Sutra'. Minnie Driver provides a captivating and erotic performance March 3, 2005 Lawrance M. Bernabo (The Zenith City, Duluth, Minnesota) 39 out of 41 found this review helpful I have to admit I have a hard time wrapping my mind around the idea of Minnie Driver playing a young Jewish girl in 19th century England who passes herself off as a Christian to obtain a position as a governess to a family on the Isle of Skye in Scotland. She just sounds too "modern" to me for any character she plays to really feel at home for me in a period costume drama. That being said, Driver's performance in "The Governess" is nonetheless compelling and one of the more erotic that I have seen recently, and that surprising development is what you will remember more from this film than anything else. pDriver is Rosina da Silva, the eldest daughter of a well-to-do family in the Sephardic Jewish community in London. Instead of dreaming of being married, Rosie longs to be an actress, inspired by her aunt, who sings on the stage. But then her father is murdered and the family is faced with a mountain of debts. Faced with the prospect of being married to a rich older man, Rosie places an advertisement in the papers claiming to be a proper young Christian woman, named Mary Blackchurch, looking for suitable employment as a governess. So she finds herself being transported to the wilds of Scotland, where the green seems to go on forever, pretending to be a Gentile gentlewoman. p"Mary" is employed by the Cavandishes to take care of their young daughter Clementina (Florence Hoath), who has to be threatened into obedience before a bond can form between them. Mrs. Cavendish (Harriet Walter) has a lemon where no one should have a lemon and dreams of the pleasures of London; the only problem is that she has never been there. Mr. Cavendish (Tom Wilkinson) spends all of his time working in his laboratory on something he thinks is too complicated by the delicate minds of women. But whereas his wife is clearly beyond understanding anything from the realm of science, the new governess shows not only understanding but interest and aptitude. There's is a meeting of the minds and then other parts of the body get involved as well. pA complication to their private idles is Clementina's older brother, Henry (Jonathan Rhys-Meyers), who becomes infatuated by the young governess and never thinks that his own father is a rival for her affections. However, "Mary" wants a man and not a boy and while he would rather photograph his specimens she convinces him to photograph her as well. Thinking of the ancient Hebrews who made love while covered, she drapes a diaphanous cloth over herself in what becomes the basis for a series of subtly erotic photographs. Eventually, she will take some photographs of him as well. More importantly, she will help him solve the problem of fixing an image so that they do not fade. pPhotography is a key part of this story and the gulf that divides the two lovers is defined more by their diametrically opposed approaches to the camera than by the differences in their genders and religion. He sees photography as simply a tool to help him make a scientific record of reality, while she takes the artistic view that it is an opportunity "to capture the essence of people and to fix a memory." Ultimately the meeting of the minds and bodies proves too much for Cavendish, who fears her superior intellect even more than he is shamed by her passionate nature. Rosie will not find happiness here, but she will learn what happiness will mean for her in the rest of her life. pWritten and Directed by Sandra Goldbacher this 1998 film does make Rosie's Jewishness a key part of her character. Because he mother is Italian she has a convenient excuse for her olive complexion and can honestly say that she is not Catholic. She continues to practice her faith in private, although the Cavendishes are patently incapable of recognizing any of the trappings of her faith. Of course, if Cavendish knew that his lover was a Jewess he would no doubt be repulsed. But he is captivated by her eroticism, which Driver creates for Rosie. The great lesson here is being erotic is not how you look, but rather how you act, and in "The Governess" Minnie Driver proves she knows how to act. LAVISH CINEMATOGRAPHY...INTRIGUING PERIOD PIECE... November 18, 2002 Lawyeraau (Balmoral Castle) 59 out of 63 found this review helpful Set in mid nineteenth century England and Scotland, this is a lush and beautifully shot film which those who love period pieces should very much enjoy. This one is a little unusual in that the storyline revolves around a sephardic Jewess, Rosalina Da Silva, who lives in London with her family. When her father dies most unexpectedly, the family suffers a reversal of fortune, and Rosalina must either marry or work in order to be able to assist her family financially. A passionate, intelligent, and earthy woman for her time, Rosalina opts to work, rather than marry the unattractive, older fish merchant who comes a courting.pLooking forward to adventure and a change of scenery, she obtains employment as a governess to the Protestant, upper crust Cavendish family on the remote Isle of Skye in Scotland. She obtains the position under the assumed name "Mary Black-Church" in order to avoid anti-semitism. Shortly after her arrival, she meets the lady of the house, a vapid, bored, and totally uninteresting woman, as well as her charge, a spoiled young girl, whom "Mary" quickly sets to right. pThe man of the house, Charles Cavendish, is an educated, seemingly middle aged man, introspective and remote, engaged in perfecting the process involved in that of early photography, a project in which his wife is clearly uninterested. "Mary", inquisitive and freed of her familial constraints, becomes interested in his work, much to Mr. Cavendish's surprise and ultimate delight. While he only photographs inanimate objects, "Mary" is much more intrigued by the idea of capturing a living likeness, an interest in which Charles Cavendish neither shares nor comprehends. Initially drawn to "Mary" by her seeming interest in his project, a spark ignites between them, and they begin a quite torrid and passionate affair which "Mary" overtly invites.pThe affair comes crashing down when "Mary" takes some nude shots of Charles while he is sleeping. Caught in so vulnerable and compromising a position, Charles abruptly ends the affair, much to "Mary's" torment and despair. "Mary" retaliates in a big way, sending the household rocking, by having an affair with Charles' son, Harry, and, ultimately, by giving the wife her very own set of photographs of her husband. Never underestimate the fury of a woman scorned!p"Mary" returns to London and her home, reassuming her own identity. What she does with her newly acquired skill in photography is sure to delight feminists everywhere. As to what Charles Cavensish eventually does about "Mary", watch the movie and see who has the last laugh. pMinnie Driver gives a wonderful portrayal as the spirited Rosalina Da Silva, while Tom Wilkinson gives a fine performance as the dour Charles Cavendish, a man caught in a web of his own making. The love scenes between the two, however, at times do not quite work, almost as if there were no chemistry between the two. Perhaps it is because "Mary" initiates the affair, and it is somewhat unexpected and jarring to have her do so. Yet, at other times the love scenes are positively sensual and consummately erotic...especially the veil scene.pHarriet Walters does justice to her role as the insipid Mrs. Cavendish. Jonathan Rhys-Meyers gives an affecting perfomance as Harry, the coltish, hunky son. Florence Hoath rounds out this excellent cast, as the young girl for whom "Mary" was hired. All in all, this is an unusual and interesting film. While the story may occasionally seem a little disjointed, it is still a compelling period drama and well worth watching. Odd mixture of good, and not-so-good March 1, 2007 SusieQ (New York) 4 out of 6 found this review helpful This is an odd film with a lot of nice things going for it, but equally so, much to be said against it... br / br /The basic plot, without disclosing too many spoilers, is that of a Jewish girl whose father is murdered, thus making it necessary for her to pretend to be a Christian governess, in order to earn money for her family. While employed, she begins to have a special relationship with the father of the little girl she is governess to, and in the meantime, the son of the house begins to fall in love with her also. br / br /Minnie Driver seems rather too much 21st (or 20th, since it was made in 1998) century for a Jewish girl circa 1845, but on occasion, such as when she's discovering the joy of artistic creation, this quality works in her favor. And I love the scene where she takes her revenge against her employer's family, which I can't detail for fear of writing a spoiler, but it's priceless. br / br /Her devastation by and eventual recovery from her love affair are well portrayed. It's just at moments that the 21st-century gloss comes through and spoils her performance a bit. br / br /Tom Wilkinson is absolutely wonderful as the repressed Victorian paterfamilias. This is a fully realized performance. It's amazing how he was able to convey so many varied emotions during his scenes with Minnie Driver. Sometimes it's just in his eyes. Really amazing. The actress who plays his unsympathetic wife doesn't have too many scenes, but she's also spot-on. The child actress who played the daughter is also very good. I probably felt more sorry for her than for anyone else in the film -she was rather neglected by everyone, including the governess. br / br /Jonathan Rhys-Myers as the son who falls in love with the governess was an interesting casting choice. His fey looks didn't really fit the part (Minnie Driver often seems more masculine than he does, sadly), and we don't really get a sense of why he's so enchanted by this woman, and why he's so devastated afterwards. I think the fault is that his role was underwritten. He gives a good performance, not a great one but intriguing at times, and again I think is because his part is underwritten, not really due to any fault of his. He does all he can with what he's got to work with. br / br /Bottom line is that it's an interesting movie; good, not great but very interesting at times, yet probably not even one I'm wanting to see again. br / Showing reviews 1-5 of 9 1 2 Next »

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