The White Countess (2005)

This film is the last ever from the producer-director team of Merchant-Ivory, since Ismail Merchant died before its completion.  In the field of "heritage movies" they are unequalled, with an impressive body of work; given their films' literary nature, they are not to everyone's taste -- but there are some real gems amongst them.  I had heard that this movie was not up to their usual high standards and was therefore surprised that I responded so favourably; even at a leisurely 138 minutes the film did not seem to drag, despite a minimal amount of action.

Part of its success is down to the acting.  Set in 1936 Shanghai, Ralph Fiennes plays a recently blinded and bereaved ex-diplomat who dreams of opening the perfect nightclub.  Although Fiennes has always seemed something of a cold fish in his roles, there is no denying his acting strengths, and even with a cod American accent, one becomes involved in his dreams and optimism.  The female lead is Natasha Richardson playing a Russian emigree who supports her aristocratic and snobbish in-laws (which include her mother Vanessa and aunt Lynn Redgrave) by working as a hostess, and by implication, part-time whore; they gladly take her earnings, but when the opportunity arises for the family to flee to Hong Kong to escape the imminent Japanese invasion and to resume their place in society, they have every intention of taking her daughter but leaving her behind as a potential embarrassment.  Honestly, one wishes that one could reach in and slap screen characters.

The period detail was excellent and the cinematography by master Christopher Doyle every bit as good as one would expect.  I also thought the Japanese businessman who may prefigure the city's doom, but with whom Fiennes strikes a friendship, played by Hiroyuki Sanada (a familiar face from Japanese films) was a striking performance.  So all in all, it was not any sort of anticlimax to a superb partnership. 

Tags: Merchant-Ivory, Ralph Fiennes