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List Price: $19.94 | | Label: Sony Pictures
Salesrank: 34681
Released: February 16, 1999 |
| Our Price: $5.10 |
| Used Price: $1.99 |
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MPAA Rating: R (Restricted)
Media: DVD |
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Editorial Review:
A woman hired as a governess is taught the pioneering art of photography by the man she works for while she teaches him about passion.
Genre: Feature Film-Drama
Rating: R
Release Date: 16-FEB-1999
Media Type: DVD
Description of The Governess:
Minnie Driver stars as an impoverished Jewish woman, Mary, living in an emphatically anti-Semitic England in the mid-19th century. Following the murder of her beloved father--who leaves his survivors strapped with his debts--she camouflages her identity as a Protestant of Italian descent and takes a job as governess to an unorthodox Scottish family. In this film by Sandra Goldbacher, sundry conventions from Victorian novels mix with a contemporary, feminist take on Mary's subsequent adventures. Mary asserts, with some effort, her authority over her willful charge (Florence Hoath); she dodges the insults of a vaguely ghoulish matriarch (Harriet Walter); and she becomes an aide, confidante, and lover to the man of the house (Tom Wilkinson), a naturalist dabbling with early experiments in photography. Goldbacher fails to make it all feel as fully realized as it could be (much of the detail and soul of Mary's life in London is too telescoped and impressionistic to sink in). But the film's middle section, in which the heroine's complicity with Wilkinson's married character engages her keen intelligence as well as her untapped sensuality, is deeply felt. It's nice to see Driver prove she can carry a film, though the dreamy, exotic photography by Ashley Rowe certainly pulls a viewer along as well. --Tom Keogh
The Governess Reviews:
Great film with a great cast!... 
2009-11-05 - I wasn't sure what to expect from this film upon my first viewing, but I was won over instantly by the great story, beautiful photography and the amazing cast. Minnie Driver was perfectly cast in the role of Mary Blackchurch and her performance was most certainly worthy of an Oscar nomination. In fact, I have always felt that Minnie has never really been given the attention she deserves and her talents have been mostly underrated. I would love to see much more of her! The same can be said for Tom Wilkenson, who's acting is always first rate. As for the supporting roles, Jonathan Rhys-Meyers was quite excellent in what I believe is one of his earlier roles, and last, but certainly not least, Florence Hoath always delivers a stand out performance. Overall, this film is a wonderful period piece with a great look to it that will pull you in and keep you there until the very end. Beautifully done!
Beautifully shot, yet lacking in insights 
2009-03-11 - "The Governess" has Minnie Driver playing a feisty Sephardic Jewess in 1840s London whose diminished circumstances compels her to seek out a position as Governess with a well-heeled family in Scotland. She assumes the false identity of Gentile Mary Blackchurch and has to deal with a very dysfunctional family - there's the man of the house played by Tom Wilkinson, his haughty and whiny wife, a morbid young daughter Clementine, and the teenage never-do-well rebellious son [played by Jonathan Rhys-Meyers].
Soon, a close bond develops between Rosina and the master of the house, and results in an affair. Whilst indulging in each other, Rosina takes the opportunity to master the finer points of the art of photography, which was in its developmental stages at the time. The rebellious son meanwhile becomes hopelessly infatuated with Rosina, even more so after he discovers her true identity as he is drawn to her 'differences'. There's lots of emotional drama that ensues and Rosina struggles to find her place in the world.
The strength of the movie lies in the camerawork. The cinematography of the Scottish coastline is beautiful as is the portrayal of the photography lessons. But most striking of all for me was the hypnotizing and beautifully shot scenes of the Jewish rituals that seemed almost magical and surreal.
What I felt was lacking though was true insights into the characters - the Gentile family that Rosina works for is portrayed as dysfunctional, but there is no credible explanation or exploration as to why this is so. The viewer is supposed to just accept this as a fact.As for Rosina, though her character was well-portrayed by Minnie Driver, I felt there was no deep insight into the conflict between her close affinity for Judaism vs the stressful situation engendered by her assuming a false Gentile identity. What did seem genuine was Rosina/Mary's true affection for Tom Wilkinson's character. Minnie Driver does have expressive eyes and she uses this to great effect. Tom Wilkinson's character was also credibly drawn, though I didn't think the full frontal nude scenes were necessary [both him and Jonathan Rhys-Meyers].
On the whole, I did like this movie from an aesthetic point of view, though it could have done with more insightful characterization.
Attempt at artsy film lacks depth and consistency
2009-03-09 - Curiosity got the better of me when I heard this movie was a feminist, Jewish woman in Scotland film - with Jonathan Rhys-Meyers. I watched with an open mind, but was left disappointed and confused with the supposed theme. What the movie lacks, in a word = DEPTH.
Minnie Driver's character begins in a whirlwind moment from being an affluent Jewess, to force-employing herself as a fake british Governess to a family in Scotland. The family..... a bored stuffy mother, bratty sociopathic daughter, and melancholy older son (JRM) lend no reasons to be as dysfunctional a family as they are - weakening their purpose in the plot. The only insight into any of them is the introverted, weak, scientific husband (Tom Wilikinson)... who eventually falls prey to Driver's wiles and exotic creativity.
Driver's character, Rosina, is very conflicting. She is eager to be useful, too easily wanton, and industrious/creative when it comes to the discoveries of "photography" in the movie. For these aspects she is a budding feminist - aware of her body and determined to be acknowledged for her part in the discoveries of science.
But on the other hand, she also begs for forgiveness and attention, weeps in tantrums, and the film shows hardly any of her supposed education/teaching (which is the reason she is employed there in the first place). So from this aspect she is a weak female depending on her employer-turned lover. Her inconsistency is irritating and has no development. Then a dramatic turn - she suddenly becomes the scorned lover, vengeful and reckless of who's family she ruins, embracing her heratige and new-found knowledge... an unexpected strength from her.... again attesting to the character's inconsistency.
To make matters worse, Jonathan Rhys-Meyers character is but a blip in the film, solely there to reveal Driver's true identity to his Father and play the overdramatic part of the infatuated young son. His obsession with the Rosina is over the top, considering how little film time it gets. It's like it comes out of nowhere - and when she leaves the family near the end - he is flailing naked in the ocean, curled up in the fetal position weeping in the sandy waves!?! It was just too much, with little basis. Not to mention that here and in the "lover" scenes of the film - male full frontal nudity seems placed solely for attempt at "dark artsiness."
So - Rosina becomes an empowered woman, going 'back to her people' with the stolen photo lenses, creating her own photography business. There is no time frame to gauge how quickly her broken family is taken from rags to riches again - but that is attributed to the film's choppy storyline throughout.
All in all, the film's characters were cliched when they could have been better fleshed out. The movie lacked depth and attempted at artsy-fartsiness.... but failed in my opinion due to it's inconsistency, rushed timelines and chopiness.
Duty bound feminism
2008-07-08 - There were several favorable reviews from fellow Amazonians regarding THE GOVERNESS, and it was recommended by the dear hearts at Amazon, so I took a shot in the dark on this one.
The lushness of the Isle of Skye is absolutely breathtaking (great direction w/the sweeping camera shots), while you can feel the grittiness and urban setting of Victorian London (the "ladies of the night" egging Rosina on is a particularly standout moment). Minnie Driver's portrayal of Rosina da Silva is fragile, yet strong, curious, yet introverted when it comes to opening up to her charge, Clementina. She only seems to "blossom" fully when the master of the house Mr. Cavendish begins to lavish a *ahem* special attention upon her.
The viewer never really understands WHY Rosina is so enthralled with a man who is distant, self-serving, and cold, cold, cold as a popsicle in a blizzard. She spurns the handsome, interesting son of the home (the always dashing Jonathan Rhys Meyers-who is NOT showcased properly) for a man old enough to be her father. Perhaps it's the ever-present "turning to a man for lack of daddy's love" theory rearing its head.
3-star effort for cinematography, the bits and pieces of JRM, and the fascinatingly morbid Clementina ("I dreamed little baby Jesus made me eat all of the chocolate or else He'd cut off my legs!").
A lesson well learnt
2008-03-11 - This movie is made predominantly by women, and it really shows in the way the issues of a young woman's emerging sensuality and sexual curiousity are dealt with. The scripts are realistic and the photography is stunning. In addition, the film vividly contrasts, using language, clothes and scenery, the austere and cold Protestant Christianity of those times against the richness and warmth of the equivalent Jewish culture.
One of the other themes in the movie is the way women's contributions to emerging sciences was often unrecognised due to the inferior social and professional positions of women in Europe and Britian during the Scientific and Industrial Revolutions.
There are so many levels to this movie, which makes it one of those movies you can watch over and over and over......
