I will freely admit that this is not my type of movie. In college I only reluctantly studied English Literature, and I worked hard to remember none of it. However, I am a fan of Reese Witherspoon, I have enjoyed the roles she created in all her movies, and she is the main reason I spend almost 2 and one half hours viewing "Vanity Fair." The movie is based on the Becky Sharp character in the mid 19th century novel, and is set in the first 30 years or so of the 19th century. There in fact was a 1935 movie, "Becky Sharp" which is based on the same book.
Becky Sharp (Witherspoon) was a pretty and bright young girl born to a poor artist. At perhaps 8 or so was sent to a school for girls and received a fine education, leaving when she was old enough. This is a story of her early life, how she used her beauty and smarts of navigate upwards into society, places one normally attained only by birth. It deals with money, politics, love, and war.
Gabriel Byrne is good as The Marquess of Steyne who purchases a painting from her dad when Becky was very young, and their paths crossed again years later when Becky and her husband were destitute. Romola Garai is good as Amelia Sedley, Becky's friend from school. Rhys Ifans, who was so funny as Hugh Grant's flat mate in "Notting Hill" plays William Dobbin, a serious role where he longs all his life for Amelia but isn't able to profess his feelings in a direct way. "I will take the assignment in India unless you tell me not to go." Very beautifully filmed, and with good sound. A nice movie for those who enjoy English period movies.
Becky Sharp (Witherspoon) was a pretty and bright young girl born to a poor artist. At perhaps 8 or so was sent to a school for girls and received a fine education, leaving when she was old enough. This is a story of her early life, how she used her beauty and smarts of navigate upwards into society, places one normally attained only by birth. It deals with money, politics, love, and war.
Gabriel Byrne is good as The Marquess of Steyne who purchases a painting from her dad when Becky was very young, and their paths crossed again years later when Becky and her husband were destitute. Romola Garai is good as Amelia Sedley, Becky's friend from school. Rhys Ifans, who was so funny as Hugh Grant's flat mate in "Notting Hill" plays William Dobbin, a serious role where he longs all his life for Amelia but isn't able to profess his feelings in a direct way. "I will take the assignment in India unless you tell me not to go." Very beautifully filmed, and with good sound. A nice movie for those who enjoy English period movies.