Hard up scientist marries into wealth, but eventually must seek freedom.
Basically a romantic Victorian costume drama with intellectual trappings. The themes are breeding, heredity, environment, with a bit of political theory, but above all honesty and deception. These don't cohere completely, but the mix is interesting.
The film feels very awkward at the start. First up, the lighting is so plain, like a TV drama from the '70s - it really sucked the atmosphere out of the location. Then the dialogue was stilted, and it took a long while to warm to the lead actor's restrained delivery.
But it's a very good cast, especially the actress playing Mattie, who as ever conveys so much with her beautiful, intelligent face. Her character is the key to the story and, after all the intellectualising, it's really about freedom of choice without any true insight on the family.
They played around with costume, but dressing one character as a bee was a bit much! And in the background the hallmark of an intellectual English film - the constant buzzing of a little chamber orchestra as it saws away mournfully at its cellos.
The pace does pick up, and the pay off is satisfying, so overall decent entertainment.
Basically a romantic Victorian costume drama with intellectual trappings. The themes are breeding, heredity, environment, with a bit of political theory, but above all honesty and deception. These don't cohere completely, but the mix is interesting.
The film feels very awkward at the start. First up, the lighting is so plain, like a TV drama from the '70s - it really sucked the atmosphere out of the location. Then the dialogue was stilted, and it took a long while to warm to the lead actor's restrained delivery.
But it's a very good cast, especially the actress playing Mattie, who as ever conveys so much with her beautiful, intelligent face. Her character is the key to the story and, after all the intellectualising, it's really about freedom of choice without any true insight on the family.
They played around with costume, but dressing one character as a bee was a bit much! And in the background the hallmark of an intellectual English film - the constant buzzing of a little chamber orchestra as it saws away mournfully at its cellos.
The pace does pick up, and the pay off is satisfying, so overall decent entertainment.