I disagree with some of the harsh criticism of the film on these pages. This movie is far from dull, the music, much of it classical, is just fine, and the acting is very good, all around, including Hillary Swank. The opening credits have to be among the most beautiful ever filmed, and relevant to setting up the movie. There is not a great deal of depth of character, but then there does not need to be; this is a great story. And it is an historically accurate story that I was unfamiliar with. I checked the entry in the Encyclopedia Britannica, and it matched the movie, so it cannot be too far off, unlike some so-called historical films. The the story is presented plausibly within the film, regardless. But it is not a documentary. It is presented with just enough of a light touch to not be ponderous. And there are a few amusing and surprising twists, particularly near the end. As to the accents, basically any film maker has to make a choice, to go for authentic accents, try to fake the accents, or just skip it. I feel skipping it is better than bad accents, which would call more attention to the issue. There is only one actor with a French accent in the movie that I recall. Who cares? Just as long as I don't have to read subtitles. The movie brings to mind the Masterpiece Theater version of I Claudius. Here all the upper class Romans spoke with a British accent. The acting was very good, but it was still a TV production. But it was a riveting historical drama. If you liked I Claudius, you will like this. Plus, the cinematography is vastly superior. As to Hillary Swank, I tried watching Boys Don't Cry, but never made it through; it was more of a teen flick. She does just fine here. Toward the end, her enunciation becomes less precise than in the beginning. I assume that as the plot unravels, she inevitably drops some of her earlier pretense of nobility, which is reflected in her speech. She is portraying a woman who was pulled from a noble upbringing at early childhood and orphaned, who is trying to return to her earlier station in life, with limited success. This is reflected in her out of date fashions, but also in her manners. I think Hillary got the role right.
Review of The Affair of the Necklace
