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The Heart of MeRating:
Release Date: 10 February, 2004 Retail Price: $26.99 Sorry, this product is not currently available. Cast: Complete Cast (11 total) |
The Heart of Me Reviews
surprising and lavish new period drama for fans to savour
Lovers of period drama will certainly enjoy THE HEART OF ME, based on the novel "The Echoing Grove" by Rosamond Lehmann. Following the death of their father, Madeleine (Olivia Williams) invites her sister Dinah (Helena Bonham-Carter) to stay with her and her husband Rickie (Paul Bettany). Rickie becomes increasingly attracted to the dark and sensuous Dinah, and the two embark on a torrid affair, which goes on to span over a decade. Despite Madeleine's unflagging devotion, Rickie's infatuation with Dinah eventually brings about his ruin.
A lavish joint production between BBC Films and the Isle of Man Film Commission, THE HEART OF ME is filled with outstanding performances, not the least of which the amazing Helena Bonham-Carter, who adds another fine performance to her resume with Dinah. Olivia Williams and Paul Bettany are likewise superb. Eleanor Bron plays the girls' mother.
Definitely one to check out.
"So there's to be no end to it?"
"The Heart of Me" is a drama depicting a love triangle between Madeleine (Olivia Williams), her husband Rickie (Paul Bettany), and Madeleine's unconventional sister, Dinah (Helena Bonham Carter). After the death of Madeleine and Dinah's father, Dinah comes to stay in London. Madeleine wants to create an eligible match for Dinah, and it's when Rickie opposes the match that he realizes that he has strong feelings for Dinah. They launch into a passionate affair that has disastrous consequences.
"The Heart of Me" is a lavish, tear jerker crammed with stellar performances, and excellent sets. With Helena Bonham Carter looking very Edwardian Goth, the story develops from 1934 through flashbacks and concludes in the austerity of Post WWII. Eleanor Bron appears in a splendid supporting role as Madeleine and Dinah's forthright, socially conscious mother.
"The Heart of Me" plays on the same themes as another successful costume drama--"The Age of Innocence." Both films illustrate how societal pressures squash a scandalous romance. In "The Heart of Me" Rickie, is the married man caught between passion and duty. Unfortunately, since his relationships are with two sisters, the ramifications and recriminations go beyond just the affair. While Bettany does an incredible job, the main interest remains in the relationship between the two sisters who have long simmering rivalries and petty grievances. Madeleine is the perfect mother, and the perfect hostess. Dinah, on the other hand is ready to give up material comforts, flout society, and live in relative poverty for the sake of love. Rickie is caught between Madeleine, who coldly controls with duty, and guilt, and the volatile passion of Dinah. Scenes of elegant dinner parties are juxtaposed with the occasional explosive domestic scene in which Rickie and Madeleine reveal the naked ugliness of a miserable, dead marriage. For lovers of British costume dramas, this film is a treat. While it's basically just a soap gravitating around three characters who have an immense capacity to make each other miserable, it's so well done, it's possible to immerse oneself in the drama. The film is based on the novel, "The Echoing Grove" by Rosamond Lehmann--displacedhuman.
More Customer Reviews (11 total)
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