It's a perfect venue for Ralph Fiennes - classic Russian tale of unrequited love. At first it's the intensity of first love from a young girl (Liv Tyler), later it's the unattainable predicament of the older man (Fiennes) who in turn yearns for her when she's married. Like she said, "It's too late". Deep down inside she may still love him, but she's an honorable young woman married to a soldier, in fact a prince - she's now of noble class living in St. Petersburg vs. her previous country setting (though she longingly preferred) - she promised to be a faithful wife to her husband.
The film is beautifully photographed: the complementing landscapes; the close-ups of the principal characters' faces; the calligraphic words magnified on the screen as she writes in ink. The music is very much a part of the storytelling: the piano notes intermittent; the violin heartstrings a-plucking - all very well integrated into the mood of the love story.
If you like classic costume drama, a Ralph Fiennes fan, a Liv Tyler admirer, yes, do see "Onegin". Martin Donovan being the prince suits me fine - I have no problem if Tatyana (Tyler) should eventually get over her mixed emotions Well, it is nineteenth century Russia when "women marry not for love", "to have the luxury of being in love, do it outside of your marriage or be a courtesan," so Tatyana was told by her aunt. (Donovan is the subtly striking male lead in most Hal Hartley films, e.g., "Trust"; he's outstanding as the gay father in Angela Pope 1996 "Hollow Reed"; also in "Portrait of a Lady", "The Opposite of Sex", and briefly in "Spanish Fly" and "Living Out Loud").
"Onegin" is a beautiful piece of work in and of itself. It's a labor of love from the Fiennes family: directed by Martha Fiennes, executive produced and performed by Ralph Fiennes, music by Magnus Fiennes. For another well-made costume drama, historical and complex, try Marshall Herskovitz 1998 "Dangerous Beauty" with Mary McCormick as a sixteenth century courtesan in Venice, with Rufus Sewell, Oliver Platt. For a change of perspective, to experience whole-hearted loving from a man, try Bernardo Bertolucci 1999 "Besieged" with David Thewlis and Thandie Newton.
Other Ralph Fiennes gems: the recent Neil Jordan 1999 "The End of the Affair" with Julianne Moore; the triumphant Anthony Minghella 1996 "The English Patient" with Kristin Scott Thomas, Juliette Binoche; the quietly wonderful Gillian Armstrong 1997 "Oscar and Lucinda" with Cate Blanchett.
Other Liv Tyler gems: James Mangold 1995 "Heavy" opposite Pruitt Taylor Vince; Bernardo Bertolucci 1996 "Stealing Beauty" opposite Jeremy Irons.
The film is beautifully photographed: the complementing landscapes; the close-ups of the principal characters' faces; the calligraphic words magnified on the screen as she writes in ink. The music is very much a part of the storytelling: the piano notes intermittent; the violin heartstrings a-plucking - all very well integrated into the mood of the love story.
If you like classic costume drama, a Ralph Fiennes fan, a Liv Tyler admirer, yes, do see "Onegin". Martin Donovan being the prince suits me fine - I have no problem if Tatyana (Tyler) should eventually get over her mixed emotions Well, it is nineteenth century Russia when "women marry not for love", "to have the luxury of being in love, do it outside of your marriage or be a courtesan," so Tatyana was told by her aunt. (Donovan is the subtly striking male lead in most Hal Hartley films, e.g., "Trust"; he's outstanding as the gay father in Angela Pope 1996 "Hollow Reed"; also in "Portrait of a Lady", "The Opposite of Sex", and briefly in "Spanish Fly" and "Living Out Loud").
"Onegin" is a beautiful piece of work in and of itself. It's a labor of love from the Fiennes family: directed by Martha Fiennes, executive produced and performed by Ralph Fiennes, music by Magnus Fiennes. For another well-made costume drama, historical and complex, try Marshall Herskovitz 1998 "Dangerous Beauty" with Mary McCormick as a sixteenth century courtesan in Venice, with Rufus Sewell, Oliver Platt. For a change of perspective, to experience whole-hearted loving from a man, try Bernardo Bertolucci 1999 "Besieged" with David Thewlis and Thandie Newton.
Other Ralph Fiennes gems: the recent Neil Jordan 1999 "The End of the Affair" with Julianne Moore; the triumphant Anthony Minghella 1996 "The English Patient" with Kristin Scott Thomas, Juliette Binoche; the quietly wonderful Gillian Armstrong 1997 "Oscar and Lucinda" with Cate Blanchett.
Other Liv Tyler gems: James Mangold 1995 "Heavy" opposite Pruitt Taylor Vince; Bernardo Bertolucci 1996 "Stealing Beauty" opposite Jeremy Irons.