For a while it looked like adoptions from books by Henry James were the sole territory from James Ivory, but in 1997 director Iain Softly (who later would make his "K-Pax") made his effort. Funnily enough we notice that Softly found his solace in Helena Bonham Carter who appears in almost every Ivory-film but that makes the film only better. Not that I ever tried but books by Henry James appear to be almost unreadable but this movie is just a sober love story. Kate (Carter) is a woman who lives in the high society that is controlled by her aunt Maude (Charlotte Rampling) who has only hard feelings as she has to live the way she chooses, even her forthcoming marriage is planned by her. Kate must marry Lord Mark (Alex Jennings) but in fact her heart beats for the journalist Merton (Linus Roache). Maud's statement is quite clear : if she marries the man she's longing for, she won't get a single penny. Then out of a sudden Millie (Alison Elliot) comes on the stage. This fine looking lady is dying and Kate has an evil plan : coupling Merton with her so they will get a fortune if Millie will die. Everything in this picture is quite fine, the landscapes are mesmerizing but that's the least you expect if the half of the film is set in the wonderful Venice. The sole thing is just that this movie isn't that original as you saw it all before in the movies from Ivory, but apart from that it's quite a nice thing and as usual Carter is breathtaking.
Review of The Wings of the Dove
