THE GOVERNESS
A film review by Mark R. Leeper
Capsule: This film had just about everything
going for it but an original story. The story it
has is just the recombination of elements from
other films. A Jewish woman needing employment
takes a Christian name for a job as governess on
the Isle of Skye. In a mysterious house she finds
sensuous romance in the best Bronte traditions.
There are more problems awaiting her, but few
unfamiliar to most filmgoers. Rating: 5 (0 to 10),
high 0 (-4 to +4). A spoiler section follows the
main review discussing the familiarity of plot
points from late in the film.
New York Critics: 5 positive, 5 negative, 4 mixed
One wants to feel when watching a film that at least somewhere in the film there are some new ideas somewhere in the film and something that the viewer has not seen before. Of late, however, we have been getting films that really are little more than recombinations of other films. No part of the film felt like it belonged to that film alone. Rarely does one see such a film on the art house circuit. That is one advantage to art house films. But occasionally even there a film comes through that feel more assembled from parts than written. Watching THE GOVERNESS I was reminded of pieces of JANE EYRE, of THE INNOCENTS, of Jane Austin films, even of THE COLOR PURPLE. It reminded me of all these films, but I cannot imagine that any other film will ever remind me primarily of THE GOVERNESS.
Minnie Driver plays Rosina, a precocious young Jewish woman from London some time around the 1820s. When her father is killed Rosina does not know what is to become of her. Her mother wants to marry her to an old fish merchant for whom she thinks she will never feel love. Didn't I see this with a butcher in FIDDLER ON THE ROOF? Rosina has a better idea. She will take the ultra-Christian name Mary Blackchurch and will apply for a job as a governess. She does and accepts a position for the Cavendish Family on the Isle of Skye. Rosina has the most romantic of impression what the isle will be like but it turns out to be foggy and dismal and the house big and mysterious in the best traditions of the Brontes. Mrs. Cavendish (Harriet Walter) seems to be dramatically wasting away of ennui. Young Clementina Cavendish, a small monster, does not like her new governess and immediately tries to get the upper hand. And there is no appearance from the mysterious Mr. Cavendish (who would be played by Tom Wilkenson if he were around). It seems that Cavendish is performing strange scientific experiments that some rumor to verge on the supernatural. However as time passes nearly all things improve in various predictable ways as Rosina's spunk, wit, education, and intelligence proves to be just what the Cavendish house needs, and the house is just what Rosina needs. Sandra Goldbacher wrote and directed the film as her first major effort and perhaps that is part of the problem with the plotting.
Minnie Driver is a good actress in a role that by turns expects her to be plain as a bug and then later to be glamorous. She manages to cover the range and does for the story all she could be expected to do. Tom Wilkenson as Cavendish must go in the reverse direction and manages quite well. Wilkenson may be remembered as the imperious bosses from THE GHOST AND THE DARKNESS and especially from THE FULL MONTY. Ashley Rowe's photography is certainly moody if unsubtle. There is a heavy use of filters so that most scenes do not appear in natural light. Scenes are frequently awash in blue or brown. And Rowe manages to make the fog outside even appear to enter the house.
It is easy to imagine Goldbacher turning out good films in the future, but her first effort points to a need for a little more imagination in her storytelling. I give her first effort a 5 on the 0 to 10 scale and a high 0 on the -4 to +4 scale.
Spoiler...Spoiler...Spoiler...
The contrivance and cliche seems to continue throughout the film in ways that could not be described above. Rosina's photography suggestions all make perfect sense from the present when we know that a darkroom is a pretty good idea and that photography can artistic. But they seem unlikely coming from a woman or even a man of the 1820s. Even for a woman from a culture that stresses education the extent of her general knowledge seems anachronistic. In the final analysis THE GOVERNESS is a sort of bodice-ripper variant on COLD COMFORT FARM, then twists when Rosina learns the hard feminist lesson not to trust men. Every inch of the way in the plot we are on well-trodden ground. I will point out the one laughable irony is that so soon after photography is invented comes the advent of the dirty picture.
Mark R. Leeper
mleeper@lucent.com
Copyright 1998 Mark R. Leeper
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