THE BARONESS AND THE PIG
(a film review by Mark R. Leeper)
CAPSULE: This is a rather heavy-handed parable of the sort that was made in the 1970s about sexism and class-prejudice. Set in 1887, it has a heroic, free-thinking American woman married to a French baron come to Paris fresh with new ideas on how to make a more just future. She finds barriers to her late-20th century values in a society in the staid class-conscious male-chauvinist society. The nice look of the film cannot compensate for the didactic writing. Rating: 4 (0 to 10), 0 (-4 to +4)
THE BARONESS AND THE PIG has a great grasp of late 20th century values and attitudes. The problem is that is it set in 1887. The setting is Paris of 1887 and the Baron (Colm Feore) has brought his new American wife, a former Quaker (Patricia Clarkson) to the city and hide-bound society. The Baroness has plans of creating a social salon using new electronics like electric light and the phonograph. She does not yet know that she will be expected to follow the strict rules of society and in particular the dictates of her husband. Never mind that he is a foolish, selfish, worthless man.
The Baroness has enlightened ideas that she got from her raising in America. The first of her project will be to adopt a feral child. The child was raised with pigs and the Baroness wants to mold her into a perfect housemaid. She will bring technology like electric lighting so that the poor will not have to live in the dark. She will form her own salon where people will gather and talk about the new enlightened world that is coming.
Yet nothing the Baroness seems to come to much due to conspiracies against her. High members of society are aghast at her new ideas. They feel inexpensive light is a mistake. Then even the poor will have light. "Light must be spread judiciously." The Baron, who cheats in business and then brags about it, and who indulges himself with pornography, and who rapes the maids, is convinced he must keep his wife in line to protect society and to maintain his own power. When the Baroness tries to act as a good influence on her husband he coldly informs her that he married her out of charity.
Michael Mackenzie who directed and wrote the film based on his own play has a real feel for melodrama but not subtlety. Subtlety in this script consists of touches like leaving the ambiguity of whom the title refers to as "the pig." The film wends its way to its cathartic but rather predictable conclusion.
Patricia Clarkson of THE GREEN MILE stars as the Baroness who believes in a bright future through science but whose personal dreams are destroyed. Colm Feore of TITUS plays the despicable Baron. Feore seems to have the kind of face one casts as an insensitive person. It is rather comforting to see veteran actor Bernard Hepton around and working. I have liked Hepton since his role in the "Colditz" television series which must have been made nearly three decades ago. Here he plays an intelligent and well-intentioned butler.
Mackenzie gives the film a nice antique look by filming in Hungary. The film is short in HDCAM, a video process. The images are generally sharp but there are still a few drawbacks. The process does however create interference patterns when showing intricate patterns as with lace. The small print of the closing credits also showed pixels. Bright lights would create a dark video halo. But the technology seems promising. I rate THE BARONESS AND THE PIG a 4 on the 0 to 10 scale and a 0 on the -4 to +4 scale.
Mark R. Leeper
mleeper@optonline.net
Copyright 2003 Mark R. Leeper
========== X-RAMR-ID: 33797 X-Language: en X-RT-ReviewID: 829904 X-RT-TitleID: 10002242 X-RT-AuthorID: 1309 X-RT-RatingText: 4/10
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