Passion.
Seduction. Betrayal. A
Scandalous Love Story.
1998-
114 Minutes
The
sensuous true story of the woman who defied convention in the 16th-century
Venice comes to the screen in the ravishing Dangerous Beauty.
Catherine McCormack plays Veronica Franco who, under the knowing tutelage
of her mother (Jacqueline Bisset), becomes a courtesan to the rich and powerful.
She’ll pay the price. Veronica
may have to turn away forever from the nobleman (Rufus Sewell) she loves.
And she may stand alone when the Inquisition charges her wiles are
witchcraft. Shot on Italian
settings recreating Renaissance Venice, Dangerous Beauty is as sumptuous as it
is passionate, a work of redemptive romance that files the eye and heart.
A
racy bodice-ripper in the grand tradition of FOREVER AMBER, tarted up -- if
you'll excuse the expression -- with a bit of feminist perspective. The location
is Venice and the year 1583, generally a bad time and place to be a woman. Girls
are expected to dress modestly and behave submissively, marry men selected by
their families for reasons having more to do with finance than romance, and
avoid the twin temptations of sensuality and education -- most can't even read.
Veronica Franco (Catherine McCormack) is beautiful, intelligent, sexy,
headstrong and poor, all considerable liabilities in this scheme of things.
Unable to marry the man she loves, wealthy and well-born Marco Venier (Rufus
Sewell), she follows in the footsteps of her mother Paola (Jacqueline Bisset)
and becomes a courtesan. Ironically, as a high-class prostitute Veronica can
develop her mind as she peddles her flesh, and her wit and boldness make her a
favorite of Venice's elite. But trouble's brewing: The Turks have declared war,
plague has struck, religious zealots are blaming the courtesans for everything
and the Spanish Inquisition is on the way. Based on the exploits of real-life
poet, prostitute and social reformer Veronica Franco (1546-1591), this handsome
picture doubtless takes liberties with history in the name of lavish
entertainment. But since the results are very entertaining indeed, that can
hardly be considered a liability. Even the promiscuous mix of accents among the
cast -- in what universe are Fred Ward, Jeroen Krabbe and Rufus Sewell members
of the same Italian family? -- can't spoil the fun of rude food, ermine massage
mitts, pervy royalty, lewd clergymen and naughty versifying. -- Maitland
McDonagh
Directed by
Marshall Herskovitz
Writing credits
Jeannine Dominy
Margaret Rosenthal (book The Honest Courtesan)
Produced by
Sarah Caplan
Marshall Herskovitz
Paolo Lucidi (co-producer)
Arnon Milchan
Michael G. Nathanson (executive)
Debra Petro (associate)
Stephen Randall (executive)
Edward Zwick
Production Companies
· Bedford Falls Productions
· New Regency Pictures
Distributors
· Hispano Foxfilm, S.A.E. [es]
· Fox Film Corporation [us] (Spain)
· Filmes Castello Lopes [pt] (Portugal)
· UGC-Fox Distribution (UFD) [fr] (France)
· Warner Bros. [us]
Special Effects
· Illusion Arts, Inc.
