Description

 Passion.  Seduction. Betrayal.  A Scandalous Love Story.

1998- 114 Minutes

The sensuous true story of the woman who defied convention in the 16^th-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

Cast Information

Director Information

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. 

Miscellaneous Information

Also Known As: 

• Courtesan (1997) (USA: working title)
• Destiny of Her Own, A (1999) (Australia)
• Honest Courtesan, The (1996) (USA: working title)
• Venice (1997) (USA: working title)

Country of origin: U.S.

Genre: Historical; Romance; Drama

Color or b/w: Color

Production Co(s).: Regency Enterprises; Arnon Milchan/Bedford Falls

Released By: Warner Bros.

MPAA rating: R

Parental rating: Objectionable for children

Running time: 114