A wonderfully magnificent and mature piece of adult film-making. It is the first time I have seen this and am very glad that I came to it and with the benefit of maturity, experience, and maybe even some wisdom. This is one of the best things about seeing great films later in life. I think you appreciate them far more than if you saw films like this in your callow youth (or relative youth, anyway).
Every cinematic aspect was in almost perfect accord – music/visuals/acting – and a wonderfully rich picture given of a fascinating society. As some critics have said, there is far more similarity between the world of Gilded Age New York and that of Mafia gangs with their ruthless code of social conduct – and if you offended against them, death followed – either physical or social with perhaps the latter being more ruthless as one lived a ‘living death’. At least a bullet finally ends it.
The music was superbly used. The rich orchestral score seemed to constantly recall well-known pieces e.g. Rachmaninov and yet it was made quite unique and powerful. Often the musical soundtrack conveyed far more explicitly the true hidden passions of the people we were seeing on screen, giving us their story. This was particularly true of the scenes in the opera house (and absolutely right to use Gounod’s Faust, THE opera of that time and place), where we saw more explicit depiction of emotion than would ever be allowed in the lives of the characters.
The visuals of the films were exceptional – those amazing costumes and the loving, sensual speed over which the camera lingered, particularly regards the food. Truly food as art. The cast were exceptional – amazingly starry but with everyone making the most of often only small roles e.g. Sian Phillips. It was almost something of a who’s who of great Brit acting talent.
Michelle Pfeiffer managed to convey both depth and superficiality in her character, both equally important I feel while Winona Ryder was very subtle performer, revealing towards the end her steel-like, ruthless strength as an epitome of the power of the society of the 1%. And it goes without saying the Daniel Day-Lewis was his usual, remarkable self, managing to convey very strong feelings by the subtlest of means – the only way to do this in that place and at that time. He was very convincingly aged for the final scenes – and I loved how he caught an older man’s walk in the final shots as he slowly moved away. Nothing exaggerated but just 100% looking and moving like an older person. Masterly!