Review of Dangerous Beauty (1998) by Maria D — 21 Mar 2008

A Venetian courtesan becomes a hero to her city, but later becomes the target of an inquisition by the Church for witchcraft.

This is a beautiful period piece set in Venice 1600s, which was Republic on its own, not a part of Italy. This major shipping port was home to Marco Polo and a transport nexus of luxury goods such as silk and spices. The film manages to capture the wealthy excess of the city as well as exposing the gritty underclass. As fabulous as the costumes are and as exciting most of the actors, it has to be conceded that there is a tone of "girl teen empowerment movie" in more than one scene.