Review of The Wings of the Dove (1997) by David S — 08 Apr 2008

"Oh what a tangled web we weave, when at first we practice to deceive", or as the old proverb goes. 'The Wings of the Dove' illustrates such a lesson in deception in the best possible way, not because the villains get their deserved comeuppance nor because they necessarily lose anything in the end, but because the director captures, in almost a single scene, the complete and utter pointlessness of their task, the futility in which they have undertaken it, and the sadness in the epiphany that it was never truly necessary.

Helena Bonham Carter gives a remarkable performance as Kate, an upper class women who falls for poor journalist Merton, only to encourage him to seduce dying, rich orphan Millie, and thus romantic drama and intrigue ensues.

What propel the film are the three main performances; the use of dialogue, body language and eye contact are cleverly realised to raise tension and hint at possible motives or desires, and the pauses, the things left unsaid demonstrate the intelligence and subtelty of the screenplay.

Ambiguity is constantly rife, and we are forever figuring out who knows what and who is planning to do what to who. It sounds a mess in words, but on screen it fascinates: Helena Bonham Carter's cold stares, her suggestive tone and sudden urgency and regret justify a well deserved Oscar nomination.

She exudes coldness but hides a vulnerable interior, and in the final scene she realises that through her greed she has lost everything. 'The Wings of the Dove' is a sensuous tale of passion and forbidden love, with authentic production values and an absorbing, infectious atmosphere that gives the final lesson the emotional impact of a film that knows what it's about.