Cousin Bette (1998)
Cousin Bette is a poor and lonely seamstress, who, after the death of her prominent and wealthy sister, tries to ingratiate herself into lives of her brother-in-law, Baron Hulot, and her niece, Hortense Hulot. Failing to do so, she instead finds solace and company in a handsome young sculptor she saves from starvation. But the aspiring artist soon finds love in the arms of another woman, Hortense, leaving Bette a bitter spinster. Bette plots to take revenge on the family who turned her away and stole her only love. With the help of famed courtesan Jenny Cadine she slowly destroys the lives of those who have scorned her.
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the audience applauded
It was OK. I don't see why everyone loves it so much. It wasn't very smart or deep or well-directed.
By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.
This movie tries so hard to be funny, yet it falls flat every time. Just another example of recycled ideas repackaged with women in an attempt to appeal to a certain audience.
Well, I have read the novel, of course, and it was excessively boring, like all of Mr. Bazac's I must say. The novel is more about bonds and money and it's kind of a good bible for those who have money problems, but it's definitely NOT the sort of story that films can be made on. Howevwr, when I watched the film Cousin Bette for the first time I was more then surprised. Boring and tragic novel became a lively comedy with such intelligent intrigues and lovely songs that Jenny Cadine (Elizabeth Shue) sings through the film. Every character is made with great precision and care, just like in Gone With the Wind. Acting is truthful and excellent in all aspects. The director Des McAnuff has taken care of every detail. Theatre lovers will be delighted. And for once again English movie proves that English people know France and French people better than French people do.
So what if this movie reminds of dangerous liasons, or cruel intentions or any other film for that matter! Now-a-days, good luck being completely original, when we live in the era when the Wayans brothers are bringing t.v.s The Munsters to the big screen, Yikes! The hard fact of the matter is that Jessica Lange is AMAZING (as always) and Elizabeth Shue is a delight. I really enjoyed the "Oh what a tangled web we weave" plot line and you will too if you give it a chance. The story is well written, and the performances are effortless. I usually don't care for period pieces and truth be told, I had to be forced to turn this one on...but I WAS SO GLAD I DID. The supporting cast is a hoot as well.
A somewhat sanitised version of the Balzac classic which departs disappointingly from the original story. Jessica Lang is far too pretty a version of the downtrodden, wizened old hag Bette of the original and so conveys none of her deviousness in the many schemes to avenge herself against her condescending relatives. Missing completely from the film is arch-whore Valerie, a central character of the book's plot, who dies a grim death from a disfiguring tropical disease at the conclusion, thus removing an important moral message of the tale. Most of Balzac's other works viz. Madame Bovary, contain one of these. That said, costumes and furniture are fairly faultless which shows Hollywood has at least tried to do justice to a great book.
One may shudder as Cousin Bette pursues her relentless machinations for revenge because of spurned love, but a chuckle is always bubbling somewhere beneath other emotions. Some patience is needed, however, to savor the good qualities of the film. Cast, story, suspense are all to the good, but the editing is about as bad as it gets among contemporary films, and the photography is only marginally acceptable. I reached for the remote more than once, but finally stuck it out to the end. Jessica's performance was worth the other miseries.