"I am not a man like others and moral laws or the laws that govern conventional behavior do not apply to me. My mistresses do not in the least engage my feelings. Power is my mistress."
Napoleon Bonaparte

William Thackeray’s classic is about a social climber nee “social mountaineer” named Rebecca “Becky” Sharp. She may have been a heroine for Thackeray’s readers way back when as a woman who overcame social prejudices, but what does this tale of class segregation mean to us now? Do modern audiences understand the subtleties of class struggle in England in 1820? Can we understand the horror and shame that an orphan brings to the hostess of an elegant party? When Becky tells the ladies that her mother was an opera singer is it like your son bragging to your friends that his new girlfriend is the holder of the gang-bang porn Olympics?

Becky’s story begins in London with Napoleon Bonaparte in France building his empire and threatening his neighbors with war.

Improvised and orphaned at an early age, Becky’s good friend Amelia Sedley (Romola Garai) wants her to marry her undesirable, rich brother Jos (Tony Maudsley). Amelia’s snobby fiancé George Osborne (Jonathan Rhys-Meyers) quickly points out to Jos that Becky is an inappropriate social choice for a wife. Major Osborne will not marry Amelia if Becky is part of the family.

Becky becomes governess to Sir Pitt Crawley’s (Bob Hoskins) two young daughters. Her charm, way with a French phrase, and allure amuses Pitt’s spinster sister Matilde (Eileen Atkins). When Becky marries Matilde’s favorite nephew and designated heir, Rawdon Crawley (James Purefoy), she is furious and disinherits him. If Becky is looking for social acceptance, Rawdon, a degenerate gambler, is a poor choice for a first husband.

George Osborne’s overt dislike of Becky has no foundation. He is a disgruntled son of a merchant subjected to the iron will of his father, Mr. Osborne (Jim Broadbent). When Amelia’s father loses all his money, Mr. Osborne demands George marry another wealthy woman. What does George do? He quickly marries penniless, and now socially unacceptable, Amelia.

While Becky is supposed to be a scheming manipulator hell-bent on advancing socially, Witherspoon cannot play her without betraying a charm that does not support a ruthless wrench hoodwinking hapless gents.

Becky has one skill London hostesses covet: She can sing. And sing she does throughout this movie. It is only when Becky meets the dashing Marquis of Stevne (Gabriel Byrne) that the film briefly takes off. Bryne is the only man in the film that has a sexual presence and seems aware of his coarse seductiveness. Through the Marquis of Stevne’s patronage, Becky becomes Queen of High Society. Considering Becky’s useless husband, a powerful friend is not a disgrace. And he gives jewelry and a wardrobe.

Jonathan Rhys-Meyers has an undeniable petulant allure but he cannot translate it to either Becky or Amelia. I always enjoy watching him but here he’s in love with himself and his uniform. Major Dobbin, (Rhys Ifans), a friend of George’s is madly but quietly in love with Amelia. He is a romantic stoic. Ifans, now transformed from NOTTING HILL’s buffoon into a sensitive leading man (see his other current film DANNY DECKCHAIR), plays the upright, steely friend standing by Amelia for almost twenty years without ever letting her know his love for her. Amelia doesn’t have a clue why Major Dobbin has been hanging around for nearly two decades.

Pregnant actresses who want to work right up to their due date should take this page out of Witherspoon’s playbook. A period piece like VANITY FAIR works perfectly. Pregnant throughout the filming of VANITY FAIR, Witherspoon’s wardrobe of extravagantly draped empire waist gowns hide the baby weight. Witherspoon skillfully handles an upper class London accent but we never see her maneuvering society as much as taking advantage of the opportunities presented to her. For Witherspoon, Becky was just a damn lucky girl.

VANITY FAIR
Focus Features
A Tempesta Films/Granada Film production

Credits:
Director: Mira Nair
Screenwriters: Matthew Faulk, Mark Skeet, Julian Fellowes
Based on the novel by: William Makepeace Thackeray
Producers: Janette Day, Donna Gigliotti, Lydia Dean Pilcher
Executive producers: Jonathan Lynn, Howard Cohen, Pippa Cross
Director of photography: Declan Quinn
Production designer: Maria Djurkovic
Music: Mychael Danna
Co-producer: Jane Frazer
Costume designer: Beatrix Aruna Paztor
Editor: Allyson C. Johnson

Cast:
Becky Sharp: Reese Witherspoon
Matilda Crawley: Eileen Atkins
Mr. Osborne: Jim Broadbent
Marquess: Gabriel Byrne
Amelia Sedley: Romola Garai
Sir Pitt Crawley: Bob Hoskins
William Dobbin: Rhys Ifans
Lady Southdown: Geraldine McEwan
Rawdon Crawley: James Purefoy

MPAA rating: PG-13
Running time -- 140 minutes

by Victoria Alexander - FilmsInReview.com