Movie: Age of Innocence
Director: Martin Scorsese
Cast: Daniel Day-Lewis, Michelle Pfeiffer and Winona Ryder
Rating: ****
Martin Scorsese trapezes into unfamiliar territory: from the guts and glory of “Taxi Driver” and “Raging Bull” to the cloistered era of Victorian repression, where emotions were underplayed and their expression forbidden. And Scorsese displays his craftsmanship in this strange new world too.
In “Age of Innocence”, he sculpts a poignant love story that captures every subtle details of life in the 19th century where people married for convenience rather than love, because love was considered vulgar and class inviolate. Hence, the alliance of Newland Archer (Daniel) with his pretty betrothed, May Welland (Winona), who is engaged to him without engaging his mind. But decorum and decency are threatened when the gentleman falls desperately in love with Countess Ellen Olenska (Michelle), May’s freethinking, consummately wild cousin.
Scorsese excels in this exquisite period drama about a tormented love triangle. You can see Martin’s style and panache is sophisticated in this adaptation of Edith Wharton’s touching novel of a forbidden love saga.
