Gefährliche Schönheit - Die Kurtisane von Venedig

In 16th century Venice, a beautiful woman who cannot marry the man she loves for want of station or dowry becomes a successful courtesan and wields her power in favor of goodness against war, plague, and those always pesky inquisitors. A light comedy-drama to be adored by dreamers and condemned by realists, "Dangerous Beauty" is a wholly enjoyable little tale of the downtrodden surmounting the powerful, love conquering all, goodness winning over righteousness, and all those other things people go to movies to enjoy. A fun rainy night video rental for those into period flicks. (B+)

While there have been several recent films about courageous women of the past whether true or imaginary, Dangerous Beauty, a quality effort with individuality, is a welcome addition to this group.

A story of some historical sweep, wit and romance, we are first drenched in the sunlight and beauty of Venice. As the film builds I was impressed by the talent, charm and strength of the hero, Veronica Franco, poet and courtesan.

Through two amazing events she saves Venice twice first by getting help to defend itself from invasion and later by standing up for its spirit of independence. Intertwined with this is a touching romance made bitter sweet by the pressures of arranged marriages, the terrible limitations upon women and the twisted power of envy.

This film works on many levels, the photography and music are top notch as are the settings and costumes. The acting is fine including the main roles played by Catherine McCormack and Rufus Sewell. (Just don't expect Blanchette and Joseph Fienes.)

If you like historical dramas with romance, intrigue and lovely scenery then I strongly recommend Dangerous Beauty.

For me the power of this movie rests in its faithfulness to Margaret Rosenthal's book the Honest Courtesan; which is a well-researched look at Veronica Franco's life and the plight of Venetian women in the 16th century. Dangerous Beauty, while making certain assumptions and taking some literary license, was a talented translation of Rosenthal's careful research into a captivating film. Many of the witty remarks and social commentary come directly from 16th century documents. Surprisingly the most unbelievable aspect of the movie (her escape from the Inquisition and support from prominent Venetian nobles) is historical fact. While the details are unknown and the movie is certainly more romatically dramatic than I would imagine the actual historical event, it was very true to the spirit and feel supported by the evidence we have.

Venetian women, and indeed most medieval women, were in an unenviable position as second class citizens. Veronica Franco's struggle to find an acceptable position in society as a woman of good family but poor, is representative of the moral and societal conflicts of her time. Courtesans were not respected but they were accepted as a necessary evil. Their income was even taxable! In a society where female chastity was considered sacrosanct if she were to marry and a marriage bed was no less for sale than a courtesan's, women's choices were limited indeed. Franco's impassioned cry in the movie "I did what was necessary to survive!" is no less true were it not a verbatim report of her defense. As a penniless girl her options were limited to scullery work, the nunnery or prostitution. Her distinction was that, while she chose to sell her body, she never chose to be dominated by her profession or those who sought her out. In publishing her book of poetry and personal letters, she redefined herself as a woman first and a courtesan second. Using her wit to defend herself in the public arena she skillfully manipulated accepted literary mores of the day to show her mastery of the literary as well as political implications of her position.

Her greatest detractors were courtiers, such as Maffio Venier, who competed with courtesans for the money bestowed by wealthy patrons. As she says in the movie, they must both sing for their suppers. The problem is that while she is willing to accept they are equal in their need of patronage, he is unwilling to be outdone by a woman. His misogynistic works of poetry were directed toward Franco and other courtesans with the intent of parading his own virtue by damning theirs. The greatest irony is that Maffio was ultimately killed by a sexual disease while Franco died of causes unrelated to her sexual practices.

While there are those who might see this movie as an acceptance of prostitution, I believe they are missing the true story behind the sexual facade which they are focusing on. Franco's life was one of courage and honesty. She made choices that we may not understand, but we do not live in her world. And she accepted both the privilege and the degradation that her position brought her. This movie is a powerful tribute to one who sought more in life than mere existence and who faced her trials with the courage of her convictions, whether or not we or others share those convictions is immaterial.

This particular movie was lost in the shuffle somewhere but I am certainly glad I found it. Catherine McCormack (Braveheart) portrays an innocent girl, that loses in love so decides to do what she has to do just to have him any way possible. It's a very backwards Cinderella. A good girl that falls in love with a "prince" (he's from a family with a title and she's not) but will true love prevail? Rufus Sewell is to die for, the sexiest and most talented actor to come our way in years. The rest of the fine cast Oliver Platt, Moira Kelly, Naomi Watts, Fred Ward and Jacqueline Bisset are very convincing in their portrayals of these period characters. I have had every single one of my friends watch it and they all have enjoyed it as much as I have. The music is fantastic and we even get a short history lesson. With this sensational cast, the storyline that is based on actual poetry books from a Courtisan, it really is my favorite historical romance of all time. Take the time to find this rare gem and see it as soon as possible.

I saw this when it first came out and I just saw it again on video. Superb movie. I adore Venice and feel I got a real taste of what it must have been like in the 16th century. Great photography and costumes. Beautiful actors. Comedy. Romance. Based on a true story. Shows some of the ugliness of the zealot church of the time. A must see and one of the year's best. Where were the critics on this one? Played to empty theaters mostly. What a shame.