The Burnt Orange Heresy

"The Burnt Orange Heresy" (2019 release from Italy; 98 min.) brings the story of art critic James Figueras. As the movie opens, James is in Milan, Italy, giving an art critic presentation about some painting. In the audience is Berenice, an American from Duluth. Afterwards, these two hook up. James mentions that he has been invited by art dealer Joseph Cassidy to his summer estate at Lake Como, and would she like to come along? Berenice agrees, and out to Lake Como they drive. It's not long after when Cassidy reveals his reasons for inviting James to his lakeside estate... At this point we are 10 min. into the movie but to tell you more of the plot would spoil your viewing experience , you'll just have to see for yourself how it all plays out.

Couple of comments: this movie is the latest from Italian director Giuseppe Capotondi. Here he brings the big screen adaptation of the book of the same name by Charles Willeford. I haven't read the book and hence can't comment how closely the film sticks to the book. Also, this movie is super-plot heavy, so I can't say anything more about how it all unfolds. Instead, I will simply say this: the movie's built-up takes a long time (pretty much the first hour), and all is then revealed in the last half hour, so just make sure you wait out the first hour... Tce acting performances are tops: Danish actor Claas Bang (wjo looks just like Pierce Brosnan) as James, Australian actress Elizabeth Debicki as Berenice, Donald Sutherland as he recluse painter Jerome Debney, and last but not least, Mick Jagger as the art dealer Cassidy. Now a crisp 77 years young, this is Jagger's first feature film role out of the Stones since 2001's "The Man from Elysian Fields", if you can believe it. Much of the movie plays out at Lake Como, and the lush photography really helps the film. Kudos also for the nice orchestral score from Scottish composer Craig Armstrong.

"The Orange Burnt Heresy" premiered at last year's Venice film festival to good acclaim, and it was supposed to be released in US theaters in March. Then a little thing called COVID-19 happened. The film finally opened this weekend at my local art-house theater here in Cincinnati and I could wait to see it. (The theater strictly abides by all COVID-19 measures including social distancing and face masks.) The early Sunday evening screening where I saw this at was attended poorly (3 people including myself). If you are interested in an arts-focuses thriller that delivers in the last half hour, I'd readily suggest you check this out, be it in the theater, on VOD, or eventually on DVD/Blu-ray, and draw your own conclusion.

Take 4 Actors that are Talented, Eye-Pleasing, and Mysterious.

Put Them in Front of Interesting European Scenery.

Reciting Dialog that Intrigues, Stings, and Swells the Plot.

You may Not have a Masterpiece, but a Damn Good Art-World Scam that is Ripe for Soul Snatching and Fallen Angels.

An Art-Critic that "Talks about art better than he makes it".

Echoing the Standard "He who can't do teaches", makes a Living being a Con-Artist Lessoning and Pick-Pocketing Tourist in Italy.

He Dreams of an Opportunity to Really Cash-In.

Enter Wealthy, Aging, but Ageless Mick Jagger as a "Real" Mover and Shaker.

He Takes Advantage of the Porous, Pretentious People in the World of High-Priced Art Work.

A Man who is Not Interested in the Work but What the Work can Put in His Pocket.

The Critic has with Him a Beauty that has Done A Few Things and Seen a Few Things.

They Match Wits and Bodily Fluids.

She is also a Kind-Soul that Instantly Charms World Renowned Artist and Recluse, Donald Sutherland.

The Famous Painter Finds Her Equally Lovely.

They Hit it Off as Our Antagonist Art-Critic Schemes with Jagger to Get the Unwilling Artist to Give it Up for Posterity.

It's a Wordy Thriller Worthy of a Sit-Down and Appreciate and Old Story Painted with a Modern Eye.

Very good arty thriller... you have to stay with it till the end. Some reviewers on here are just the kinds of quasi critics who think their intelligence is beyond this film. But it's actually just the opposite. And it's those who are lost and simply can't see the movie for what it is.. great fun and thrilling for those who of course watch the entire film ...and understand it's Hitchcock-ian vibes. It's not for everyone. 'Sanctify yourselves'

I enjoyed this rather strange film. The dialog and some of the characters were a bit odd but that's what made this thing watchable. Good performances from everyone, especially from the main actor who played James. Overall, a decent watchable film with a bit of a Hitchcock style...you might like it. :-)

I enjoyed The Burnt Orange Heresy film it looks very pretty and has some nice dialogue. All the cast were good and Mick Jagger was a surprise in that he played his part very well. Claes Bang seemed quite old for the part of a young and up and coming critic though.

The plot at times seemed a little strained. I read the Charles Willeford book a few years ago which possibly helped in following what was going on so far as what the characters motivations were. The film itself seems closer to something from the Tom Ripley novels than in does the book it is supposedly based on. It left out a key thing about Debney's career which everything should really hinge on, seems the script writer wanted to turn this into amost a European film noir than anything to do with the book. But it was an enjoyable hour and fourty minutes all the same.