O Triunfo do Amor

The commentators so far seem to belong to one of two camps; those who hated the picture for what it is and those who liked, but did not love it, because of what it was not. I think both groups are missing the point. You simply have to accept the conventions of this type of story, just as you do when you read/watch Shakespeare's plays. Do that and you will have a wonderful time with this film. I thoroughly enjoyed it; it was witty, fast paced, sexy, the acting was fantastic (especially Kingsley though Sorvino is no slouch)etc. etc. etc. etc. Just let go and let it sweep over you. A splendid time is guaranteed for all.

This movie is about a princess simultaneously seducing a prince, his protégé and the protégé's sister, portraying herself as either a man or woman, all in the name of undoing a wrong that her family has done to the prince's a long time ago. It has some wit, with some wordplay, some farce comedy, and the slow breakdown of each of the character giving in to her seduction. But the buildup and final revelation at the end does not have the usual Shakespearean touch, where she would get closer and closer to being revealed, until a final big bang. This film just didn't have that, although it did produce some laughs when the protégé and his sister both come out dressed in clothes they otherwise would never be caught wearing.

The camerawork plays a bit with its jump cuts, trying to impose some sense of realism to this otherwise lack of stagey feeling film. The sudden revelation of the audience did not occur frequently enough to signify anything beyond an aberration of the plot.

Still, an interesting film with good interaction between characters, and a little insight to French plays of that period.

In college I studied Marivaux -- whose play this movie is based on -- so I have an understanding of the movie's context and characters. Given that, I found Triumph of Love to be rather enjoyable. But I don't recommend it for everyone. If you like Shakespeare in film or other cinematic adaptations of theater, you might well like this one. Mira Sorvino is, of course, lovely in the starring role(s).

I wasn't expecting anything quite this silly when everything looked so sophisticated. Surely not SIR Ben Kingsley? Well, he gives his usual fine dignified performance and refuses to be anything other than sophisticated, and yet as the farce becomes sillier, so does he.

I'm not that familiar with Mira Sorvino but she does a wonderful job here. And yet she's too pretty and has too nice a voice to be convincing as a man. Somehow she does fool some of the characters.

Fiona Shaw also does a good job as a scientist who thinks she is over the hill and flattered to be told otherwise. Her experiments are interesting to watch, especially later when she is turning cranks quickly and the editing makes it look like everything is happening quickly.

Rachael Serling has a supporting role also pretending to be male. She manages to be more convincing, because she looks like Fred Savage, and has a voice more like a man. And it is funny to watch her with Harlequin the servant.

Luis Molteni is a rough-looking and funny gardener. While we know it's not his work, the place looks gorgeous. I kept thinking of Brookgreen Gardens near Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. The house is also fabulous.

There is so much deception one wonders how the princess will get out her situation. Somehow it all works out, but it's hilarious when no one knows the whole truth. And of course through most of the movie, only Corine knows she is the princess, because the princess is hated.

The costumes are great. People dressed so well in the 18th century.

I'm not sure why, but I didn't feel quite satisfied, but I mostly liked everything.

Why was there an audience? They showed up occasionally for no reason.

A common complaint with imdb reviews was the editing. I noticed at the start that the movie was edited to fit the time allotted. I blamed the sloppy editing on that, but now I wonder. Did all these imdb reviewers see a version edited to fit the time allotted, or was the editing really that sloppy? Still, that was the main weakness.

Is this family friendly? Perhaps. In the version I saw, Agis is naked but blurred. And of course the women participating in the deception are shown changing their clothes. Later, Agis gets to feel the princess' breasts to prove she is a woman. Other than that, there may not be a problem for more permissive parents.

I mostly had a good time.

"Triumph of Love" is a silly little comedy about a woman (Sorvino) who dresses like a man to woo a woman and reveals her true sex to two men to woo them. The plot and her motives are elsewhere on this site. Having done that, she continues the scam on and on, engaging the trio of hapless would-be love interests over and over until the plot wears down to a nub. "Triumph..." is theater on film; a fact of which we're reminded by shots of an audience cloistered among the garden shrubs...an annoying interjection. A clumsy adaptation of theater for film, "Triumph..." will likely be of interest by only the most ardent aficionados of period plays. (C+)