Firelight - Le lien secret

It is a sweet and touching film of a mother who loves her daughter. It is better to be published in novel also, so it can be read anytime, everywhere.

The artistry of this movie is not evident the first time you watch it because you notice nothing but the actors' brown eyes and the blue cold rooms of the mansion.

But watch it a few more times and you realize how balanced the story is, how themes of birth and death parallel heat and cold, love and hate.

The script is simple because silence and secrecy drive the plot. Compared to Jane Eyre, it is rather sparse, but so what?

I gave it a 10.

A wonderful photographed movie with a convincingly playing Sophie Marceau. Absolutely recommendable for fans of historical romances.

I have to admit that I watched this the first time because of my admiration for the performances of Sophie Marceau. I watched it several times more because of the interesting portrayal of the power of desire presented by oustanding acting and a rich "period piece" production. Should your friends belittle the story as formulaic and the ending as too easy, ignore them. They have missed the richness of the flow of events in this movie that portrays a more repressed world where women (and, to a lesser degree, men) had different and more limited options and necessarily pursued their opportunities differently. This movie was so well done, it leaves you wishing it were an hour longer.

The title led me to expect "Firelight" would be a "chick flick", yet the inclusion of the beautiful Sophie Marceau made viewing imperative. The astonishing credibility of the actors' performances was aided by an impeccable script coupled with masterful direction. Add to that award-winning cinematography and achingly beautiful music reminiscent of gypsy violins and the result is an extremely moving love story. How this film came to be ignored by the US public is one of the great mysteries of our time.

Every word, every sigh, every gesture and every scene appears uncontrived yet at the same time is testament to breathtaking genius. If only director William Nicholson would bring his ensemble together again for more of the same! Just thinking about "Firelight" brings tears to my eyes. No other movie has had such an effect on me.

File this one under "U" for "Unforgettable" in the illustrated dictionary.