![]() ![]() Though the film did receive two Oscar nominations, The Portrait of a Lady still wasn't the critical juggernaut that Campion's last film was. This time the heroine is Isabel Archer ( Nicole Kidman), a wealthy American heiress who finds herself traveling to Europe and ultimately marrying a shady con-man ( John Malkovich) as she tries to navigate the difficult new landscape and far from progressive time period. Similarly to the film that won her an Oscar, The Portrait of a Lady once again follows a female protagonist who is an immigrant to a strange new land. With the massive critical and award-winning success of The Piano, it makes sense that Campion decided to follow up her smash hit with another star-studded period piece. The Piano is available to stream on Showtime. Campion's impeccable character work shines again with a character who literally has to use her expressions and mannerisms to communicate her emotions, leading to one of the most compelling characters in an already long list of compelling characters. When her husband sells her prized piano to a neighbor, Ada becomes smitten with the piano's new owner and begins an affair much to the ire of her disgruntled husband. The Piano namesake within the film is a symbol that contains significant thematic weight to protagonist Ada McGrath, a mute woman who was forced into an arranged marriage. This was clearly a massive step for her as the film represents Campion's most overt attempt so far to break into the more mainstream world of cinema (well until now), this also being the first time she worked with big-name actors like Sam Neil, who was already a sought after star given the recent release of Jurassic Park. Jane Campion's career once again showed evidence that there was nowhere to go but up when Campion received her first Oscar win for her screenwriting role on The Piano. It's another great example of Campion's attention to detail when it comes to developing complex characters.Īn Angel at My Table is available to stream on HBO Max. Neither of these films really directly address if these characters do have a mental condition or not, as their decisions and characteristics feel as if they've been formed by their close relationships and themselves. Much like Sweetie, An Angel at My Table take a very nuanced approach to the topic of mental illness. It details her journey through Europe and her struggles with an incorrectly diagnosed case of schizophrenia as she eventually learns to translate those experiences into her writing. It was also her first time adapting from real events as An Angel at My Table is based on the true story of New Zealand author Janet Frame. Only a year after her critically acclaimed feature debut crashed headfirst into the independent filmmaking scene, Campion immediately followed it up a year later with a feature that was an hour longer than her previous effort.
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