The Portrait of a Lady (film)


The Portrait of a Lady is a 1996 film adaptation of Henry James's 1881 novel The Portrait of a Lady directed by Jane Campion.
The film stars Nicole Kidman, Barbara Hershey, John Malkovich, Mary-Louise Parker, Martin Donovan, Shelley Duvall, Richard E. Grant, Shelley Winters, Viggo Mortensen, Valentina Cervi, Christian Bale, and John Gielgud.

Premise

The film tells the story of Isabel Archer, an innocent young woman of independent means who is manipulated by her "friend" Madame Merle, and the devious Gilbert Osmond.

Cast

The Portrait of a Lady received mixed reviews from critics, as it holds a 45% rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 71 reviews. The consensus summarizes: "Beautiful, indulgently heady, and pretentious, The Portrait of a Lady paints Jane Campion's directorial shortcomings in too bright a light."

Awards

The film was released in 1996 and won several awards for costuming, screenplay, as well as acting awards for Hershey and Donovan. It was nominated for two Academy Awards: Best Supporting Actress and Best Costume Design

Home media

On December 11, 2012, Shout! Factory released The Portrait Of A Lady: Special Edition on DVD and Blu-ray.