Then Stay With Me a Little Longer
-Countess
The Age of Innocence (1993) Movie Review Part 2: The Most Violent Romance Movie
The Plot
Newland Archer (Daniel Day Lewis), an affluent lawyer who lives in New York 1980s, is engaged to this pretty but dull socialite May Welland (Winona Ryder). The engagement is perceived as the well matched that time. All is change when May’s cousin,The exotic Countess Ellen Olenska (Michelle Pfeiffer), who seeking a divorce from her abusive husband return to New York. It’s not hard to guess that Newland finally fall for her. She has the great passion, honest, and bravery that he's missing from his life. Later, Newland begins to question the future with May that he has planned all this time.
What I love about this movie is Daniel Day Lewis performance as this handsome and noble man. He got everything he needs, but he's not more than a dead man. Archer is the heart of the movie and Lewis delivers the role perfectly that made us pity and curse him for being so coward at the same time.
Ryder performance is also brilliant as the innocence May Welland who tender, lovely, but poisonous. Well, of course our eyes is at Pfeiffer. She successfully made us understand why Newland falls in love with Countess in the first place. The only object of Newland's desire. It's not merely the beauty she hold, but the way she boldly speak her mind, it's undeniable sexy that even behaved man like Archer can’t resist.
Ryder performance is also brilliant as the innocence May Welland who tender, lovely, but poisonous. Well, of course our eyes is at Pfeiffer. She successfully made us understand why Newland falls in love with Countess in the first place. The only object of Newland's desire. It's not merely the beauty she hold, but the way she boldly speak her mind, it's undeniable sexy that even behaved man like Archer can’t resist.
“Is fashion such a serious consideration?” Ellen
“Among those who have nothing more serious to consider” Newland
The main casts couldn't be more perfect than this. I love this trio combo.
The Twist
I found that the farewell dinner scene for Countess is rather frightening. The directing is so excellent, that raises your goose bumps and made your body numb. This so called high society, turns Newland and Ellen into puppets in the puppet show, where all people smilling and gracious but all align to break the lovers.
It feels like surrender before you can even take a weapon. Hands down, this is the most dreadful scene I found in the romance movie. Who would guess that May turn out to be the one who direct the band of conspiracy, made Newland the prisoner and the only innocence who lost.
It feels like surrender before you can even take a weapon. Hands down, this is the most dreadful scene I found in the romance movie. Who would guess that May turn out to be the one who direct the band of conspiracy, made Newland the prisoner and the only innocence who lost.
Don’t you think the flower Archer give to label these girls is rather exchanged? Lilies-of-the-valley symbolizes purity, modesty, and return of happiness, when yellow roses represent jealousy, infidelity, friendship, or a decrease of love.
The Anti-hero
Well at the end, when we found that Ted, Archer’s son, is going to marry to no other than Beaufort’s daughter with her mistress, Annie Beaufort, despite her background. Beaufort is the anti-hero who turns to be the hero of the story. He married his mistress, and escaped being victims of the high society, something that Archer will never achieve. At last, hero is defeated again.
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