The Age of Innocence (1993) Movie Review Part 1

The Age of (not so) Innocence
“Don't you see? I can't love you unless I give you up”

Imagine yourself standing in front of a glass, looking at the person that you love across you. Never been so clear in your life that you want nothing else in the whole world but her. It feels so close, but somehow you always failed to reach her.

                                                   
          
“Each time is the same, you happen to me all over again”

How you always end up meeting her, and get reminded of what cannot be. Always fall in love and fall apart again.

This is the tale of the doomed couple. Beautiful yet so poignant 

The scene in the dock where Newland hopelessly looking at Ellen with the sunset as the background, it's so beautifull. The red-blooded sun is going down soon, as the chance will pass them by. He swears in his hearts if she turns around before the boat cross the lighthouse, He will go after her no matter what cost. 

To add the dramatic of the story, the music is so clear and beautiful as the heart of the audience question what will happen next. We're asking Ellen to turn around, or for Newland to go after her. For god sake, what are you waiting for..

But she didn't turn around, of course. He then say goodbye without her knowing it. It best to turn off your movie now, because this very scene can foreshadow the ending. For Ellen will turn to be his "imaginary loved one in a book or picture".

"She had become the complete vision of all that he had missed"

It's sexy but with class.

The moment when Countess and Newland alone in the carriage, he manages to expose the flesh of her wrist and rub it against his cheek. It's tantalizing. I think it's the most sensual scene I ever scene without the nakedness on the screen which Hollywood so favor lately. Wharton wants to show us implicitly there are always barriers between them. Even the countess’ gloves have buttons. Oh, Come on...  

What I like the most from this movie, it's the thing they say to each other.
Newland: You gave me my first glimpse of a real life. Then you asked me to go on with the false one. No one can endure that
Countess: I'm enduring it
--
Newland: I never made love to you and I never shall. But you are the woman I would have married if it had been possible for either of us.
Countess: And you say that--when it's you who've made it impossible

In the last scene, 

when window of opportunity come again, Newland decided to remember her only from memory instead meeting her. Really? Who does that! It's so clear that Newland is a man of imagination rather than action. Well, I honestly hate the resolution of the story but can’t deny its coming. 

I can say that Scorsese successfully play our feeling upside down, when Newland always unable to grasp the chance. But still, We hope till the end the movie that they will find a way be together.

At the end, 
it shows the true color of the story that love doesn't always conquer all. The Author punishes the characters for not following their heart instead following their rule in the society. Is it noble or plain stupid you can never tell. Can you blame them for giving up, or rather trying to put yourself in their position? Can you suffice another year by the mere touching of your lover’s hand? Or would you rather against the society and take a chance of the real happiness? This is one of many issue that rises from the movie.

Rating: 

Well I won’t give rating to this movie, it’s a great one, but I just can’t give it rating just because it's literature. It's an Art. The beauty is in the eyes of beholder. 

-Bec

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