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The golden bowl

Threat advisory: Elevated - Significant risk of entertaining activities

Movie propaganda

A rich American widower Adam Verver (Nick Nolte) and his daughter Maggie (Kate Beckinsale) live in Europe collecting art. The two share an unusually strong bond, even for a father and daughter. Maggie marries cash-strapped Italian prince Amerigo (Jeremy Northam) after some careful matchmaking from their mutual friend, the interfering socialite Mrs Fanny Assingham (Anjelica Huston).

Unbeknown to Maggie however, until recently Amerigo was involved in a secret love affair with her best friend, Charlotte (Uma Thurman). The lovers had been forced to separate as their respective personal situations meant that high society would never accept them as a couple. Mrs Assingham is however aware of this situation and feeling sorry for her friend Charlotte, who has no money of her own and has now lost her love, contrives to marry her into the wealthy Verver family as well, this time to father Adam.

Complications of course arise when Amerigo and Charlotte, now reunited in this strange circumstance, can no longer ignore each other's charms and re-ignite their covert affair. Maggie however becomes increasingly suspicious that the idyllic lifestyle she is lead to believe exists for the two couples is not all that it seems. The shattering truth about Amerigo and Charlotte is revealed to her by a twist of fate when she purchases the symbolic golden bowl of the title.

Also starring James Fox. Written by Ruth Prawer Jhabvala, based on the novel by Henry James, directed by James Ivory.

Cinematic intelligence sources

The golden bowl official movie site
Awards and film festivals:

Cannes Film Festival 2000: Official selection
Cinematic Intelligence Agency Trenchcoat Awards 2002

Studios and distributors:

20th Century Fox

Intelligence analyst

Special Agent Matti

Theatrical report

Big frocks, big houses, the insufferably rich and the socially adept. If you've ever seen a Merchant/Ivory production then you know what to expect and it will be delivered in spades. If you haven't, watch A room with a view first because it's more likely to hook you in because The golden bowl's 2 hours plus are a bit much for the novice viewer.

Everyone is good at what they do although it's Kate who does the best job, despite playing a second-string role. Jeremy and Uma both have trouble maintaining the believability of their characters: he is often too reserved for a passionate Italian while she is too scattered for an obsessed lover. Because of these problems, the film is too "open" where there should be a sense of people being forced together against (or in favour with) their desires. James' cinematographic direction, filling the frame with object-burdened spaciousness, further undermines the focus.

The eponymous bowl, an objet d'art, is used as metaphor for the prince and princess's marriage. Its beauty is betrayed by a fine crack which none but a few can see, while its destruction is less a symbol of the nature of the relationship but the lies on which it was founded. It's an interesting storytelling device which is more often overdone than handled with the subtlety it should receive. The golden bowl does it pretty well but it could've been more subtle without any danger of obscurity.