The White Countess Reviews

• Lost in Old Shanghai

  
  By A1TJPMB7N776WS on 2005-12-26
  Based on the novel and written for the screen by the estimable Kazuo Ishiguro, "The White Countess" should be a lot better than it turns out to be. Perhaps because a novelist feels so close to his characters and therefore has a deep connection to his story, Ishiguro and by extension director James Ivory seem to be unable to judiciously edit where necessary
  On the other hand when you have the graceful, beautiful Natasha Richardson as a Russian Countess down on her luck in late 1930's Shanghai making ends meet and supporting her horrible family (literally and figuratively as her aunt Lynn and mother play her aunt and mother here) by selling dances for a few coins...how can you go wrong?
  Richardson saves this film from being a total disaster with her emotional, sad, seen-it-all and then seen-it-all again portrayal of a woman who had to give up everything: money, clothes, position, a country in order to save her life, the life of her daughter and the lives of her aunt and mother.
  Except for the elegant performance of Richardson, "The White Countess" is pretty much a mess: even Ralph Fiennes, usually so good in this type of role; here as a former diplomat blinded by a freak accident that also killed his wife and daughter, is unable to make a connection to his over-written character and consequently with us also.
  "The White Countess" is another story of a film with an exalted pedigree that fails to ignite into anything resembling a great film. As it is, it's a good film with a great central performance and I guess for this we should be grateful?
  
  
  

• Shanghai in the 1930s. Nice Atmosphere. But a Detached and Cursory Story.

  
  By A3UPYGJKZ0XTU4 on 2006-05-27
  "The White Countess" was the final production of the creative team of James Ivory and Ismail Merchant, who died in May 2005. The director-producer duo is probably known best for its elegant and emotionally sharp period films, a canon to which "The White Countess" aspires. Written by Kazuo Ishiguro, "The White Countess" takes place in Shanghai, China, a city of extraordinary variety, refuge and playground for the world's exiles and expatriates, on the brink of Japanese invasion in 1936. White Russian Countess Sophia Belinskya (Natasha Richardson) works as a taxi dancer to support her young daughter and deceased husband's family, who live in poverty in Shanghai, dreaming of the elegant lives they lost to the Revolution. Todd Jackson (Ralph Fiennes) was a distinguished American diplomat before he lost his eyesight and family to violent accidents. Having acquired a certain recklessness, he wants to open a night club, where he will engineer the staff, entertainment and patrons to create a melodious and exciting blend of elements superior to any other club in Shanghai. Countess Sofia has the perfect blend of elegance and tragedy to be Jackson's "centerpiece". And she is only too happy to leave behind the desperation of the dance hall to become the hostess of The White Countess. So an uneasy relationship develops between these 2 people whose lives are dominated by loss.
  
  "The White Countess" isn't a bad film, but it doesn't have much for the audience to grab hold of. The relationship between Todd Jackson and Countess Sofia is so distant that it doesn't engage us. We get a peek at the lives of exiled Russian nobility in Shanghai, but not enough information to learn much about that population. The re-creation of 1930s Shanghai is interesting. The ambience is conspicuous. But the relationships are unrealistic. The behavior of a Japanese imperialist named Mr. Matsuda (Hiroyuki Sanada) strains credibility beyond the breaking point. These characters are interesting, but they don't ring true. So the necessary empathy is not forthcoming. Natasha Richardson does have an enchanting presence in this role, however. The cast is certainly talented. And it's a family affair: Natasha Richardson is accompanied by her mother Vanessa Redgrave as Sofia's Aunt Vera and aunt Lynn Redgrave as Sofia's stern, ungrateful mother-in-law Olga. Sister-in-law Greshenka and daughter Katya are played by mother and daughter Madeleine Potter and Madeleine Daly. I hope to see a film someday that makes better use of the fascinating pre-war jumble of cultures in Shanghai. Natasha Richardson is reason to see "The White Countess". Like the Countess, she conveys the right combination of mystery, tragedy, and sensuality to keep our attention.
  
  The DVD (Sony Pictures 2006): Bonus features include 3 featurettes and an audio commentary. "Behind the Scenes of The White Countess" (11 min) features interviews with director James Ivory and the cast in which they speak primarily about the film's characters. In "Making of The White Countess" (13 min), James Ivory, production designer Andrew Sanders, costume designer John Bright, choreographer Karole Armitage, and cinematographer Chris Doyle, among others, talk about recreating 1930s Shanghai in modern Shanghai. "A Tribute to Ismail Merchant" (13 min) is a bio of Merchant's film career and his maverick personality through archival interviews with Merchant, friends and colleagues. There is a good audio commentary by director James Ivory and actress Natasha Richardson that touches on many aspects of making the film: sets, photography, hair and make-up, casting in China, actors, etc. Richardson keeps the commentary moving along at a nice pace, prodding Ivory on a variety of subjects and discussing her own performance. Subtitles for the film are available in English and French.
  
  

• THE WHITE COUNTESS by James Ivory

  
  By AMSAQB9DNQRUS on 2006-03-16
  THE WHITE COUNTESS by James Ivory and Ismael Merchant
  
  I don't know why I felt the film was not a story but a situation. Maybe because of its slow pace. The spectator has the time to enjoy the splendid reconstitution of Shanghai of the 30's. Ivory's talent to generate a `very special atmosphere' makes me green with envy.
  No visible sex, or violence, little action and yet the suspense builds to a crescendo driving you step by step towards a dreaded end. ("Oh my God, if it ends badly I die"). How is the gorgeous, blind, British diplomat going to avoid all the traps in front of him? (Caught in the mob running away from the Japanese army!) Argh! The scene where he stands alone in front of them! I was half way down my seat. How will the beautiful Russian countess react when her own family betrays her? I could not believe the ending! I had to climb back on my seat!! A rare stylish romantic film like they don't do anymore!
  
  
  

• The Most Sadly-Beautiful Film I Have Ever Seen

  
  By A3IG10D35UYT9F on 2006-07-15
  Sometimes there's just something hidden beneath the surface of a film that makes it glorious. The elements poured into a film sometimes gel in just the right manner that it tugs ever so feebly at your heartstrings. Films like these include 'Howards End' and 'The Remains of the Day'. And now I would like to happily add 'The White Countess' to that list.
  
  As usual in Merchant Ivory productions, the casting is meticulously thought out. This film is no exception. The Redgrave clan, led by the quitely luminous Natasha Richardson, and Ralph Fiennes turn in such spectacular performances that capture the audience so well that you don't even mind the sluggish pace of the narrative. In fact, you can't think of anything better to do than sit through the slow-moving 2-hour-plus film and watch these actors deliver their lines and watch them play beautifully off each other.
  
  Richardson (who, incidentally, should really make more films) gives a soft and nuanced performance as the totally believeable exiled Russian countess. The cinematographer takes excellent advantage of her elegant beauty. Fiennes is not quite as believeable as a fallen American ex-diplomat, but hey, it's Ralph Fiennes, and we always enjoy watching him on the screen. The romance between the bar owner and his countess is brilliantly understated. What I adore most about Merchant Ivory love stories is that the characters are allowed to quietly simmer. The attraction between Jackson and Sofia is evident from the moment they appear on screen together, but the audience is always left wanting more. A brief outburst of passion is quickly dampened and (while other blockbusters would have the couple in bed half-naked) the characters go back to their outwardly-platonic relationship. Richardson and Fiennes have excellent chemistry and we are almost left frustrated by the lack of open intimacy between them. But then we remember the personal losses sustained by both parties, and we forgive them.
  
  The set direction, as usual, is visually sumptious. No detail is left uncovered and no measure too great. Perfectionists in every department, I tell you. A wonderful job recreating the sets, and quite a feat, considering everything was shot on location, though most authentic locales couldn't be used due to modern structures around it. The costumes are beautiful, with every character in character. The accents affected by the mostly British cast is not overdone and doesn't get in the way. The cinematography is to die for. Brilliant, brilliant shots across the board.
  
  In short, a beautiful film and through its flaws, a perfect mixture of two tragic lives.
  
  

• Beautiful, Flawed, Sad, and Hopefull. Worth a viewing.

  
  By A67XLXKJ6ITCB on 2006-03-09
  I rushed to see this movie in Cambridge, when it first came around. Merchant-Ivory, the entire Redgrave clan, and Ralph Fiennes all come together to make this movie work. The screenplay is hardly the best work by the talented Kazuo Ishiguro; however, the actors are incredible. Natasha Richardson turns in a performance worthy of La Streep. Lynn Redgrave's character is so glacial in her lack of humanity that she could sink a dozen Titanics with a glance. Ralph Fiennes is equal parts Bogart and Belisarius. It was fascinating to watch his character evolve, and rediscover a place in the sun. Then there is the amazing Vanessa. Her performance is understated, dignified, and utterly human. I couldn't help thinking that if Marie Antoinette had had few of Vanessa Redgrave's talents; she might have been spared the guillotine. The satellite characters - particularly the refugee Jewish family are wonderful. In fact, without them the film would not have worked. As I said, this is a flawed movie, but it's still better than some of this year's Oscar nominees. If you want to watch a group of people emerge from old world, 19th century cocoons and begin the process of rekindling hope - then I say give "The White Countess" a chance.
  
  
• At last - a film for grown-ups!
  By A1TQGX3M73M6D7 on 2006-07-23
  My husband and I both loved this beautiful film with its many provocative layers brought to life by the fine actors and gifted technical artists of the Merchant-Ivory team. The screenplay was just wonderful, the photography breathtaking. All combined to create an intriguing, mysterious atmosphere wherein the subtle, emotionally powerful plot unfolds.
  
  The movie was immediatly engaging in its convincing portrayal of survival in the face of calamity and the sudden reversals of fate. Many characters were portrayed with great depth, enhancing the richness of the plot. Ralf Fiennes was a perfect choice as the damaged, world-weary former diplomat, in flight from his former ideals and his faith in the possibility of an ordered and humane world. His ability to project sensitivity and emotional pain worked beautifully in this movie. Natasha Richardson was totally convincing in her role of an aristocrat, in much diminished estate, trying bravely and with as much dignity as she can muster to do whatever is necessary to survive from day to day. Minor characters such as the opaque Japanese official and the kind, jewish tailor were given fine, nuanced portrayals. The film had much to offer emotionally, as it explored the nature of love within the several relationships developed in the story; and there was a satisfying catharsis at the end as lonely survivors found care and tenderness in each other. The suggestion throughout -- that willy-nilly you must engage life, wherever it takes you -- that attempts to hide in a perfect, fantasied world, will not ultimately protect you from that engagement -- was a lovely sub-text to the salient action. I think I'll add this one to my collection of film jewels!
  
  
• Love among the ruins in a film of subtle beauty!
  By A3N0NC446HYN9T on 2006-07-31
  'The White Countess' is one of the most beautiful films I have seen in a long time. I thought Ralph Fiennes was excellent as an American diplomat from a former generation, a man who has sustained the most crushing losses with serenity. Because of his sufferings he is able to see, in spite of his physical blindness, the beauty and refinement of Countess Sofia, hauntingly portrayed by Natasha Richardson, working in a trashy nightclub. Indeed, Jackson's blindness sets the theme of the entire film, that there is much more about people and situations than can be seen on the surface. The Redgrave sisters are fantastic as Sofia's scheming mother-in-law and aunt-in-law, who survive on her earnings but are ready to dump her at the first chance for the "shame" she has brought upon the family. The film shows how true love grows, not through frantic sexual encounters, but through an exchange of thought and empathy, as well as demonstrating how true nobility of soul shines even in the most morbid surroundings. Great costumes, sets, score and performances are all very much apart of this final Merchant-Ivory collaboration. Highly recommended!
  
  
• Good Cast, Slow Moving Story
  By A2JO8RUJARRKQI on 2006-11-21
  The cast shines in this romantic period piece about Shanghai as the Japanese are preparing to invade, but the crawling pace offsets good performances from an all-star cast. Surprisingly, Vanessa Redgrave and Lyn Redgrave don't steal the show; that's reserved for Natasha Richardson, who looks stunning in gown after gown and whose smile shows a vulnerability consistent with the storyline. If the pace had been more in time with the march of the Japanese, there would have been a more suspenseful build of emotions. Still, I thought the movie was enjoyable.
  
  
• Love Emerges Victorious as Broken Hearts Unite ...
  By A2SRZQU1SZG4RR on 2007-03-12
  This film appeals on many levels - there is the exotic historical location of Shanghai in the mid-1930s. The scenery, the setting, the costumes, all of it is authentic. The technical expertise of the producers makes the era come alive on screen. It is a boomtown, a get-rich-quick speculative atmosphere. There is the volatile political tension in Asia between China and Japan. Another factor is the recent Bolshevik Revolution in Russia which caused the aristocrats and Russian royalty to flee ... barely saving their lives by escaping into desperate, degrading poverty. They were lucky to be alive. Shanghai is a fascinating mix of multinationals from many countries. They intermingle under a dark cloud which is expected to burst. Everyone realizes it is only a matter of time before war erupts. A Japanese invasion is deemed eminent ... It is within this complex milieu that Todd Jackson emerges (portrayed to perfection by Ralph Fiennes). He is a former employee of the U.S. Diplomatic Corps who had worked with Woodrow Wilson to create the League of Nations. He survived a bomb explosion but is left blind. He had lived with his young daughter, whom he loved deeply, but who had died in the same tragic event.
  
  Currently, Jackson is the Director of a thriving Shanghai company but he longs to create a nightclub and cabaret where the different internationals in Shanghai can mix without consideration of their national and political differences. The other Directors of the company are contemplating elminating him from the company by buying out his shares but they hesitate due to his recent tragic accident. He spends his free time visiting bars and dance clubs, experiencing the seedier side of the Shanghai lifestyle ... At one such bar, he meets a Japanese businessman Mr. Matsuda with whom he exchanges political and world views. At one of the dance establishments, he over hears someone discussing the background of Sofia Belinskaya (played by Natasha Richardson), one of the dancers/companions who was a Russian Countess. He buys a ticket to dance with her and becomes intrigued by her voice and exotic history. The scene is set for an unlikely romance in the dramatically changing climate of Shanghai. All the characters are multi-faceted and their personalities complicated. The desire to explore the intense nature of their lives is a strong hook in this film.
  
  Sofia is the only one who earns any money to support the former Russian aristocratic family of her deceased husband: her mother-in-law, possibly an Aunt, a sister-in-law, and her daughter. They are ashamed of their poverty and the low life circumstances to which they have been reduced. They try protecting Katya, Sofia's daughter from learning the truth about her mother's lifestyle. Eventually, Todd Jackson opens a nightclub and cabaret where he hires Sofia to be his hostess ... essentially saving her from her lowly life. The film does a superb job of weaving together the sad, tragic lives of these two highly complex characters, each of whom has suffered deep losses in life. They find a way to connect on a personal emotional level which eventually grows into a mature love... despite their vastly different backgrounds. The Japanese invasion of Shanghai nearly destroys their budding romance but sheer fortitude and the power of love reunite the couple. Sofia was nearly permanently separated from Katya during the family's escape to leave Shanghai. The dramatic conclusion to this film is harrowing and breath-taking adding more reasons to call this film outstanding! Erika Borsos [pepper flower]
  
  
  
• Fiennes Shines White Hot; Richardson Burns with Sad Dignity
  By A1JV4QKTEB7QBL on 2006-05-25
  In their final collaboration, "The White Countess," directors James Ivory and Ismail Merchant, careen away from the British manor house scene and opt for teeming populations and exotic vistas of pre WW2 Shanghai. With a team like the multi-layered Ralph Fiennes and three of the incomparable Redgraves,, Natasha Richardson, Vanessa Redgrave and Lynn Redgrave, the resulting film although lush and ripe with all the right ingredients for a Masterpiece Theatre type winner, pauses in momentum too often, pregnant with a wistful emptiness epitomized by the sad and searching looks of the two main characters.
  
  Todd Jackson, played by a Ralph Fiennes speaking atonally with a noticeably flat mid-Atlantic accent is a man beaten by circumstances. At one time revered as a proponent of the League of Nations and witness to the Treaty of Versailles, he has been rendered blind by an explosion that killed his wife and daughter and has left him disillusioned and dreaming of the perfect nightclub/bar where all factions of his idealistic world could pretend that the League had not failed and the planet was not on the brink of another globalized war. As fans would expect, Fiennes brings nuance and soul to his performance; at first wallowing in his dream utopia, drinking and fantasizing about things he cannot see, he suddenly seems to connect with Richardson's young daughter, allowing his yearnings and desires to bubble up slowly to the surface in a series of beautiful epiphanies encouraged at times by secondary character, businessman and political manipulator Mr. Matsuda (Hiroyuki Sanada). As his insight deepens and the tumultuous events of the times proceed, Fienne's blind man sees on another level, ratcheting up the capacity of his private nucleus to include his unknowing heart's desire, `the white countess' for which is club is named, Sofia.
  
  Natasha Richardson shines with a fragile luminosity as Countess Sofia Belinsky, a widowed Russian émigré struggling to maintain her self-respect as she works to balance her Shanghai existence as a taxi dancer and sometimes prostitute with her love for Katya, her daughter, and her responsibility to her aunt, uncle, mother-in-law and sister-in-law who disapprove yet encourage her less-than-moral choice of occupation. Acting the perfect foil for Fiennes' too-tight clock gear brand of control, she resonates with such a soft and dignified complexity, reveling in memory sequences that recall the beauty of her life in Czarist Russia with such radiant smiles that it is difficult to watch the movie when she is not in the scene.
  
  Ultimately, Merchant and Ivory manage to juxtapose the two dream worlds of their two major characters in a hurried end sequence depicting the Japanese takeover of Shanghai and the pair's subsequent flight from the city. Unlike many of their other offerings, this film ends with the chance of happiness symbolized by Katya's imaginings as shown enchantingly within the merchant's animated box on the river and her own dream of a crossing to Soochang.
  
  Bottom line: If you like pageantry, romantic ideals and have the time for a slower moving storyline that will eventually reward, do watch "The White Countess." Fiennes and Richardson conjure up the own particular brand of magic that excuses any of the script's sluggishness. Recommended to a romantic Masterpiece Theatre audience or to any Fiennes or Richardson fan.
  Diana Faillace Von Behren
  "reneofc"
  
  
• What are Merchant and Ivory really trying to say???
  By A2B8G7W3JXKMZA on 2006-06-01
  Most everyone who knows Merchant and Ivory expects them to fit into the "Merchant and Ivory" category fans have created for them, when all along they have resisted fitting into Hollywood's pop machine, and occasionally even escape what fans have constructed. I'm pleased both to say and to realize that Merchant and Ivory, foremost, produce things from their hearts. This formula can sometimes be very unpredictable. Perfect case in point is SLAVES OF NEW YORK. I saw this film years ago and loved it. At the time, I didn't know that Merchant and Ivory were involved. Nevertheless, in retrospect, I fully appreciate how the film simply was something in their hearts, and they wanted to chronicle modern New York City, which was an odd juxtaposition of uptown and downtown.
  
  We must try to understand why THE WHITE COUNTESS is slow moving and seems to never get anywhere in plot, dialogue, or action. To me, Merchant and Ivory presented the issues of world-class political intrigue, disillusionment, survival, and petty prejudices all combined into a reality pill. Thus, what better foundation to highlight the emotional power of witnessing the collapse of one's world again and again combined with parasitic hatred such as that of the in-laws (Vanessa and Lynn Redgrave) perpetrated against the widowed daughter-in-law, Countess Sofia (Natasha Richardson). Merchant and Ivory have been very successful just focusing on one or two good ideas per film. I think they have confused many with the art direction. Viewers have to look a little past the sumptuous or provocative sets to figure out what Merchant and Ivory are really trying to say.
  
  I thoroughly enjoyed THE WHITE COUNTESS because it reminds me of how much I hate war; prejudice against Jews, blacks, or gays; and really, really, really hate pretentious "holier-than-thou" people. The nerve of those in-laws trying to steal the young daughter of Sofia (Madeleine Daly) away to Hong Kong all in the name of goodness for everyone. Ha!!! This movie ends well with those wicked in-laws going off into their "future" without their ace card (the young daughter). Now they have to fend for themselves "alone" in British Hong Kong (this assuming their scheme involved the young child as a pawn, and the easiest and most useful thing to merge back into Haute Society, such as matching poor aristocrats with untitled industrial money. There have been countless marriages of convenience, in combinations such as this, and there will be more).
  
  The child, the mother, and the blind American, Todd Jackson (Ralph Fiennes) are all reconciled in a Divinely poetical sense, which supports belief in Idealism in spite of the facts of poverty, death, war, prejudice, and hate. It is love, not greed for wealth and status that draws them together, and effectively cuts off those old biddies trying to use everyone for personal gain.
  
  All in all, the slow-moving interaction between all the characters is acceptable to me. Having the blind American and the countess coolly interact for seventy-five percent or more of the film sets up the story of what it really would have been like between two people like them in a situation like that. They both were survivors. Strange how Merchant and Ivory fans are expecting on screen chemistry such as that between Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, in a Merchant/Ivory film (hmmmm?). This film seeks to find beauty combined with tragedy, and, like all Merchant and Ivory films, functions on a wholly cerebral level that will affect your heart after your brain processes all the ideas.
  
  In conclusion, this film is about three things: (1) Political intrigue, and the rise of Japan as a power, (2) The White Countess Nightclub, where something tragic and something beautiful intersects, and (3) the white countess, the woman, whose tragic life merged with the tragic life of the blind American. Relax, all you harsh critics, and try to see more than just a simple romance or props and background.
  
  I expect James Ivory to continue building on the great body of work already established by Merchant and Ivory. And, although Ismail Merchant is dead, I'm sure James Ivory's future films will still be tomes from the heart, and not at all intended for commercial venture.
  
  
  
• "Why do you have such heavy doors? You think they'll keep out the world?"
  By A2VK365XEVCYC8 on 2006-06-16
  The White Countess states, "I grew up with people who believed in big heavy doors, just like you. But those doors weren't so strong in the end." This movie is set in China, before the rise of communism, before Japan ravaged the coastal areas in WW II. China had a strong wall for centuries, but it did not help their individual citizens prosper until they shifted their focus from isolationism & nationalism to opening up to individually driven commerce and accountability. This movie illustrates that fences & political powers rise and fall. Are we made stronger by the strength of our boundaries? Or are we made stronger by our ability to synergistically work with all the people around us? We never know what people will surround us, but if we can learn to understand our commonality, there is hope for each individual to prosper.
  
  This is a movie about blind ambition, about a dreamer who envisions a place where people of different political, racial, and economic sectors commingle together. Even if it doesn't exist in the "practical" world, Mr. Jackson creates a bar NOT where every knows your name, but where adversaries agree not to kill each other for the evening.
  
  The movie's theme of putting up strong boundaries to keep out the world reminded me of a TV excerpt I recently saw of a conservative Rep. supporting a bigger wall on the Mexican border. "Good fences make good neighbors," he said. A bigger wall? Is that going to improve the regional problems for the people on both sides of the border? I remember when we were so proud as a nation for thinking we helped bring down the wall between East and West Germany. Yet conservatives are now framing more exclusionary US borders as a good thing.
  
  Vanessa Redgrave plays a woman who has been trampled on by societal pressures. Ms. Redgrave has regularly made the artistic choice to play women torn up by societal rules. Examples also include her roles in 'Howard's End' & 'If These Walls Could Talk'. In those two films, her family members mistreat her because they judge her choices to be astray and inappropriate. In 'Howard's End', she places the love of a friend over traditional bequests. In 'If These Walls Could Talk', her relatives decimate her dearly held private possessions and major assets, because they judge her long time love for another woman as illegitimate. In all 3 films, Ms. Redgrave allows her "duty" & "loyalty" to the status quo to silence her objections and belittle her aspirations. In this film and in 'Howard's End', her characters appear bludgeoned & emotionally shut down from years of internal & familial conflicts.
  
  Kazuo Ishiguro's stories don't always have characters willing to change their long ingrained patterns. So I was surprised by the dramatic changes of some of the characters in the end. But when the world is running down, sometimes you make the best of what is still around. And when your family pressures you to cut off or let go the people you love, sometimes choosing unbridled love is a less insane and healthier choice than other alternatives.
  
  In a non-Shakespearean twist, it takes the scorned and mistreated Jew to encourage Countess Sofia Belinskya to not abandon her child (against her family's "for the best" wishes). It takes the servant-chauffeur & the clever Japanese underworld boss to persuade Mr. Jackson to concede what is falling apart around him and to pursue the person he loves. The movie suggests that sometimes good influences come from arguably imperfect, wrong, and inappropriate sources. Sometimes you dance with a blind man, even if it disturbs the other guests.
  
  Please comment, express feedback, or suggest related works.
  
  
• A portrayal, but not a story
  By A2TJUA7LY9YWOD on 2006-04-17
  As one reviewer has put it, this film is more of a "situation" than a story. It aims to portray the hardships of life in 1930s Shanghai for members of an exiled royal Russian family thrown into poverty, and the lengths one of the princesses, a beautiful woman, goes to keep them fiscally afloat. She unexpectedly finds a caring tenderness in the owner of a socialite club (Ralph Fiennes), but the story of their relationship doesn't move much beyond this, because by the time their feelings for each other bloom, the film is almost over. It does end sweetly, with them both escaping the Japanese invasion of Shanghai with the Countess's daughter, but the satisfaction this ending could have produced was lacking; although the initial setting for this film was very interesting, the story itself did not have the complexity to make it captivating, so a satisfying conclusion could not be earned. This film is very well-acted and provides an interesting window into a lost time.
  
  
• interesting screenplay
  By A3825QQVSCUZ9A on 2006-09-03
  I paticularly liked the relationship of the 2 lead characters. Ralph Fiennes is excellent (as usual) and Natasha Richardson delivers a beautifully compelling portrayal as Sofia. Jackson's physical blindnes is contrasted with psychological blindness to the events of the outside world in a poetic and interesting manner. For anyone who is a fan of Merchant-Ivory productions, this is well worth watching.
  
  
• We all have to fall in love from time to time... To feed our daughters, and our mothers. And sisters.
  By AJ4TKMKCAKMR1 on 2006-09-25
  Ralph Fiennes and Natasha Richardson star in this film. Fiennes as an ex- U.S Diplomat named Todd Jackson and Richardson is Countess Sofia Belinskya, the tragic, lost and exiled Russian Countess. The story starts in Shanghai in 1936. Richardson is working at a gentlemen's club to support her daughter and husband's family, who have no qualms in telling her that what she is doing is wrong and if they had the choice she would be no part of any of their lives. Even though she is the only real money maker in the household, even then it's not that much money.
  Fiennes is just as tragic if not more so. He meets Richardson one night as he is leaving the club where she works and she sees 2 men following him suspiciously and intervenes to help him. This begins their involvement. His dream is to open a gentlemen's club with real essence and class and with her as the centerpiece.
  As with most of Fiennes films, it's supposed to be some sort of epic love story. Although there is a romantic aspect to it, it wasn't central to the film. My favorite parts of the film were between Fiennes and his mysterious, randomingly appearing Japanese friend Matsuda played by Hiroyuki Sanada. When they are together they discuss dreams, hopes, wishes and regrets.
  Although it's not exactly the Tour De Force I think it wanted to be, it is an exquisitely simple tale amidst the background of a world in turmoil and on the brink of war.
  Watch for some interesting casting. Richardson's mother-in-law is played by her real life Aunt, Lynn Redgrave and her aunt in the film is played by her mother, Vanessa Redgrave.
  
  
• Stately And Elegant--This Handsome, But Dry, Epic Fails To Ignite Any Real Passion
  By A27H9DOUGY9FOS on 2006-12-04
  On the surface, "The White Countess" is another gorgeous production from the Merchant/Ivory camp. With stunning sets, cinematography, music, costumes--the production values are unquestionably noteworthy. The cast is impeccable--Ralph Fiennes, Natasha Richardson, Vanessa and Lynn Redgrave. This film seems to have everything going for it. And yet, for all the gloss and beauty--there is an emotional void in the center of this picture. I wanted to get lost in this world--but I was kept at arm's length throughout.
  
  Set in Shanghai in the 1930's, the film tells the story of a blind American diplomat (Fiennes) who is politically out of favor and haunted by the loss of his family. His dream is to establish a cutting edge nightclub called the White Countess. By bringing together the perfect talent, the right atmosphere, and a mixed political clientele--the bar stands as a rather underdeveloped metaphor for Shanghai itself. Nastasha Richardson, as a displaced member of Russian aristocracy, is discovered by Fiennes as a dance-hall girl and elevated to the club's symbolic hostess. As the political situation becomes more threatening, the two must face more serious issues and possible romance.
  
  There seem to be lots of fascinating characters in "The White Countess," but the primary issue is that we never really get to know them. And the historical backdrop seems to be enthralling, but is never fully explored. And the political climate seems like it would provide a riveting story, but it is referenced only in vague terms. I wanted to like this movie so much--but in the end, I was left only with the impression of what a great film this might have been.
  
  Merhant/Ivory have provided us with a number of classic films--all literate and well presented. But it's a fine balancing act in these prestige pictures--you have to incorporate real passions within the surface beauty. That's what "Countess" is missing. Looking at three classic Merchant/Ivory productions--"Countess" lacks the full-bodied characterizations of "Howard's End," the romantic yearning and subtle political commentary of "Remains of the Day," and the astute sense of location of "A Room With a View." There is plenty to recommend "The White Countess"--but sadly, there is not a lot to love about it. KGHarris, 12/06.
  
  
• Beautiful and Elegant but Emotionally Detached
  By ABO2ZI2Y5DQ9T on 2007-01-04
  `The White Countess' is based on the original script (not book) of Kazuo Ishiguro, following the fates of two lost souls in Shanghai, 1936: Jackson (Ralph Fiennes) blind former diplomat and Sofia (Natasha Richardson) exiled Russian Countess. The film's historical background about the time of Japanese invasion gives the story a strong backdrop against which these two leads can ignite the sparks of romance between them ... or it should have done.
  
  Anyone who has seen `Casablanca' would understand what I mean. You don't see the sizzling romance of Bogart and Bergman in this James Ivory film, which is emotionally detached despite the fact that the story itself is very melodramatic. You have fine acting from the actors including Vanessa Redgrave, Lynn Redgrave and Hiroyuki Sanada, and the moody cinematography by Christopher Doyle and the production designs are perfect. The climax scenes even manage to express the chaos and confusion of the war (remember, it's a Merchant/Ivory film!), but I for one didn't feel no urgent feeling in some characters who should have been more serious about their lives.
  
  [WORDY SCRIPT] Probably the weakest point is Ishiguro's script, which does not explain some important details of the characters despite its annoying wordiness. For example, Jackson owns a nightclub (like Rick) and he asks Sofia to be the `centerpiece' of the place. He says he needs `political tension' in his place, and invites several people from opposing political parties following the advice from mysterious Japanese Mr. Matsuda (Sanada). He then refers to his club as `canvas.' These images might work in novels, but not in films, where the viewers are more attracted to the real `centerpiece' of the film, meaning Jackson and Sofia.
  
  Casting of the Russian family is interesting. Natasha Richardson who plays Sofia is, as you know, daughter of Vanessa Redgrave who plays Princess Vera Belinskya, and of course niece to Lynn Redgrave as Olga. Katya is played by newcomer Madeleine Daly who is really daughter of Madeleine Potter as Grushenka. Despite the fake Russian accent that is sometimes grating, the cast and their superb acting lend an air of reality to the portraits of exiled Russians, which is more convincing and intriguing than the main story itself.
  
  Perhaps I'm too unkind, but I feel there is a greater film buried deep inside `The White Countess.' It could have been much longer as epic, or much romantic as melodrama, but the film is neither, hovering somewhere in between.
  
  
• Grieving Hearts
  By A1TPW86OHXTXFC on 2007-02-17
  3.5 stars
  "The White Countess" is a film about a man who dreams of owning the perfect little bar, a place of elegance that finds the delicate balance, as he thinks a woman should, "between the erotic and the tragic." Outside, it is Shanghai in 1936 and the world is late for its appointment with war. Inside the bar -- well, inside, Mr. Jackson muses, "With a good team of bouncer, you could conduct the place like an orchestra" Roger Ebert
  
  Kazuo Ishiguro's script and the final Merchant Ivory film sets a sad stage in 1030's Singapore. The film show cases the lives of Ralph Fiennes, a blind American diplomat, turned bousiness man, and Natasha Richardson a Russian countess who has become a 'taxi' dancer. As Natasha says, "We all have to fall in love from time to time. To feed our daughters, and our mothers. And sisters." Natasha's, Sofia saves Fiennse' Jackson from an assault, and he hires her to work in his new bar. Sofia's life has been that of a Countess turned dancer, who supports her family, and they treat her as a whore. After awhile Jackson and Sofia's friendship deepens, but they keep their relationship is one of business. Sofia has a daughter, and her life revolves around making a better life for her. Jackson had a family but they were tragically killed and life goes on as an alcoholic bar owner.
  
  The times are worrisome, the Japanese are about to invade. Jackson has a new Japanese friend, and his ability to keep the outside world away from his life is remarkable. But events happen and Jackson is forced to awaken and assist his real 'White Countess'. The final scenes are fast and furious, and the chaos does not fit into the rest of the film. Lynn and Vanessa Redgrave play Natasha's mother and aunt respectively and are regal and so hateful.
  
  "A series of revelations and realizations drop like dominoes in the last twenty minutes along with a salvo of Japanese bombs. But unfortunately the finale doesn't have the urgency or emotion that would have resulted if the previous two hours were spent properly dissecting the characters" Stella Pipamichael.
  
  A movie well acted, with beautiful cinematography, but the movie has lost some of its story along the way and does not flow well. All in all, Ralph Fiennes and Natasha Richardson's superb acting save the movie. Merchant Ivory died while making this movie. The end of an era.Recommended.
  prisrob 2-17-07
  
  
  
• "The tragedy, the weariness. She knows that history has no place for her kind anymore."
  By A2EEUQ81DTY7G3 on 2006-05-20
  The White Countess is a little overlong and thematically overstuffed, and the unwieldy screenplay often gets bogged down in unnecessary discourse, but the movie is an absolutely gorgeous recreation of Shanghai in the 1930's and it features some fine performances from of some of the most absolutely extraordinary actors working today.
  
  There are certainly strains of melancholy running through the White Countess, perhaps because it truly is the last of the collaborations between director James Ivory and his late producer Ismail Merchant. The movie is classic Merchant-Ivory - a languid and fluid cinematic experience that melds character, atmosphere, high literary quality and social conscience with skill and subtlety.
  
  The White Countess is all about the perils and pitfalls and the suffering of displaced people. We first meet Countess Sofia (Natasha Richardson) when she's working as a dancer and a prostitute in a private gentleman's club in Shanghai. Once part of the Russian aristocracy, she was forced to flee her country after the revolution and at present ekes out a living supporting her sometimes-ungrateful family - a warm Aunt Sara (Vanessa Redgrave), prejudiced mother-in-law Olga (Lynn Redgrave), shrill sister-in-law Greshenka (Madeleine Potter) and her daughter Katya (Madeleine Daly).
  
  One night she meets Todd Jackson, an American diplomat in Shanghai. Jackson - an idealist politician turned aesthete and once a driving figure in the League of Nations - is now a broken man, having lost his family and his eyesight and his place in the world. He wants nothing more than to drink and troll the nightclubs and dance halls and to shut himself off from what he sees as the chaos and treachery intrinsic in living.
  
  In Sofia he sees a kindred spirit, another broken, displaced individual who is trying desperately to survive. He tells her he is thinking of opening a nightclub, and wants to install her as the centerpiece of the establishment - "She has everything," Jackson tells a confidant.
  
  At the same time he befriends the enigmatic Japanese official Mr. Matsuda, (Hiroyuki Sanada) who also becomes Jackson's prime confidante about the White Countess. Matsuda is also the forerunner of what is to come, a terrifying invasion of the Japanese army. Thinking that Matsuda has his best interests at heart, Jackson naively allows him to use his club as a center for fomenting political and civil disobedience.
  
  Much of the dramatic arc of the film is the slow-forming friendship between Jackson and Sofia, which gradually builds to love as the story progresses. When Sofia discovers that her family is more than willing to betray her, she is automatically drawn to Jackson, probably because unlike her family, he refuses to judge her over what she does.
  
  As they become closer there's a gradual thawing of Jackson's self-imposed remove from the world. Fiennes does a terrific job of portraying Jackson's insularity, he's indeed a tortured soul, a type of Graham Green-like tragically flawed hero.
  
  The movie loses some steam midway through, some of the lengthy dialogue driven scenes tend to bog the film down, but it recovers nicely in its final, frenetic half-hour, finally delivering the long-withheld emotional payoff amid the chaos of the Japanese invasion of Shanghai.
  
  Although the White Countess is not based on a work of fiction, a classic novel - the story is from original idea from British author Kazuo Ishiguro - it certainly has a novelistic sumptuousness, revealing an exotic, and often uneasy mix, of Western and Asian cultures.
  
  The film is also very reminiscent of the earlier works of Merchant Ivory and it has that classy, finely made feel, combined with the sweeping scenes of political turbulence and emotional escape that is just so irresistible to watch. Mike Leonard May 06.
  
  
  
• Rich in romance and history
  By A1I7QGUDP043DG on 2006-11-14
  I love many of the actors and actresses who starred in this movie and was not disappointed in their roles or performance. This movie is rich in romance and history. I also thought the friction between Richardson's character and her in-laws, as well as tones of prejudice was very well-played. Sometimes I see movies with this sort of theme and it's overdone. I highly recommend seeing this movie at least once.
  
  Chrissy K. McVay - Author
  
  
  
  
• Satisfying historical fiction
  By ATDE9JYCPI0L1 on 2007-01-04
  This is an engaging, beautifully shot and acted love story set in Shanghai, beginning in 1936, on the eve of the Japanese occupation. I know little about China during that period. But the film seems realistic. It of course reflects the reduced circumstances of Russian emigres who fled the revolution and, subsequently, the Soviets and Stalin.
  
  Indeed, the White Countess, is an upscale bar, "an establishment," founded by blind former U.S. diplomat Todd Jackson (Ralph Fiennes) in 1937 and named for Countess Sofia Belinskya (Natasha Richardson). The latter is a beautiful (and widowed) expatriate Russian noblewoman, who fled her mother country with her daughter Katya (Madeleine Daly) and her late husband's family. His mother Olga (Lynn Redgrave) proves distant, nasty and ultimately, contemptible. His Aunt, Princess Vera Belinskya (Vanessa Redgrave), a favorite of the Countess and in turn more loving, nevertheless also turns against her. Her uncle-in-law, Prince Peter Belinsky (John Wood) serves as a kind but ineffectual tag-along; and her late husband's ill-tempered spinster sister Grushenka (Madeleine Potter) not-so-secretly covets Sofia's daughter.
  
  Mr. Jackson migrated to Shanghai, apparently for adventure, with his late wife and late daughter several years before, but ultimately lost them in an attack on a Shanghai trolley during China's civil war, when (we also subsequently learn) he was also blinded. Although famous for his unspecified role in negotiating the Versailles Peace Treaty after World War I, Mr. Jackson now wants only to lose himself in a beautiful, live, socially mixed and musical "canvas," which he negotiates with fashionable aplomb, despite his handicap, via an acutely refined sense of hearing, a silver-tipped walking stick, assistance from his respectful Chinese driver--and occasional help from the refined Countess, both a friend and the "centerpiece" at his bar.
  
  Mr. Jackson also befriends Mr. Matsuda (Hiroyuki Sanada), a Japanese gentleman he meets in 1936 at a scruffy Shanghai music, and invites to the fine Shanghai "establishment" for which he hopes, and indeed founds, a year later. Despite an uncanny ability to "see" what's around him and to judge people's character, Mr. Jackson terribly misjudges Mr. Matsuda. Nevertheless, the latter cares enough to suggest Mr. Jackson's moves, and ultimately triggers his most important action.
  
  Meanwhile, Countess Sofia has her own backup support team in the person of Samuel Feinstein (llan Corduner), a gentle Jewish taylor renting the storefront downstairs from the Belinsky's two-room tenement apartment. Feinstein and his family, for their part, have escaped much worse hardships, and terror, than the Belinsky's. Thus Mr. Feinstein is happy to have survived with his four children. By contrast, antisemitic taunts and bullies in Shanghai disturb him not at all. And his kindnesses to the Countess--expressed through an offered chair, and his delight in guarding Katya during street play with his and other local children--know no bounds.
  
  As others have commented, the film is indeed slow-moving. But it captures the era's political frictions and violence, along with Shanghai's great social, economic and racial disparities. Furthermore, the characters' subtle interactions are in keeping with expatriate social conventions in 1936 Shanghai. If you're looking for a high-drama action film, this gorgeous Merchant Ivory production is not for you.
  
  But for those who relish a good piece of historical fiction on film, this work is quite satisfying.
  
  --Alyssa A. Lappen
  
  
• In the midst of the tensions of 1930s Shanghai ... two lonely lives collide and fuse
  By A7S83KW2BH20D on 2007-03-08
  In the midst of the tensions of 1930s Shanghai ... two lonely lives collide and fuse
  
  Subtle, deep drama that shows the lives of two lonely people in the middle of pre-war Shanghai, China (early 1930's). Mr. Jackson, an American diplomat who finally builds his dream business that keeps him separated from the reality outside his club walls. Sasha, a countess, who struggles to is the sole bread-winner in her emigrant family.
  Shanghai, is a golden-years metropolis, where Russian and German Jewish emigrants live next door, where one can expect to hear French spoken as often as Japanese, and where the only ones who can paint a broader canvass is the one whose substitute for paint are invading armies and dropping bombs on fleeing civilians.
  
  
  
• Why no falling down?
  By A232A4K13XTE7J on 2007-05-22
  I was surprised that Ralph never fell down or tripped in this film. You'd think a blind guy would go falling down a lot, banging into furniture and walking out into traffic. Apparently Ralph didn't research his character enough or there would have been a lot more physical comedy in his role. Natasha Richardson has really screwed up her face with plastic surgery, too. I give this film 2 stars...one for Ralph not tripping and one for that bad face lift Nat is sporting.
  
  
• Slow & Relatively-Unknown, But A Very Rewarding, Beautiful Film
  By A39CX0EE4BZCZC on 2007-09-08
  It took the last 30 minutes for me to fully appreciate this film. That's because the first 105 minutes are very, very slow. If it weren't for the wonderfully rich visuals, I might not have stuck with this story. Obviously, I'm glad I did because the story snapped out of its doldrums and, at the same time, wrapped up everything nicely leaving the viewer (at least, me) very satisfied. But - a warning - as mentioned, you must have a lot of patience to make it to that rewarding conclusion.
  
  I just marveled at the cinematography, the great sets, the muted and beautiful colors that seem to be the trademark of these magnificently-filmed "Merchant and Ivory movies." I am speaking of course, of James Ivory and Ismail Merchant, director and producer, respectively. That's a team that will sorely missed by we fans of their films. (Merchant died recently, making this the last of their collaborations.) That collaboration includes writer Kazuo Ishiguro who wrote this movie. These three guys all worked on "The Remains Of The Day."
  
  In you enjoy classy-looking films, character that you wind up caring about, and a drama that is rewarding, this is a film not to miss. I'm afraid it didn't get much notice, at least not like the other Merchant-Ivory films, which is a shame. This is an underrated, under-publicized and beautiful movie.
  
  
• It may have the look and name of Merchant/Ivory but it's like no M/I film I've seen
  By A1VRORLQZ02CBN on 2008-05-12
  I love M/I films as a rule, with their beautiful cinematography combined with great scripts, actors AND (very important) stories. I could barely get through this one. As another reviewer said, I only kept watching it because I was hoping it would get better and because instead of renting it first I had took a chance (based partly on my history with M/I and partly on reviews here) and bought it (although thankfully didn't pay too much). It had nothing redeeming at all for me. Ralph Fiennes was ridiculous. I guess he was so busy focusing on looking blind (btw, did he have to mention a zillion times that he was blind?) that he couldn't focus on opening his mouth and talking. He mumbled through the whole film except for the totally out of character scene where he goes berserk. With names like both the Redgrave sisters and Vanessa's daughter Natasha, and yes, Ralph Fiennes, I expected a whole lot more. I thought to myself, well, I wasn't crazy about The Remains of the Day at first but then after repeated viewings it grew on me until now it is one of my favorite. Maybe it will happen with this one. Not a chance, for two reasons: (1) With Remains there are just so many layers to it that you can't possibly get them all in one setting (at least I didn't). The White Countess is what you see is what you get, which for me was absolutely nothing, and (2) I'm not going to watch it again. To sum it all up, very disappointing.
  
  
• Not for all tastes (and especially not mine), but repeated viewing might improve your appreciation of this period melodrama!
  By A985SP5PPV372 on 2006-05-17
  A lush drama set in Shanghai in the late 1930's would seem to be an easy assignment for the Merchant/Ivory production company. Add to the mix acclaimed actors Ralph Fiennes ("The Constant Gardener") and Natasha Richardson ("Asylum") and you would expect a surefire 'Brit hit'.
  
  Sadly, this is a case of what looks good on paper fails deliver on the big screen and slowly devolves into another episode of form without content. Yes, the costumes, sets, and acting are first rate but the script is sorely lacking from start to finish.
  
  Natasha Richardson
  
  Actress Natasha Richardson plays the title character, a woman who has emigrated from Russia to Shanghai following the Russian revolution. With Tsarist Russia at an end and communism on the rise the privilege of being in a royal family no longer applies. However, the ex-countess' natural beauty does attract the attention of a crippled American, played by Brit Ralph Fiennes, who wishes to open his own nightclub with the Russian beauty as the club's namesake and hostess.
  
  Chickflickers may find this type of exotic milieu vagely entrancing but the combination of broken English and poor scripting left me with little to do but map out the quickest exit route from the theater.
  
  This one won't be listed among such Merchant/Ivory classics as "Howard's End," "A Room With a View," and "Remains of the Day." However, this film may find a place of distinction if Oscar's voting guild members choose to reward the many designers and artists who make everything look so sumptuous even when little else is happening on screen.
  
  As a pal used to say, "looks 10, dance 3." Your mileage may vary.
  
  
• A Big Fat Yawn!!
  By A3AOKQCH0YBZDS on 2006-08-17
  Can't believe all the great reviews for this movie! Geez, with all the glowing reviews, great cast of actors for this movie, and the storyline, I expected more, but was sadly disappointed.
  
  The movie is long, boring and annoying. So many times I wanted to stop the movie, but kept watching in hopes it would get better.
  
  So many questions left unanswered in this movie.... the characters were so annoying as well in terms of their interaction with each other and their mannerisms.
  
  
• A wasted two hours.
  By A2VD2D1QHCMF9Q on 2006-10-01
  The background is mellow, beautiful, sophisticated . . a typical Merchant-Ivory presenatation. But there was no story. It was a pleasure watching Nastasha Richardson, but the rest of the characters were very difficult to look at. The brooding Mr. Jackson, the obnoxious leeches of a family of hers . . . there was no one here to feel for except for the Countess and her daughter . . practically everyone else was two-dimensional, and there was nothing there. A wasted two hours.
  
  
• Good.
  By A1O3RFABKJMAO9 on 2007-06-29
  I wish that I had read the book before I watched this movie because I think that it would have given me a better perspective of the characters and events. Overall, I think this was a good solid movie. Not exceptional, but good.
  
  I really enjoyed all of the great music and beautiful costumes. They did a phenomenal job of that.
  
  The ending was a little anti climatic. I felt as if everything was building up to a huge crash of an ending and then it just didn't crash.
  
  Overall, though, this was a good film.
  
  
  
• Serious film
  By A2N932LHI27WTC on 2007-08-29
  The White Countess is, to me, a film along the lines of European dramas and probably isn't quite to most Americans taste. To follow the film, you have to concentrate. Its not a romance (although one develops), not quite drama, and of course not an action flick. More of a film to watch alone when the rest of the family is gone for the weekend. The setting is old Shanghai of the 1930s, where a lot of Russian bluebloods fled following the 1917 to 1926(?) civil war. Pre-WW2 Shanghai is not well remembered or understood by Americans today.
  The acting is TERRIFIC; Ralph Fiennes does a great job of keeping a neutral accent for his American character, although his British inflection bleeds in a bit sometimes. All the cast were very professional in their acting.
  Good flick, along the lines of a classic serious novel. But not for everyone.
  
  

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