~ Curious Charlie ~

Dido Elizabeth Belle (2014) @ Saturday, June 14, 2014

A tale of love and social justice, sorta based on actual events.

We went to see Belle, which I quite liked, featuring Mrs Crawley as the spinster aunt who said people should hold their tongue - quite a contrast to her character on Downton Abbey. The adoptive mother looked familiar, a countess from Anna Karenina. From HP there was Rita Skeeter (the reporter) as Lady Ashford, the antogonist, wants her sons to marry for money, and her son Malfoy, who looks very different (the shape of his face) as the main antagonist. Rita was also the Duchess of Kent (Q Victoria's mother) in The Young Victoria, that's where I recognize her from.

The Painting that Inspired a Film

Aunt Mary - If Mrs Crawley was a spinster and was richer,

also less brainy and active in her opinions and ideas.

Costuming I liked (also costume/period dramas I love!, Liz's blue dress was my fav (no pictures online...). Set in a time where it was all about finding husbands as only boys inherit reminded me of Jane Austen's Regency Era, 1811-1820. Though the story is set in 1769+ with King George III of Hanover on the throne.

Day dresses.

Elizabeth is stunning. Interesting hat. That can't really be Malfoy?!

Why is Rita's dress, skirt part much higher than the others? Makes her look pregs.

Simple day dresses, loves Dido's sleeves.

That hat I want!

Tiny umbrella prop!

The story was very good, it was about injustices and slaves being of the same value and regards in cargo. The Zong case (1781) we've heard of before in Garrow's Law (2010) which le beau likes. Not my thing though.

Dido founds a man who respects her and sees her as an equal as they both have brains and a passion for the cause (slave doesn't equal cargo/property). There were no make-out scenes or any of the that stuff which which makes it parent-friend (mother saw 'Are we officiall dating?' with casual fun and that did not go well). Only one kiss at the end.

1770s Jane Austen-era England

"The three ‘young’ men in the film represent the top three responses people have towards those of mixed-race. James represents those who degrade those of other races, even mixed ones. Oliver sees mixed and visible minorities as ‘exotic’ and ‘fascinating’ but not an equal. John Davinier, like Sir John Lindsay (at least from what we saw), sees all as equal and treats them with respect."

Its "Downton Abbey" settings, dresses like tiered and frosted wedding cakes, romance-novel décolletage, men in powdered wigs and elaborate 18th-century courtship rituals may be the stuff of Jane Austen, but the story is decidedly not."

Wouldn't it have been amazing to have lived in a time of fancy everyday dresses? With the assumption that they have the same health & hygiene standards of today - as you'd die so fast if you actually time traveled. Also assume that you're rich, though most people are peasants.

Are you going to see Belle?