
The Portrait of a Lady
1996, Drama, 2h 24m
72 Reviews 5,000+ RatingsWhat to know
critics consensus
Beautiful, indulgently heady, and pretentious, The Portrait of a Lady paints Campion's directorial shortcomings in too bright a light. Read critic reviews
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The Portrait of a Lady Photos
Movie Info
Ms. Isabel Archer (Nicole Kidman) isn't afraid to challenge societal norms. Impressed by her free spirit, her kindhearted cousin writes her into his fatally ill father's will. Suddenly rich and independent, Isabelle ventures into the world, along the way befriending a cynical intellectual (Barbara Hershey) and romancing an art enthusiast (John Malkovich). However, the advantage of her affluence is called into question when she realizes the extent to which her money colors her relationships.
Cast & Crew
Nicole Kidman
Isabel Archer
Isabel Archer
John Malkovich
Gilbert Osmond
Gilbert Osmond
Barbara Hershey
Madame Serena Merle
Madame Serena Merle
Mary-Louise Parker
Henrietta Stackpole
Henrietta Stackpole
Shelley Winters
Mrs. Touchett
Mrs. Touchett
Shelley Duvall
Countess Gemini
Countess Gemini
Critic Reviews for The Portrait of a Lady
Audience Reviews for The Portrait of a Lady
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May 07, 2014"The Portrait of a Lady" starts with Isabel Archer(Nicole Kidman) rejecting the proposal of the super wealthy Lord Warburton(Richard E. Grant). Next, it is Caspar Goodwood(Viggo Mortensen) who was reinserted into her path by Isabelle's supposed friend Henrietta(Mary-Louise Parker) only to be turned down. Seeing Isabelle's options disappear and fearing for her future, her cousin Ralph(Martin Donovan) comes up with an alternate plan that involves his dying father(John Gielgud). "The Portrait of a Lady" is a beautifully rendered period piece. So, it might come as a surprise that director Jane Campion gets lost not so much in the details but in its retrograde politics and customs, using a modern day prologue to reinforce her questioning the choices that women make. On a different tact, Campion somehow manages to restrain her eclectic cast in order to not outshine the movie's supposed star and manages to only bring them down to Kidman's unresponsive level, and sucking some of the oxygen out of the room in the bargain. Speaking of the eclectic cast, Mary-Louise Parker and John Malkovich(who has somehow never played Lenin) show up again in the "Red" films while Parker and Martin Donovan star again together in "Pipe Dream" and appearing together in the televsion series "Weeds."Walter M Super Reviewer
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Dec 20, 2006Film not so good but Malkovich nailed it!Linda K Super Reviewer
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