If you’ve heard of Effie Gray,that’s probably because you’ve heard about its legal history. Two writers,separately, claimed screenwriter Emma Thompson (who appears, delightfully, asLady Eastlake) plagiarized this story about Euphemia Gray’s life, and thefilm’s release was held up for the better part of three years.
Thompson was vindicated—and the closingcredits have a card that reads “Original screenplay by Emma Thompson” as aquiet but pointed “Fuck you” to the other writers—but the movie has suffered.There has been little to no publicity, and its opening was pushed back severaltimes from its first intended release. Now the film will have an invisibleasterisk hovering next to it.
Pity. In many ways, Effie Gray isa smart, sharp feminist film, and it deserves to be seen by as many people whocan see it.
Of course, you have to be open towatching the story of an unconsummated love triangle unfold over the course ofnearly two hours. There is much heaving and heavy breathing—just not of thebodice type.
Effie Gray (Dakota Fanning) falls inlove with her former teacher, the much-older art critic John Ruskin (GregWise), and they marry in 1848. As history tells it, as does the movie, Ruskinis disgusted with Effie’s body when he sees it on their wedding night, and hestorms off in a snit.
If there is a better way to garnerempathy for Effie, I’m not sure what it is. We're right there with her as shetries to make way in the Ruskin household, which is run by Ruskin’s overbearingmother (Julie Walters) and simpering-one-moment-nasty-the-next father (DavidSuchet). (What one would give for Freud’s opinion of these two, but we’re a numberof years too early for that.)
Effie spends the next five years goingin and out of depression. Her husband’s dislike of her grows with each passingday, and he is completely unsympathetic. At several points, Effie takes ill andis bedridden, and one doctor (an effective Robbie Coltrane) tells Ruskin, “Foryou, I prescribe sharper eyes and a keener ear. In my opinion, there’s nothingwrong with your wife that simple love and affection will not cure.”
Simple advice, but it goes unheeded.Ruskin is, bluntly put, an asshole. (He’s gone down in history as a celebratedwriter and asexual twit.) Greg Wise has the ability to play the assholishnessquietly to the hilt, with a clipped speaking manner and a gaze that makes himlook as if he just can’t believe Effie would find her life anything less thanperfect.
But Effie is quietly, brutallyoppressed. And this being a time when women had no rights, she’s stuck. Evenwhen she meets and eventually falls in love with Everett Millais (a strong TomSturridge), she—and they—know better than to carry on an affair.
Fanning does the best she can, butthere isn’t much for her to do but look tired. How does one play a defeatedsoul but to look defeated? The other actors are all sharp as tacks. Thompsonmakes the most of her three or four scenes, breathing life into them whenotherwise the movie (correctly) lacks vigor. Effie Gray isn’tan easy viewing experience, but it has the goods for a patient audience. Itwill stay the dragons awhile.
EFFIE GRAY
Directed byRichard Laxton
With Fanning,Wise, and Thompson
Jean CocteauCinema
PG-13
108 min.
