A fascinating film about people acting like insects. The costuming is beyond brilliant, but it is the actions of the people that really are striking in this film.
The matriarch of the family is definitely a Queen ant or bee. She constantly gorges herself as the others flutter about serving her.
But it is Eugenia (Patsy Kensit) who is the focus of the film. A poor naturalist (Mark Rylance) is madly in love with her, but her racist brother (Douglas Henshall) warns him that he is not of the right class and should be real. William (Rylance) flits ever so cautiously towards Eugenia's web and is ensnared. I am sure there is something beneath the surface here; maybe the same something that caused Eugenia's former fiancée to kill himself.
But, it is not always the beautiful butterfly that attracts. Sometimes, it is a plain little ant like Matty Crompton (Kristin Scott Thomas), who is busily working on her own plans for William.
This all takes place shortly after Darwin's Origin of the Species was published, and during the Civil War in America. Both colored the story.
Upon the death of Mother, Eugenia ascends the role of Queen ant, continuing to produce heirs. At the same time, a collaboration of William and Matty results in a book being published.
Then the shocking secret comes forth.
Mark Rylance, Patsy Kensit, and Kristin Scott Thomas were all fantastic in this shocking tale.
The matriarch of the family is definitely a Queen ant or bee. She constantly gorges herself as the others flutter about serving her.
But it is Eugenia (Patsy Kensit) who is the focus of the film. A poor naturalist (Mark Rylance) is madly in love with her, but her racist brother (Douglas Henshall) warns him that he is not of the right class and should be real. William (Rylance) flits ever so cautiously towards Eugenia's web and is ensnared. I am sure there is something beneath the surface here; maybe the same something that caused Eugenia's former fiancée to kill himself.
But, it is not always the beautiful butterfly that attracts. Sometimes, it is a plain little ant like Matty Crompton (Kristin Scott Thomas), who is busily working on her own plans for William.
This all takes place shortly after Darwin's Origin of the Species was published, and during the Civil War in America. Both colored the story.
Upon the death of Mother, Eugenia ascends the role of Queen ant, continuing to produce heirs. At the same time, a collaboration of William and Matty results in a book being published.
Then the shocking secret comes forth.
Mark Rylance, Patsy Kensit, and Kristin Scott Thomas were all fantastic in this shocking tale.