Belle

I saw this film at the San Francisco International Film Festival. I don't usually see two films in one day and was tired after already seeing another film, but Belle woke me up. I really enjoyed it.

This film would have been OK as a total fiction but given that it was based on a true story, I found it fascinating. Set in England in the late 1700's, it shows the impact of the slave trade on society. The patriarch of the family is a justice of the High Court of England and takes on an important case regarding a slave trading ship while confronting the reality of limitations faced by his mulatto niece. It shows that when someone becomes part of your family, and you love that person, it changes your perspective on cultural norms. This film has prompted me to look into the history of the actual legal case involved.

The film also showed the similarities between his white and mulatto nieces: as women both had a price on their heads and suffered due to their "place" in that society beneath men... This film showed that while much has changed, many attitudes have not changed in 300 years... The two brothers who court the nieces could have come from any current film if they just updated their styles of clothes, hair, and accents.

I just saw an advance screening of BELLE--and I absolutely loved it. The dialog, directing, performances, costumes, locations, and cinematography were all fabulous.

It's based on the mesmerizing and romantic true story of the beautiful, intelligent, mixed race daughter of an admiral, who was raised in Georgian England by her aristocratic great-uncle and his wife. The script hits all the right notes as Belle struggles to find her place in a society that doesn't quite accept her, and with the help of an idealistic young vicar's son (Sam Reid-- fantastic), influences an important anti-slavery case.

Congratulations to director Amma Asante and writer Misan Sagay for bringing this story vividly to life on the screen. Gugu Mbatha-Raw was luminous as Dido Belle, and I think Tom Wilkinson gave the best role of his career. Both are Oscar-worthy performances. The film is highly recommended.

Initially I was excited to see this movie because of Matthew Goode, even though I realized that he only plays a minor role in this film. After seeing the trailer however, the film flew towards the top of my "to watch" list. It still managed to exceed my expectations - interesting, well paced storyline, incredible cast (Tom Wilkinson was absolutely brilliant), intricate and beautiful costumes - definitely a movie that will be enjoyed even by those who are not big fans of period pieces.

The fact that the movie was based on a true story just made it even more impactful. Dido Elizabeth Belle is left in England by her loving Admiral father, to be raised by her aristocratic aunt and uncle - at a time in history when wealth and social standing could not overshadow the fact that she was a mixed race, illegitimate child. Belle's story of trying to figure out her place in the world and in her family unravels beautifully alongside a closer and deeper look at the racism and sexism plaguing the British society at the time. Add a dash of romance and the result is a beautiful film definitely worth watching.

I'm a film lover who's encouraged to see a story that reveals a piece of the history so often ignored. "Belle" is based on a true story. Since the history of slavery is not taught, films that deal with it - when done well - can be not only entertaining but also instructive. We need these stories! "Belle" is surprising, a piece in the grand puzzle of the history of the slave trade and its impact on the lives of all manner of people. Tom Wilkinson is as always wonderful... The other actors are all just fine. Gugu is lovely as Dido. The hypocrisy of the British upper class is on full display. The Zong Slave ship case is threaded through this film and opens another door on the horrors of the slave trade. That case alone deserves its own film but it would probably be too horrible to watch! I was reminded of all the pained experiences black children endured as they attempted to integrate public schools. The insults and denigration, the racist assumptions hurled at these students were nightmarish. Being the only black person in a sea of whites to this day can be challenging. "Belle" allows us to see and to imagine what that was like in England in the late 1700's. "Belle" was a blood relative and still she could not sit at the dinner table if guests were dining. There's much to learn here, much to think about.