How sad is this?

Admirable film.

This is a tender, generous movie that likes its characters and presents them as real people, full of flaws and strengths.

A movie that not only functions as a solid scarefest but a razor-sharp satire.

Henry James's novels are available for film adaptation, dramatic novels. As it is known, the most dominant feature of his novels is the success in using the point of view. There are 3 reflective consciousness whom are benefited from the point of view. These are Kate,Merton and Milly. Use of point of view in novel is linguistic. This work is more difficult in the cinema. Because now words there is no written language, there is a camera. In this film, however, the hero's point of view is shown successfully. Milly is "pigeon" as metaphor. When watching the movie You'll see why the dove is Milly. I think this film is "underrated". Dramatic and period film lovers watch.

The Wings of the Dove (1997): Dir: Iain Softley / Cast: Helena Bonham Carter, Linus Roache, Alison Elliott, Charlotte Rampling, Elizabeth McGovern: Compelling romance that suggests purity. The doves are a symbol of purity and wings indicate elevation. Helena Bonham Carter seeks refuge with her lover played by Linus Roache. Her aunt insists that she marry into wealth but Carter doesn't love the man of choice. Alison Elliott enters as a wealthy American but she has a life threatening illness. Carter schemes Roache as her lover so that they may inherit her wealth. When they grow to actually love this woman they are overcome with guilt. Beautiful 19th century settings with skillful directing by Iain Softley who previously made Hacker. Carter and Roache bring out the free spirited love of young romance to the point of preventing interference. Of course, their love will bear a price at the cost of another. Elliott demonstrates a love for life and a willingness to live to the fullest despite the obvious presence of fate. Supporting roles are unfortunately typical stereotypes that feature fine actors, such as Charlotte Rampling and Elizabeth McGovern, who can do no more than say the lines and hope that it rises above cardboard. Strong theme regarding guilt and the idea of rethinking our actions before we are left with a lifetime of regret. Score: 8 ½ / 10

Although neither of them had anything to do with "Wings of the Dove," it reminded me strongly of the string of Merchant-Ivory films. It's a period film, based on a famous novel (by Henry James), set in gorgeous locations (London and Venice), with magnificent costuming and a largely English cast led by Helena Bonham Carter, who graced many a Merchant-Ivory film. "Wings of the Dove" is widely regarded as her finest performance. It earned an Oscar nomination. Although she lost out to Helen Hunt, many critics thought she deserved the honor more. Here she plays Kate Croy, the impoverished niece of her wealthy Aunt Maude (Charlotte Rampling) in love with a handsome, impecunious radical (Linus Roache) and decidedly not in love with her Aunt's choice, Lord Mark (Alex Jennings). I won't give away the scheme that is at the root of the story but Bonham Carter is both distinctively beautiful and a powerful actress. Only Rampling holds her own -- in a much less prominent role, although Michael Gambon in a small part as Kate's ne'er do well father is excellent (as always). Subsequent to "Wings of the Dove," Bonham Carter drifted in the direction of films (the Harry Potter series, for example) that failed to utilize her enormous talent or take full advantage of her slightly unusual but distinctive beauty. She's still young enough to make a big splash at some point in the future but she seems to have lost the urge to make the most of her considerable talent. If so, this film, which she made at the age of 31, may turn out in retrospect to have been her career high.

When the film came out a lot of people commented on the way the adaptation shifted the action forward in time to 1910.I was puzzled too but on re-viewing the film it was clear that this was to enable the filmmakers to draw on the more socially aware painting styles of the time. Essentially Kate and Merton are two people who are stuck in the oeuvre of Walter Sickert and want to move upmarket into Whistler territory. But they fail and are doomed to spend the rest of their lives in squalid Camden Town scenes. Incidentally this means there are artistically valid reasons for Helena Bonham Carter getting her kit off--the final scene is pretty much Sickert's "What Shall We Do for the Rent?" with live actors. While this visual metaphor is superbly played out, it is at the expense of James' intricate verbal edifices. The film grates when anyone opens their mouth: as animated paintings, the characters are literally two-dimensional. This is a film which is at its best when no-one is saying anything, and would have worked much better as a silent movie.