A Masterpiece Takes Flight: The Wings of the Dove
1998; Salisbury University; Volume: 26; Issue: 4 Linguagem: Inglês
ISSN
0090-4260
Autores Tópico(s)American Literature and Culture
ResumoThe Wings of the Dove. Dir. Iain Softley. With Helena Bonham-Carter as Kate Croy, Linus Roache as Merton Densher, Alison Elliott as Milly Theale, Charlotte Rampling as Maude Lowder. Miramax, 1997. Published in 1902, Wings of the Dove was the first of Henry James's three major novels (also including The Ambassadors and The Golden Bowl that arrived with the new century. Its autobiographical elements-the character of the fatally stricken American heiress, Milly Theale, is probably based on James's orphan cousin, Minny Temple, to whom he apparently had had a deep attachment in his youth-and its relatively explicit treatment of sexual love have made it the favorite province of Jamesians everywhere. Critical opinion has been sharply divided. Whereas F. O. Matthissen, in Henry James: The Major Phase, pronounced it his masterpiece, the work his characteristic emotional vibration seems deepest, Maxwell Geismar, in Henry James and the Jacobites, attacked its bag of literary tricks and its calculated, contrived altogether esoteric literary method. The title, by the way, is taken from the 55th Psalm: Oh, that I had wings like a dove! For then would I fly away, and be at rest. Milly is that dove, flown too soon, leaving behind the wreckage of her lovers and conspirators. After the death of her mother, Kate Croy (Helena Bonham-Carter) goes to London to live with her wealthy Aunt Maude (Charlotte Rampling). Headstrong by nature, Kate finds herself under the repressive thumb of her aunt's strict social codes. Her romance with a journalist, Merton Densher (Linus Roache), for example, is strongly discouraged in favor of another suitor, Lord Mark (Alex Jennings), a dissipated aristocrat who is willing to lend her a title in exchange for her money. Fearful of being disinherited Kate reluctantly breaks off with Merton. Onto the scene arrives a beautiful American heiress, Milly Theale (Allison Elliott). Knowing Milly to be terminally ill, Kate persuades Merton to follow Milly to Venice and make love to her. What presumably is a selfless act might possibly have a darker motive: If Merton succeeds, he would be in a position to inherit Milly's money, which in turn would enable him to marry Kate. Kate, in the meantime, has denied to Milly that she herself loves Merton. Indeed, she has convinced herself that her plan is entirely unselfish-why should not Milly have beautiful romantic moments in the short time remaining to her? Preposterous as the trappings of this lurid melodrama sound, so full of Old World schemes and conspiracies directed against a New World fairy princess-James had, at one point in the story's gestation, intended it for the stage-you can be sure that things won't rest there. The rest of the story is taken up with the growing relationship between Merton and Milly in Venice. Against the lambent glow of the ancient city, along the canals and inside the magnificent churches, Kate watches with growing anxiety while her two friends develop a strange and intense relationship. Merton, usually passive and indecisive, is finding at last the emotional fulfillment so long denied him; and Milly, a death sentence hanging over her, blossoms into a radiant woman in love. Kate's plot has gone awry, and soon she is conspiring to break up the relationship. She confesses her relationship with Merton to her aristocratic suitor, Lord Mark, who promptly relays the news to Milly. Merton gets wind of the betrayal and rushes to Milly to deny everything. They reconcile, but Milly soon dies. Merton returns to London where he reunites with Kate. They make passionate love. Merton offers to relinquish his claim on Milly's memory. Merton falters. Kate dresses and leaves. Merton, presumably now endowed with Milly's money (the issue is left vague), returns to Venice alone. Apparently he will spend his days, as James puts it, in love with the memory, or aftersense, of Milly, which day by day, was his greatest reality. …
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