Clare Peploe's "The Triumph of Love" is based on Pierre Marivaux's classic 18th century romantic comedy. Not wildly romantic, the nearly two-hour film, starring Mira Sorvino as the princess going to remarkable lengths to nab the man of her dreams, isn't terribly funny, either. So what you really got except the painfully out of her league Sorvino and a tired tale?
The princess (Sorvino) rules over a kingdom that her parents wrested from the rightful king, who apparently had no heirs. But she has since learned that there was an heir who survived and she has spied this magificent specimen of man. And she wants him. To get him, she's willing to surrender her rule and hand it back to the man who should be king.
It helps that Agis (Jay Rodan) has model-like good looks, long flowing locks and an athlete's build. But Agis has been raised by a hermeic philosopher Hemocrates (Ben Kingsley) and his scientist sister Leontine (Fiona Shaw) who have instilled in him not only a hatred of the princess, but of all women.
So the princess and her able assistant Corinne (Rachael Stirling) change out of their feminine garb and into men's clothes. They are going into Hermocrates' sprawling, idyllic country lair to capture the heart of Agis.
{INSERT_RELATED}To do it, they must hire some help and two of Hermocrates' servants Arlequin (Ignazio Oliva) and Dimas (Luis Moteni), are wooed with gold coins.
The princess leaves no one unharmed as she spins a web of love and lust with Hermocrates, Leontine and Agis, all with the aim of landing the latter. But will all of her deception and seduction lead to success?
The fact is we don't care that much. None of the characters seems more than a cheap archetype and none of the cast rises to the occassion. Even Kingsley who was so brilliant in last year's "Sexy Beast," can't muster the energy to lift Hermocrates above the mundane stereotype of the under-sexed philosopher. When he falls for the princess' alter ego Phocion, he turns into a babbling idiot.
The scenery is lovely and there are a few moments that will make you chuckle. Sorvino is fetching throughout and one wants to see her succeed, but she doesn't bring anything to turn this gender-bending story into anything other than run-of-the-mill.
"The Triumph of Love," produced by Bernardo Bertolucci, opened Fri., May 10 at Landmark's Oriental Theatre. Click here for showtimes.
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he lived until he was 17, Bobby received his BA-Mass Communications from UWM in 1989 and has lived in Walker's Point, Bay View, Enderis Park, South Milwaukee and on the East Side.
He has published three non-fiction books in Italy – including one about an event in Milwaukee history, which was published in the U.S. in autumn 2010. Four more books, all about Milwaukee, have been published by The History Press.
With his most recent band, The Yell Leaders, Bobby released four LPs and had a songs featured in episodes of TV's "Party of Five" and "Dawson's Creek," and films in Japan, South America and the U.S. The Yell Leaders were named the best unsigned band in their region by VH-1 as part of its Rock Across America 1998 Tour. Most recently, the band contributed tracks to a UK vinyl/CD tribute to the Redskins and collaborated on a track with Italian novelist Enrico Remmert.
He's produced three installments of the "OMCD" series of local music compilations for OnMilwaukee.com and in 2007 produced a CD of Italian music and poetry.
In 2005, he was awarded the City of Asti's (Italy) Journalism Prize for his work focusing on that area. He has also won awards from the Milwaukee Press Club.
He has be heard on 88Nine Radio Milwaukee talking about his "Urban Spelunking" series of stories, in that station's most popular podcast.
