In 1930s Shanghai, 'The White Countess' is both Sofia, a fallen member of the exiled Russian aristocracy, and a nightclub created by a blind American diplomat who asks Sofia to be the centerpiece of the world he wants to create.
Rated 2.5 / 5 from 1 log on Katalog
At best, Merchant-Ivory brought us period dramas with stunning recreations of historical eras, deeply moving performances, and sweet romance. At worst, the lesser films tend to have an emotional flatline, while still being visually gorgeous. The White Countess certainly belongs to the latter category. We are provided with a beautiful vision of Shanghai on the eve of the Japanese invasion, but the emotion and story felt so stagnant. I think I had to watch this movie gradually in four broken up viewings. The premise was fascinating: a ‘White Russian’ emigré family of fallen aristocrats live in poverty in 1930s Shanghai. One woman, the Countess Sofia Belinskaya, works as an escort in nightclubs, providing her family with both money to survive with, and shame to fester over. With Sofia debasing herself, her family are tight lipped about gratitude but very vocal about the shame they feel about her. Sofia meets a blind American diplomat, and their friendship/romance (it never really feels like one or the other)… or maybe I should say admiration(?) for one another grows, amid the looming war with Japan. Screenplay author Kazuo Ishiguro apparently has a fixation for Shanghai, but he has not written a film that honours it or even makes it sufficiently interesting. Worth watching for visuals, some good performances, and for being the last true Merchant-Ivory production.
