When a romantic film is set in an exotic location, when much of the action happens in a night club, when the time is around World War II comparison with 'Casablanca' is inevitable. Indeed, 'White Countess' aspires to be a 21st century replica of the wonderful classic, but 'Casablanca' it ain't.
If the film was done 50 or 60 years ago, it would have worked much better. However, the melodramatic lines cannot fail seeming syropous nowadays, the interest for Russian emigration cannot have a Romantic aura in another epoch when another Russian emigration has so different traits, and the story has too many credibility problems to be capable to save the day. What we are left is yet a decent movie, with excellent camera work and exquisite performances from actors like Vanessa Redgrave, Ralph Fiennes and Natasha Richardson, but yet a film out of synch not only with modern cinema but also with the emotions of the viewers. It is a test in the limits and power of melodrama in modern cinema, but a mostly failed test, I am afraid.
If the film was done 50 or 60 years ago, it would have worked much better. However, the melodramatic lines cannot fail seeming syropous nowadays, the interest for Russian emigration cannot have a Romantic aura in another epoch when another Russian emigration has so different traits, and the story has too many credibility problems to be capable to save the day. What we are left is yet a decent movie, with excellent camera work and exquisite performances from actors like Vanessa Redgrave, Ralph Fiennes and Natasha Richardson, but yet a film out of synch not only with modern cinema but also with the emotions of the viewers. It is a test in the limits and power of melodrama in modern cinema, but a mostly failed test, I am afraid.