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Gordon Seed,
Gordon Seed,
Billy Crudup,
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Richard Eyre,
Richard Eyre
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: 
: Live/Artisan
: Foreign, Costume Drama/Period Piece, UK
: 109 min.
: English
: English, Spanish
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Recently Rented By trinity7
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The true story of two performers whose careers were changed forever by a shift in gender roles on the British stage comes to the screen in this adaptation of the play Compleat Female Stage Beauty by Jeffrey Hatcher. In London, in the latter half of the 17th century, Ned Kynaston (Billy Crudup) is a noted star of the legitimate theater with an unusual specialty -- at a time when it was considered unseemly for women to work as thespians, Kynaston specialized in female roles, and was described by one writer as the most beautiful woman on the London stage. With the help of his faithful dresser, Maria Hughes (Claire Danes), Kynaston can turn himself into a striking actress in front of the footlights, and is starring opposite Thomas Betterton (Tom Wilkinson) in a production of Shakespeare's Othello when, while still in costume after a performance, he is propositioned by theatrical impresario Sir Charles Sedley (Richard Griffiths). The sexually open-minded Sedley isn't discouraged to learn Kynaston is a man, but he is bitterly angered by the actor's flip rejection of his advances. Sedley takes revenge against Kynaston by hiring a gang of criminals to beat him up. With Betterton's production of Othello closed while the leading "lady" recuperates, Hughes sees an opportunity and stages an underground version of the play, casting herself as Desdemona. While she lacks Kynaston's dramatic skills, the daring of her appearance on-stage creates a sensation, and King Charles II (Rupert Everett), a noted theater buff, is so taken with Hughes that he declares women should play women from now on. But as Hughes' star rises, Kynaston's quickly falls, and he becomes a bitter, forgotten man. When the novelty of Hughes' gender wears off and her failings as an thespian become obvious, she turns to her former friend Kynaston, hoping he can teach her to be as good an actress as he was. Stage Beauty's supporting cast includes Ben Chaplin, Edward Fox, and Hugh Bonneville. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
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| An Historical Gender Bender That's Sexy and Fun
by talltale
March 8, 2005 - 9:36 AM PST
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5 out of 5 members found this review helpful
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STAGE BEAUTY gives one of America's best actors--Billy Crudup--another role (his first was in "Jesus' Son") worthy of his talents. And, once again, nobody showed up to see it. Weirdly, Lions Gate--the movie "Studio" touted for making money while most of the rest fumble--had its biggest loser in this amazing film, which details the struggles of a famous actor in 17th century England to adapt, once the king outlaws men from performing in women's roles.
Everything Crudup offers--sensitivity, sex appeal, the ability to convey wit, intelligence, irony (even androgeny)--is on display here, and he is ably abetted by Clair Danes, Tom Wilkinson, Rupert Everett, Ben Chaplin, Hugh Bonneville, Richard Giffiths and newcomer Zoe Tapper. The writing and direction are smart and fast; the period "look" is perfection, including that old bugaboo: teeth (here, they often appear to be properly dirty and yellow).
Comparisons with "Shakespeare in Love" are not amiss. "Stage Beauty," however, deals more with sex and gender roles, and has much to say about each--in a fashion both thoughtful and fun. A double bill with "Kinsey" might be in order, since most of the characters here seem much more willing to admit to the sexual continuum than are us "moderns." I may be over-rating this one a bit (it was such a delightful surprise), but it's certainly up there with the best that 2004 had to offer. Miss it at your peril--unless that sexual continuum just scares the bejeeses out of you. |
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GreenCine Member Rating
(Average 6.91)
53 Votes
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