Madame Bovary * * 1/2

This adaptation has copped a fair bit of criticism, especially from those familiar with the Flaubert novel. In literature apparently Madame Bovary is regarded as a break-through novel which fearlessly changed the rules and ushered in a new style of narrating and writing.

I haven’t read the novel, but I will not question that  Madame Bovary is as good as its reputation.   I once read an argument that bad novels often make good films, and conversely, great novels can often make bad films. Madame Bovary has been filmed several times and not one production has been warmly received. This latest one is no exception. So I guess that means Madame Bovary is such a  good book it can’t be satisfactorily filmed. Overall I found this film to be  a dull story of a selfish young woman.  Set in the early 1800's, Emma Bovary marries a village doctor. He is a decent but uninspiring man who works hard whilst Emma Bovary’s home life is unadventurous, lonely and boring.   Capitalising on her boredom an unscrupulous merchant persuades her to buy dresses she can’t afford and decorate her home with furnishings that are way outside of her budget. Like the banks of today he is forever offering an extended line of credit.   But material items are one thing and it’s not long before Emma Bovary is looking for further endorsement of her value by crawling into bed with the local pretty-boy first, then later the Marquis from the mansion down the road. Both bring disastrous outcomes to her life.   Ultimately the debts become overwhelming, the sex buddies disappear and the husband is somewhat disappointed with her too.  There is no happy ending here.   Apparently the events unfold differently in the novel than in this film and some key events are missing (like having a baby).  Further, some characters who were quite important are not featured. When adapting a novel that is understandable. But those familiar with the novel say the wrong parts have been left out. I don’t know.  I just take it on face value.   And on face value this is worth going to see,  because it ‘s worth going to SEE -  I mean it is beautiful to look at.  The costumes, the sets, the locations, the lighting, the colours, the extraordinary sense that you have been transported to another time. It really is visually seductive. I could have happily basked in its autumnal colours for hours. I just wish they’d given me some engaging drama whilst I was  there.  Not until the end, when she begins to realise the consequence of  her silly-minded aspirational selfishness, do we feel involved. Then of course it’s all too late. Our own Mia Wasikowska plays Emma Bovary and does a pretty good job as far as I can tell (not having read the novel) though she does sound incongruously American at times.  It’s directed by relatively unknown Sophie Barthes who certainly makes it look beautiful if nothing else.