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Dangerous Beauty

Play trailer Poster for Dangerous Beauty R 1998 1h 51m History Drama Romance Play Trailer Watchlist
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69% Tomatometer 29 Reviews 85% Popcornmeter 5,000+ Ratings
Veronica (Catherine McCormack) is brilliant, gifted and beautiful, but the handsome aristocrat she loves, Marco Venier (Rufus Sewell), cannot marry her because she is penniless and of questionable family. So Veronica's mother, Paola (Jacqueline Bisset), teaches her to become a courtesan, one of the exotic companions favored by the richest and most powerful Venetian men. Veronica courageously uses her charms to change destiny -- and to give herself a chance at true love.
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Dangerous Beauty

Critics Reviews

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Roger Ebert Chicago Sun-Times 01/01/2000
3.5/4
Most movies are made by males and show women enthralled by men. This movie knows better. Go to Full Review
Emma Clark-Dow The Post NZ 05/04/2023
If you love a historical film with unrequited love, war, plague and even witchcraft, Dangerous Beauty is for you. Go to Full Review
Wesley Lovell Cinema Sight 01/18/2023
3/4
This film can be seen on the small screen, since it’s not big, but make sure you have some good resolution on your TV or you’ll miss some of the more elegant work of the year. Go to Full Review
Malcolm Johnson Hartford Courant 04/25/2018
Only McCormack manages to breathe any urgency into a tale that takes far too long to escape the fate of too many films set in Venice, in which San Marco and the Grand Canal's gondola fleet overwhelm story and characters. Go to Full Review
David Noh Film Journal International 01/09/2007
There's an essential insipidity here, matched by its predictable music score. Go to Full Review
Emanuel Levy EmanuelLevy.Com 07/19/2005
3/5
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Audience Reviews

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nick s Aug 12 Somewhat contrived and a bit too flowery for my liking. But I liked the concept. Costumes were great. The film had a lot of movement and vibrancy. Overall a quality production. See more Cem Okan Y Jun 12 It was a bit too much romantic (not just in terms of love but also in portraying that era) but it is charming at the same time. I wonder why this actress is forgotten later on See more Alain E @AlainE Mar 3 Has high approval ratings from critics and viewers, but I think it’s trite and uninspired. Your mileage may vary. Free on Prime. See more John A @ExcessMale 05/24/2024 An ornate costume drama replete with gorgeous depictions of Venice and an allegedly true tale of female romantic ideals being achieved via seemingly callous and unromantic ways See more Shawna T 03/22/2024 Funny, fast-paced, lavish, vibrant and romantic. See more 02/21/2023 A time when women were seen as property instead of equals and only royalty married royalty It's Venice 1853 and one young woman will change things during the age of courtesans Marshall Herskovitz makes the true story of a new kind of love starring Catherine McCormack, Moira Kelly, Rufus Sewell, Naomi Watts, Oliver Platt, the late Fred Ward, and Jacqueline Bisset Veronica Franco is brilliant, gifted and beautiful, but the handsome aristocrat she loves, Marco Venier cannot marry her because she is penniless and of questionable family So Veronica's mother, Paola teaches her to become a courtesan, one of the exotic companions favored by the richest and most powerful Venetian men Veronica courageously uses her charms to change destiny -- and to give herself a chance at true love But society deems it unworthy, even the Church deeming her accused of witchcraft Their goal is to drive out the harlots they believe plague their city, it's bad enough war and disease ravages Europe at this point Is beauty a manifestation of the divine?, is marriage only a contract?, witchcraft to some seems like the only explanation for depravity, yearning and need for love can be labeled as filth for damnation of our souls The costumes are intricately detailed, the setting is astonishing, and the music is quite soothing The last half is where the plot actually gets very serious and it becomes downright saddening But McCormack and Sewell are the bright spots playing loving souls in an era when religious persecution and elegant company reign It's also refreshing to have a love story told from a female's perspective given the roles that dominated much of this part of human history See more Read all reviews
Dangerous Beauty

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Movie Info

Synopsis Veronica (Catherine McCormack) is brilliant, gifted and beautiful, but the handsome aristocrat she loves, Marco Venier (Rufus Sewell), cannot marry her because she is penniless and of questionable family. So Veronica's mother, Paola (Jacqueline Bisset), teaches her to become a courtesan, one of the exotic companions favored by the richest and most powerful Venetian men. Veronica courageously uses her charms to change destiny -- and to give herself a chance at true love.
Director
Marshall Herskovitz
Producer
Sarah Caplan, Marshall Herskovitz, Arnon Milchan, Edward Zwick
Screenwriter
Margaret Rosenthal, Jeannine Dominy
Distributor
Warner Bros. Pictures
Production Co
New Regency Pictures, The Bedford Falls Company
Rating
R (Scenes of Strong Sexuality|Nudity|Language)
Genre
History, Drama, Romance
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Feb 20, 1998, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Mar 1, 2013
Box Office (Gross USA)
$4.6M
Runtime
1h 51m
Sound Mix
Dolby Stereo, Dolby Digital, Dolby A, Surround, DTS, Dolby SR
Aspect Ratio
Scope (2.35:1)
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