Main Cast: Mira Sorvino, Ben Kingsley, Fiona Shaw, Jay Rodan, Ignazio Oliva
Release Year: 2001
Country: UK/IT
Run Time: 107 minutes
MPAA Rating: PG13
Plot
A beautiful princess (Mira Sorvino) whose throne is threatened falls in love at first sight with the rightful heir to the throne, a lonely young man named Agis (Jay Rodan), in Clare Peploe's romantic comedy Triumph of Love. The film was adapted from an 18th century play by Marivaux. Peploe's husband, Bernardo Bertolucci, co-wrote the script and produced the film, which was shot, mostly handheld, on 16 mm. Sorvino plays a princess whose father murdered the father of Agis and took his power. Her enemies are preparing to correct that historical wrong, but when the princess boldly investigates, she finds herself smitten with the handsome Agis. Agis has been raised by a vainglorious philosopher, Hermocrates (Ben Kingsley), who kept Agis secluded on his estate for his own safety. Hermocrates has furthermore sternly taught Agis that romance and love are the downfall of the intellectual, and that women in general are not to be trusted. Hermocrates also has a retiring spinster sister, Leontine (Fiona Shaw of Harry Potter), who conducts science experiments in her spare time. The princess, accompanied by her faithful handmaiden, Hermidas (Rachael Stirling, the daughter of actress Diana Rigg), disguises herself as a male philosophy student, Phocion, in order to infiltrate Hermocrates' household. She plans to both revenge herself on her enemies, and win the hand of Agis, uniting her kingdom. In this guise, she befriends the naïve Agis and seduces the fragile Leontine. Hermocrates, however, immediately recognizes her true gender. Still, she manages to appeal to his gigantic ego, explaining that she's madly in love with him, and believes that only his genius can show her the wrongfulness of that state. As the threads of her plan chaotically and comically come together, the princess finds herself haunted by her own conscience. ~ Josh Ralske, All Movie Guide
Review
Clare Peploe's Triumph of Love is an overly broad romantic comedy that grows wearisome, despite a deft performance from Mira Sorvino in the challenging lead role. Sorvino demonstrates tremendous range and comedic skill. She takes hold of this frivolously gender-bending part, and makes the princess a provocative enchantress whose boldness is offset by her genuine warmth and vulnerability in the presence of Agis (Jay Rodan), the young man she loves. As she cunningly overcomes every obstacle thrown in her path, Sorvino reveals the princess' compassion for those whom she manipulates. Her enjoyable interplay with the accomplished Ben Kingsley and Fiona Shaw lends the somewhat silly material a welcome spark of emotional depth. Kingsley and Shaw overplay their roles as her pathetic foils, as is perhaps appropriate for this kind of farce, while fresh-faced Rachael Stirling as the princess' handmaiden, Hermidas, infuses her role with subtle intelligence. Marivaux's play may put audiences in mind of Shakespeare's much earlier oeuvre, and the play's strong central female character, gender disguises, and Italian setting invite this comparison. But this material doesn't have the emotional complexity or depth, not to mention the poetry of Shakespeare. The film is fast-paced and energetic, but the play is so broadly clownish that it frequently feels strained. Peploe's attempts to address the material's theatrical artificiality, using jump cuts, the sporadic and jarring appearance of an audience in modern dress, and an awkward "curtain call" at the end are somewhat heavy-handed. The film's inherent corniness will certainly rub some viewers the wrong way, but it's reasonably bright and cheery, and everyone involved seems to be enjoying what they're doing. In the end, Triumph of Love offers a few fleeting pleasures and one memorable performance. ~ Josh Ralske, All Movie Guide
In an unidentified country in 18th century Europe, an usurper's daughter (Mira Sorvino) has inherited the throne and feels guilty about her family's crimes. She learns that the rightful heir, Agis (Jay Rodan), exists but has been taught to hate her and reject all love. She falls in love with him at her first sight of him, but he is kept in seclusion by a brother (Ben Kingsley) and sister (Fiona Shaw) to protect him from her. To get close enough to Agis, she must embark on a series of bribes, deceptions, and seductions.
