DVD Review — The White CountessThis movie is such a period piece that you can almost see Peter Lorre lurking in the background. Not that I'm complaining; I love period flicks. Set in Shanghai, China, it comes complete with disenfranchised nobility, Reds, crafty diplomats, and opportunistic Americans. What more can you ask for - a strafing by the Japanese airforce? Got that, too. Primarily a romantic drama, the plot revolves around the arms length romance of an ex–diplomat and an exiled countess as they establish the premier nightclub of 1930's Shanghai. The backdrop of the Russian Revolution, Chinese Civil War, and Japanese aggression provides plenty of background noise for the action/history buff. There's intrigue enough for all and (Dare I reveal it?) a heartwarming ending. Oh, and one of the main characters is blind. It seems like an afterthought in the plot, and I'm not quite sure why it's there. Ralph Fiennes turns in a credible, if somewhat flawed performance, as an ex–diplomat turned blind nightclub owner. Perhaps it's an improvement to have a nightclub owner who just happens to be blind. Maybe next we'll have an actor who just happens to be blind. The White Countess 112506 |