James Hitchcock No, this is not a biopic of Margaret Thatcher's Foreign Secretary who resigned over the Falklands War. Dora Carrington (1893–1932) was an English painter who was associated with the Bloomsbury Group, a group of British artists, writers and intellectuals who took their name from the district of North London in which many of them lived. Many of the Bloomsburies were believers in "free love", and they were known for their complex sex lives which have provided fertile material for biographers ever since. Carrington (she preferred to be known simply by her surname) was no exception; in fact the real Carrington had an even more complicated sex life than the character portrayed in this film. Here she is shown as exclusively heterosexual, whereas in reality she was bisexual and had affairs with both men and women. The men in her life depicted here are her fellow-artist Mark Gertler, her husband Ralph Partridge, the writer Gerald Brenan and her great love, the author and critic Lytton Strachey.It seems odd to say that Strachey was the great love of Carrington's life because he was famously homosexual. She, however, became obsessed with him, and the two began an unusual relationship. It was never consummated in a physical sense, although they slept together in the same bed, but their friendship continued until the end of Strachey's life, throughout Carrington's marriage to Partridge and her affairs with other men. Not long after he died, the grief-stricken Carrington committed suicide. The relationship was further complicated by the fact that Strachey was himself sexually attracted to some of Carrington's other lovers, especially Partridge. (The question of whether Strachey and Partridge actually had a physical relationship is discreetly left unanswered in the film). The film's main strength is the quality of the acting, especially from Emma Thompson in the title role and Jonathan Pryce (hidden behind a beard like a quickset hedge) as Strachey. As played by Pryce, Strachey comes across as conceited and self-obsessed, yet also capable of dignity and sincerity, especially when, as a conscientious objector during the Great War, he has to defend his pacifist position before a conscription board. He fails to return Carrington's selfless devotion, but we are always aware that, because of his sexuality, this is not something for which he can be blamed. Despite her tangled love-life, Carrington comes across as surprisingly naive and innocent. She was only in her early twenties when she first met Strachey, whereas Thompson was in her mid- thirties at the time the film was made, yet we are never conscious of watching an older woman playing a younger one. Another good feature is the visual appearance of the film, with some attractive photography of the English countryside in the outdoor scenes. The indoor ones are rather lighter and airier than is normal in British "heritage cinema", owing to the distinctive Bloomsbury ethic, based around pastel colours and simplicity at a time when interior design in Britain was generally marked by strong colours and elaborate decoration. The film, written and directed by Christopher Hampton, focuses mainly on Carrington's sexual and romantic relationships. The film is divided into six chapters, and it is significant that all but one of these feature a man's name in the title; none of these titles makes any reference to her art. Although the film helped to revive interest in Carrington, previously somewhat neglected, as an artist, little of her art is featured here. Perhaps the reason is that the Bloomsbury Group, generally progressive in other matters, were rather conservative when it came to the visual arts; like Vanessa Bell and Duncan Grant, Carrington was more influenced by the French Impressionists and Post-Impressionists of a previous generation than by her Modernist contemporaries. The one picture that does play an important role is Gertler's "Merry-Go-Round", an allegory of the First World War and far more daringly radical than anything Carrington ever produced. Yet Carrington was clearly a talented artist, and I would have preferred it if the film had explored this aspect of her life in greater depth, particularly as I am one of those who believe that the study of lesser- known artists can be as rewarding as that of the officially recognised Big Names. This is especially true of the twentieth century, the artistic history of which has far too often been portrayed as a steady progression towards the inevitable triumph of abstract over figurative art. The contribution of those like Carrington who stood for a quite different set of artistic values has tended to be neglected. There was more to her than simply being the female participant in a rather unusual (even by Bloomsbury standards) love affair. 6/10

ddlacree-991-615259 What makes this tale pathetic and even horrifying is that it is true. If the characters central to this saga truly lived their lives in such wretched repression, compulsion, pretension, evasion, subterfuge, denial, longing, jealousy, confusion, suppression, depression, altruism, platonic hypocrisy and lack of courage - then God help them! If their entrapment was a reflection of the age they lived in, then they acquiesced to societal norms and were not the creative, artistic free spirits they pretended or aspired to be. If their ennui was a result of their own inability to live in truth, then their pose was a pretense. There is nothing to admire in this story. Carrington was a coward, Lytton a poseur, and their circle a bunch on namby pamby weaklings. To suicide for a love that never satisfied is the ultimate statement of low self-esteem.If you are a depressive, you may enjoy this movie. Those who live in joy may do better to skip it. Not just skip it, but run, screaming, very fast, in the opposite direction.

fedor8 The never-ending devotion of one woman to a special friend, that lasts over great many years and survives all of her life's lovers...Or: how a frigid married virgin turns into a raving nymphomaniac and shags a number of guys with obvious lust and passion while living with an intellectual poofter.Either way, it's an interesting film with some unusual characters, but uneven. The first third or so is the best, then it gets bogged down in near-soap-opera clichés, only to get better again towards the end. The two leads, Thompson and Pryce, make it work. Thompson is often annoying, but that's usually the case with movies where she is supposed to be funny.

burgan6203 One thing regarding Christopher Hampton's film "Carrington" that bears noting for potential viewers is that previous knowledge is helpful. If you don't have any sort of idea who Dora Carrington and Lytton Strachey are, or the avant-garde world in which they moved, then the movie will seem very obscure and disjointed.Regarding the movie, it is odd and melancholic, but richly intelligent and rewarding, particularly with repeated viewings.The cinematography is attractive without being showy. Michael Nyman's score is haunting and uniquely beautiful.And the casting is perfect, particularly Jonathan Pryce as the ironic Bloomsbury butterfly Strachey, and Emma Thompson as the strangely alluring Carrington, who's heart beats fiercely with love for him, despite the fact that neither of them will ever be able to do anything about it.My personal favorite scene is when they are sitting under the tree, and Carrington tells Lytton how she feels, and he understands.They are both so peaceful and content.