Vanity Fair (2004) Movie Review

Reflecting on her performance, one can't help but draw parallels to Witherspoon's portrayal of Elle Woods in "Legally Blonde." While Becky doesn't endure any phase of perceived foolishness, she does leverage her sexuality, outplaying men in a society where opportunities for educated women were limited to roles like governess, teacher, servant, nun, or wife. The 19th-century playing field may have been uneven, but Becky scores admirably by employing her wits.

William Makepeace Thackeray's novel, written with humor and subtle satire, sheds light on the challenges faced by educated women of the time. In an era when few career paths were available, women could either conform to societal expectations or pursue the solitary profession of writing. Thackeray's contemporaries, such as Jane Austen and the Brontë sisters, navigated this constrained landscape to create literary masterpieces, often working in corners of parlors surrounded by after-dinner chatter.

Becky Sharp, the central character, emerges from finishing school armed with the French language skills acquired from her Parisian mother. Despite the limitations imposed on women, Thackeray hints at Becky's potential to write a great novel or, at the very least, inspire one. The novel takes a realistic and unsentimental look at Becky's dilemma as she embarks on her journey, leaving finishing school and heading to her first job as a governess for Sir Pitt Crawley, a financially struggling aristocrat.

Becky Sharp doesn't dream of being a governess forever. Her goal is to marry well, and since she lacks wealth or a title, she hopes for a husband who brings both into the marriage. Is she evil for this? Not really. In England and India, where Thackeray and Mira Nair hail from, marriages traditionally involve family ties and financial prospects rather than just romantic love.

Amelia, Becky's only school friend, wishes Becky would marry her brother Joseph. But Amelia's fiancé, Capt. George Osborne, convinces Joseph that Becky is unsuitable due to her unclear family background. So, Becky ends up at Crawley Hall, initially mistaking the unshaven Sir Pitt for a servant. Despite the Crawley family's financial struggles, Becky wins over Sir Pitt's wealthy sister Matilde, who becomes her friend and protector, but only to a certain extent.

Becky's marriage to Rawley Crawley, Matilde's nephew, doesn't bring the expected benefits, as Rawley is a second son and a reckless gambler. The film's memorable moments include sharp-tongued exchanges between characters, especially Matilde. Lord Steyne, a character Becky met as a child, adds an astonishing twist. Years later, Steyne, recalling their first encounter, attempts to purchase both a portrait of Becky's mother and the original of Becky herself, leading to a dramatic dinner-table confrontation where he verbally tears apart his own family, sparing no one, not even a wealthy heiress who married his son for a title despite his perceived idiocy.

What makes "Vanity Fair" stand out from Jane Austen adaptations like "Sense and Sensibility" and "Pride and Prejudice" is its focus on characters who aren't particularly nice. This actually makes them more intriguing. While there are some decent individuals, like William Dobbin, who remains devoted to Amelia even though she falls for the less-than-noble George, and Joseph, who is genuinely good-hearted, the central characters are far from perfect.

Even the seemingly evil Lord Steyn has shades of complexity. When Becky, now destitute after her husband Rawley's gambling losses, faces eviction, Steyn steps in and pays off their debts. However, his motives aren't entirely altruistic, as he expects gratitude from Becky. Interestingly, this dynamic is portrayed more explicitly in the 1828 novel than in the 2004 movie, likely due to the film's PG-13 rating. In reality, the furniture wouldn't magically return to the house without strings attached.

The choice of Indian-born Mira Nair to adapt what some consider the best English novel of the 19th century might seem unusual at first, but it makes sense. Nair has a natural understanding of the comedic aspects of marital connections, evident in her acclaimed film "Monsoon Wedding" (2001). Additionally, she brings to the movie an awareness of India's historical role in the English imagination. In the 19th century, many well-born English families had relatives serving or living in India. As George Orwell remarked, the two nations seemed to deserve each other due to their shared love of eccentricity.