Belle (UK Rating: PG)
Based on the true story of Dido Elizabeth Belle, the mixed race daughter of an 18th century Admiral, Belle offers a uniquely English perspective on slavery and race, mixed with a large slice of romance. Does the combination work? Lights, Camera, Action! takes a closer look at the movie, which launches in UK cinemas on 13th June.
True stories are now a staple at the cinema. Just take a look at the listings. Some films follow the original events to the letter, some are purely inspired by true events, and an awful lot fall somewhere in between. Amma Asante’s Belle is inspired by a unique figure in the English aristocracy, Dido Elizabeth Belle (Gugu Mbatha-Raw), both illegitimate and mixed race, who was raised by her great uncle Lord Mansfield (Tom Wilkinson), the Lord Chief Justice. Stuck on the side lines while her cousin Elizabeth (Sarah Gadon) attempts to find a suitable match, she finds love on her own terms while playing a key part in the eventual abolition of slavery.
Whether Dido really was involved in the campaign to abolish slavery is open to question, but she certainly was raised by her great uncle, with most of the privileges that went with it. Not all of them, however. The colour of her skin means that, even in Lord Mansfield’s liberal household, her involvement in society is restricted. When guests come to dinner, she has to eat in her room and is only allowed to join them afterwards. She did, however, most certainly exist as the other inspiration for the film is a painting now hanging in Scone Palace in Scotland. It shows both Dido and her cousin Elizabeth but, unusually, they are shown as equals, not as one subservient to the other, and Dido sees plenty of that type of painting during the film.
Dido’s is a strong and interesting story, but the sense that liberties have been taken with it never quite goes away. Nor does the feeling that it may have initially been intended for the small screen, but then changed course and went for the cinema. In a TV one hour format, it would have worked extremely well, but the big screen demands 90 minutes, so the story is padded out by the love story between Dido and idealistic lawyer, John Davinier (Sam Reid), which drags out the final third of the film. In reality, Dido did marry Davinier, and the romance may give the film a wider appeal, but it still plays too big a part.
Visually, the film is a triumph. The period settings and the costume are sumptuous and the photography is full of interesting details. Dido’s nervousness is depicted by a close up of her throat, showing her swallow, and when the full implications of her origins come home to her, she’s looking in a mirror and close to wanting to tear off her skin
Belle is a very British production, with a cast – Wilkinson, Watson and Penelope Wilton – that means strong acting is a given. Gugu Mbatha-Raw makes an impressive debut as Dido, impassioned, intelligent and beautifully poised in those wonderful dresses. Miranda Richardson, however, seems to be pitching to take over from Maggie Smith as the Dowager Duchess of Put-Downs.
Despite Dido’s struggles, it’s obvious she’ll get a happy ending with the man she loves. While the audience approves, it’s all a little too predictable – pat, even – and makes changing history and marrying for love look just a little bit too easy and that would never have been the case for Dido.
