The Crimson Petal and the White

Compulsory & addictive, it mimes froth of Victorian London Sts. Cinematography, costumes & sets force viewers deeper into its dark psychological story. The plot and writing are less than stellar. Lead characters portrayals leave one mesmerized by the despicable dearth and poverty of a Dickensian era. Catherine Cookson's poor and low-class tales come to mine too. Don't expect glamor and Victorian gaiety, but every form of crime and dereliction known of the time, 1874. No sympathy, it's lost in strong crass depictions that leave little to imagine. Mad, cunning women are played so well the viewer begins to hate, not adore these characters. Yet it's a mini-series you'll love hating.

The camera's eye, focused on the disgust of the dirty streets and rooms, is filmed so cunningly it resembles Impressionism art done with dark color. Not a love story, but debauchery glistening from mud, vomit, blood and ale. Stunning visuals obligate viewing. Romola Garai (Emma; Amazing Grace) turns sharply from roles like "Emma." As Sugar, she's sweet/sour in her portrayal both with and without clothing as she passes from prostitute, to mistress, to governess. Her Mom and Madam (Gillian Anderson- Bleak House) is so convincing she seems to have literally taken a turn into the underworld. Mrs. Fox (Shirley Henderson- Wish Me Luck: Series 3) seems unable to decide which side of the orgies she desires. William (Chris O'Dowd) will disgust men and women, with and without garments. Plenty more adding to a coarse, disturbing image of poverty and orgy coming to life. Adults only, strongly recommended.

SUBTITLES for all 4 episodes (an hour each) and bonus material.
1
Step immediately into a violent, crass world of brothels, drink, crime, and Sugar. Introductions of William, a want-to-be writer who mirrors Sugar's own novel attempt. His mad wife pens diaries of illness and abuse. Wm's bro writes sermons. Sugar decides Wm is a rung up the ladder of respect.
2
Wm gets Sugar an apt. She becomes `guardian angel' to another woman, to her gainful advantage. A mistress becomes obsessed. Mrs Fox and Wm's bro have their own bodily fantasies.
3
Sugar becomes a family tutor and more of a wife's madness is exposed via diaries, driving her closer to an asylum. Sugar interferes with unexpected results.
4
Sugar's lap of luxury begins to crumble. Loathing works its way into the lust. The climax of lives gets dirty and dark.

From the book by Michel Faber. BBC drama, not for the faint of heart. The title comes from a line of Tennyson's 1847 poetry, quoted in the series.
If you can't handle earthy, ghastly, sexual crudeness, give it a pass. I'm not sold that the film needed all of it, but it is there. This tames Cookson films and "Lady Chatterley's Lover."

The four part British production "The Crimson Petal and The White" showcases a world with little hope and much depravity. And yet, it revels in this exquisite misery! It is so bleak and so dark, in fact, it is sure to turn off certain viewers. But its willingness to push into this unpleasantness (and beyond) is just what makes this miniseries so compelling and so very different. It is a masterful presentation, to be sure, recreating a London of the 1870's with rich period detail in both costuming and sets. But this is no staid and refined period piece. It is explicit and graphic in depicting the underbelly of the city. Set partly in the streets and the brothels of London and partly in the realm of the aristocracy, "The Crimson Petal and The White" tells the story of one prostitute's efforts to bridge this gap by any means necessary. And what she finds as she moves toward better conditions are every bit as alarming and disturbing as what is shown on the mean streets! Really, there is no respite in this world! But that's exactly why I liked this brutal and uncompromising program, it never goes soft or promises anyone happiness.

Romola Garai play Sugar, a world weary working girl, who really knows how to manipulate a mark. She harbors violent fantasies and dreams of a different life. Setting herself apart as a premium girl, she pursues an avenue of escape with single minded obsession. One day, she meets a rather timid john (Chris O'Dowd) who seems smitten with her and is genuinely easy to bend to her will. When she recognizes that he is a man of great wealth, she maneuvers to become his mistress. She insinuates herself into the life of his mentally damaged wife and eventually gets close to his troubled daughter. But what soon becomes apparent is that this new world is fraught with a different kind of danger. And she morphs from the power holder in her relationship with O'Dowd to someone completely at his beck and call. The household is a rather unsettling place and she comes to understand the wife's madness and the daughter's withdrawal. Can she find redemption? Is she to become a reluctant hero? Or will her twisted game of cat and mouse continue indefinitely with her increasingly dismissive patron?

The cast of "The Crimson Petal and The White" really display themselves well in change of pace roles. Garai (most recently of The Hours) has never seemed so hardened or manipulative. At first, I was somewhat put off by her aloofness, but it is this matter-of-fact vacantness that serves as the hard exterior necessary for survival. O'Dowd, now getting a lot of notice for comedic performances (Bridesmaids), is mesmerizing as someone you'd rather not know. I really liked this darker persona. They are really the heart of this story, but a number of familiar faces are in the supporting cast including Gillian Anderson as a gruesome madam, Shirley Henderson as a reformer, and Richard Grant as a doctor. Everyone is quite good, but the O'Dowd and Garai dynamic is always the miniserie's strongest aspect. The show was nominated for a slew of 2012 BAFTAs including Best Actress for Garai and Best Miniseries. "The Crimson Petal and The White" is never particularly enjoyable, per se, but it's a bold and provocative experience for adult audiences who don't mind a little wallow on the dark side. KGHarris, 10/12.

The four part British production "The Crimson Petal and The White" showcases a world with little hope and much depravity. And yet, it revels in this exquisite misery! It is so bleak and so dark, in fact, it is sure to turn off certain viewers. But its willingness to push into this unpleasantness (and beyond) is just what makes this miniseries so compelling and so very different. It is a masterful presentation, to be sure, recreating a London of the 1870's with rich period detail in both costuming and sets. But this is no staid and refined period piece. It is explicit and graphic in depicting the underbelly of the city. Set partly in the streets and the brothels of London and partly in the realm of the aristocracy, "The Crimson Petal and The White" tells the story of one prostitute's efforts to bridge this gap by any means necessary. And what she finds as she moves toward better conditions are every bit as alarming and disturbing as what is shown on the mean streets! Really, there is no respite in this world! But that's exactly why I liked this brutal and uncompromising program, it never goes soft or promises anyone happiness.

Romola Garai play Sugar, a world weary working girl, who really knows how to manipulate a mark. She harbors violent fantasies and dreams of a different life. Setting herself apart as a premium girl, she pursues an avenue of escape with single minded obsession. One day, she meets a rather timid john (Chris O'Dowd) who seems smitten with her and is genuinely easy to bend to her will. When she recognizes that he is a man of great wealth, she maneuvers to become his mistress. She insinuates herself into the life of his mentally damaged wife and eventually gets close to his troubled daughter. But what soon becomes apparent is that this new world is fraught with a different kind of danger. And she morphs from the power holder in her relationship with O'Dowd to someone completely at his beck and call. The household is a rather unsettling place and she comes to understand the wife's madness and the daughter's withdrawal. Can she find redemption? Is she to become a reluctant hero? Or will her twisted game of cat and mouse continue indefinitely with her increasingly dismissive patron?

The cast of "The Crimson Petal and The White" really display themselves well in change of pace roles. Garai (most recently of The Hours) has never seemed so hardened or manipulative. At first, I was somewhat put off by her aloofness, but it is this matter-of-fact vacantness that serves as the hard exterior necessary for survival. O'Dowd, now getting a lot of notice for comedic performances (Bridesmaids), is mesmerizing as someone you'd rather not know. I really liked this darker persona. They are really the heart of this story, but a number of familiar faces are in the supporting cast including Gillian Anderson as a gruesome madam, Shirley Henderson as a reformer, and Richard Grant as a doctor. Everyone is quite good, but the O'Dowd and Garai dynamic is always the miniserie's strongest aspect. The show was nominated for a slew of 2012 BAFTAs including Best Actress for Garai and Best Miniseries. "The Crimson Petal and The White" is never particularly enjoyable, per se, but it's a bold and provocative experience for adult audiences who don't mind a little wallow on the dark side. KGHarris, 10/12.