Girl with a Pearl Earring (Review)

                                                  

Director: Peter Webber
Genre: Drama
Lead actors: Colin Firth, Scarlett Johansson, Tom Wilkinson, Cillian Murphy, Judy Parfitt
Release Year: 2003
Country: United Kingdom, Luxembourg
Run Time: 100 minutes

Main characters:
Colin Firth as Johannes Vermeer
Scarlett Johansson as Griet
Tom Wilkinson as Pieter van Ruijven
Cillian Murphy as Pieter
Judy Parfitt as Maria Thins
Essie Davis as Catharina Bolnes
Anna Popplewell as Maertge
Alakina Mann as Cornelia

Plot:
Griet is a shy girl living in the Dutch Republic. Griet goes to work as a maid in the unhappy household of the painter Johannes Vermeer. Griet works hard, almost wordlessly, in the lowest position in a harsh hierarchy, where even one of the Vermeer's children treats her spitefully. On a routine shopping trip outside the house, a butcher's son, Pieter, is quickly taken with Griet. As Griet cleans Vermeer's studio, which his wife Catharina never enters, they become casually acquainted and he encourages her appreciation of painting, light and color. Vermeer gives her lessons in mixing paints and other tasks, taking care to keep this secret from his wife, who would react very jealously if she found out that her husband was spending time with Griet. In contrast, Vermeer's mother-in-law, sees Griet as useful to Vermeer's career. Vermeer's richpatron Van Ruijven notices Griet on a visit to the Vermeer household and asks the painter if he will give her up to him to work in his own house, a situation which ruined a previous girl. Vermeer refuses, but accepts a commission to paint a portrait of Griet for Van Ruijven.Catharina discovers that Griet used her earrings, posing her husband and tries but fails to destroy the painting, then banishes Griet from the house forever.Vermeer does not object, and Griet leaves the house in shock.

Well, the screenplay "Girl with a Pearl Earring" tells a fictional tale about how the title painting by 17th century Dutch painter Vermeer might have come to be. Inwardly, the film is about the unspoken but palpable feelings between two people of very different stature and station which may or may not be forever cast in the crazed pigments of the masterpiece.

I really enjoyed this film. It's bright colours, sensuality and thoughtfulness to details are delightful. With the main character you begin to see the world in a different light. For me, the film is good in everything: acting, directing, cinematography, costumes and the lighting especially. The whole film is seemed to be painted by a talented artist, Johannes Vermeer.
Music is also enjoyable and helps to be filled with the climate of that time.
A brilliant acting of the main actors supplemented and completed impression. I love how Colin Firth acts in many films and this film is no exception. He perfectly suits for this role. Scarlett Johansson became a pleasant surprise for me. In this film she showed herself in a best light. She is very good and is suitably restrained and innocent.
There is no surprise that Girl with a Pearl Earring won many awards. Most of them Eduardo Serra and Peter Webber have got: Camerimage Bronze Frog - Eduardo Serra, Dinard British Film Festival Golden Hitchcock - Peter Webber, San Diego Film Critics Society Award (Best Cinematography)- Eduardo Serra, C.I.C.A.E. Award - Peter Webber and Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award (Best Cinematography)- Eduardo Serra.