Product Description
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An 18th-century woman becomes well-known.
.com
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The bodice-ripper that begat all bodice-rippers, John Clelland's
18th century book, Fanny Hill: Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure,
has finally been given the screen adaptation it deserves. This
2007 British TV presentation is cheeky and very erotic, yet
subtly emotional and painstakingly costumed and set. Fanny
herself, played by young, appealing newcomer TK Night, narrates
the film, which goes a long way toward defusing what is
essentially a tale of a woman forced into prostitution to live.
The way this Fanny tells it, she has a rollicking good time
learning about her own, and others', erotic lives--whilst fitting
in rather splendidly in 18th century London. The narration, with
true relish in Night's voice, helps overcome the distaste one
might have of the human slavery angle (much like Pretty Woman's
neo-feminist Julia Roberts did in that film). So the viewer is
allowed to sit back and savor the ity, and the film's real
romantic thread, without guilt.
"Virtue is always preferable to vice," says the pragmatic Fanny,
"but we can't always choose, can we?" Andrew Davies, the prolific
screenwriter who produced Bridget Jones and many Jane Austen
productions, among many others, adapted the book and has managed
to preserve the ity alongside the true longings of our
heroine. The production may shock some fans of BBC period dramas,
as the nudity and sexual content are far more explicit, and
regularly occurring, than in most. But it works here, as the
point is that Fanny enjoys her side and that learning and
growing helps her form what it is she truly wants. The sets and
costumes are lush, and the cast is spot-on, including Night, as
well as supporting actors Hugo Speer, Emma Stansfield, and Alex
Robertson. Near the end, Fanny muses, "As to the moral of my
story… Must one always have morals?" Apparently not--at least not
to have a splendid time, which this Fanny Hill more than
delivers. --A.T. Hurley
Stills from Fanny Hill (click for larger image)
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Review
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A veritable celebration. -- Film.com
As erotic as it is thoughtful, the production is dense, layered,
and gorgeous. -- PopMatters.com
Beautifully photographed with wonderful period detail, the overt
atmosphere of ever-present ity is still eye-brow raising
but necessary for the tale. -- The Desert Sun (Palm Springs)
Delightful and unabashedly naughty...Rebecca Night is superb --
San Francisco Chronicle
Grade: A -- Entertainment Weekly
It is baffling why something this good took a year to arrive in
the U.S. -- Connecticut Post
Rebecca Night is fetching, frisky and wise as Fanny Hill. --
Hartford Courant
The production is lovely and Andrew Davies' screenplay is smart
and sexy. -- Movie City News
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