This review will include some spoilers, so readers beware...
The last movie I reviewed, "Mortal thoughts", dealt with subjects like female friendship, doomed marriages and deadly violence. People who believe in "contrast and compare" can do worse than organize a double bill featuring the said movie in combination with "Dead gorgeous". "Dead gorgeous", which was based on a novel by the prolific Peter Lovesey, uses many of the same ingredients but is quite different in style and feel.
"Dead gorgeous" is a well-made period piece that's as polished and sinister as a dragon's egg. Set in the dour post-war period, it deals with two ex-colleagues who meet up again and compare notes about their respective husbands. When it turns out that they're both unhappy in their marriages - though for different reasons - lethal plots arise.
The work can be read as a darkly perceptive comment on the disappointment felt by many women who grew as persons during World War II and, afterwards, had to return to highly conventional lives. No more codebreaking or nighttime dances with glamorous heroes for you, dear - here, try this crossword instead.
The movie is well-acted, with both lead actresses creating intriguing individuals. It is also well-plotted and twisty, moving into unpredictable directions. On the whole the blend between the mundane, the funny and the grisly works out well. Fine costumes help establish a good sense of time and place.
Still, there was one plot development that surprised me. In the movie, one of the two protagonists discovers that her husband is financially supporting a long-time mistress. I expected the mistress to pop up at some time - for instance in order to testify, to claim a share of the inheritance or to indulge in a bit of genteel blackmail - but no, she disappeared from the story. I'm not sure that real-life paramours would bow out so gracefully.
Viewers who'd like to see more of Peter Lovesey's work should watch the delectable "Sergeant Cribb" series. It's a treat for both history and mystery lovers.
The last movie I reviewed, "Mortal thoughts", dealt with subjects like female friendship, doomed marriages and deadly violence. People who believe in "contrast and compare" can do worse than organize a double bill featuring the said movie in combination with "Dead gorgeous". "Dead gorgeous", which was based on a novel by the prolific Peter Lovesey, uses many of the same ingredients but is quite different in style and feel.
"Dead gorgeous" is a well-made period piece that's as polished and sinister as a dragon's egg. Set in the dour post-war period, it deals with two ex-colleagues who meet up again and compare notes about their respective husbands. When it turns out that they're both unhappy in their marriages - though for different reasons - lethal plots arise.
The work can be read as a darkly perceptive comment on the disappointment felt by many women who grew as persons during World War II and, afterwards, had to return to highly conventional lives. No more codebreaking or nighttime dances with glamorous heroes for you, dear - here, try this crossword instead.
The movie is well-acted, with both lead actresses creating intriguing individuals. It is also well-plotted and twisty, moving into unpredictable directions. On the whole the blend between the mundane, the funny and the grisly works out well. Fine costumes help establish a good sense of time and place.
Still, there was one plot development that surprised me. In the movie, one of the two protagonists discovers that her husband is financially supporting a long-time mistress. I expected the mistress to pop up at some time - for instance in order to testify, to claim a share of the inheritance or to indulge in a bit of genteel blackmail - but no, she disappeared from the story. I'm not sure that real-life paramours would bow out so gracefully.
Viewers who'd like to see more of Peter Lovesey's work should watch the delectable "Sergeant Cribb" series. It's a treat for both history and mystery lovers.