Reviews

The critics who see this movie as dull or boring or plotless simply do not understand what "Girl with a Pearl Earring" is about: it is, in fact, a beautiful portrayal of the process of artistic creation.

Vermeer, as portrayed in this movie, is a sometimes passive, sometimes over-reactive man living with a jealous wife and an only too powerful mother-in-law. He is dependent on a lecherous and boorish patron and he sometimes does not have enough money to pay the bills or support his large family. At times, he cannot even paint either because of his many personal problems or because of a simple lack of inspiration.

Nevertheless, he continues his work, aided and at time inspired by his servant and model, Griet; and in the end, the only things that matter are the works of art that he has created. In a sense, Vermeer is torn between his wife, who more or less represents the "real world" with all its day-to-day problems, and his silent and beautiful servant, who represents art in all its perfection and unobtainability. Vermeer stays with Griet for a while, but in the end they must part because even the greatest artist will know but a few moments of truly profound inspiration.

I think that "Girl with one Earring" is one of the most touching movies I have seen in a long time, and I think its exquisite and historically accurate cinematography is among the finest that I have EVER seen.

I agree with most of those who have commented on this movie: it is a pretty predictable romantic comedy, but also one with a lot of heart and a wonderful cast, most notably Reese Witherspoon. What makes "Sweet Home Alabama" so noteworthy, however, is the almost unbelievable number of anti-Southern stereotypes that fill this movie from one end to the other. Every Southern female, it would seem, is a scheming, manipulative, catty bitch; while every Southern male is only interested in fighting, drinking, and fornicating. And when the good old boys have nothing else to do, they re-enact the Civil War, presumably with the South winning this time round.

Southern rednecks are, it would appear, a good group of people to ridicule, but I wonder how movie audiences would react if it were an ethnic or racial group being so outrageously ridiculed. When is bigotry to be viewed as good sport, and when is bigotry simply seen as bigotry?

I would like to second the opinion of that stalwart minority who appreciate the beautiful and vastly underrated performance of Suzy Parker. The majority opinion is that she was stiff, wooden, unapproachable, or simply incompetent as an actress. But one must consider the character she was playing: a beautiful, almost aristocratic young woman who suddenly finds herself carried away by a world-weary, war-weary, bitter, yet still idealistic Cary Grant. What would one expect her do in this situation: instantly fall into Grant's arms? Anyone watching this movie with an open mind and an open heart will see Ms. Parker slowly getting used to Grant's poignant style, and slowly readjusting her view of life just enough to fall in love with him. Parker eventually leaves her fiance in the movie because Grant is everything her fiance is not, and because he is willing to live his navy life as fully and as idealistically as he can; Parker's beautiful face reflects, even without words, the total impact that Grant's personality is having on her. Hers is a wonderful performance, one that was, alas, scarcely appreciated by the critics.