Girl With a Pearl Earring (2004)

Scarlett Johansson plays the young Griet, the daughter of a former tile painter who is sent across town to serve the Vermeer household. Johannes Vermeer (Colin Firth), a painter, is drawn to Griet's quiet loveliness. Though few words pass between them, their mutual eye for aesthetics develops into strong attraction and deep appreciation. Her pure complexion also attracts Vermeer's vulgar patron, Van Ruijven (Tom Wilkinson) and the young butcher Pieter (Cillian Murphy).

Each frame is a painting within itself, supported by a charming score (though some have called the music obnoxious). Though every scene is beautiful, Griet's position is not romanticized; her arduous labor is evident throughout the movie. Instead of altering the story to conform to a 95 minute film, sections of the story are simply deleted or unexplained. Particularly the character of Tanneke is underdeveloped, compared to the book character.

The acting is dramatic yet understated. Expressions are affectively portrayed without losing subtlety. Johansson expressively displays the young, almost timid side of Griet. Colin Firth is an attractive Vermeer; he has natural and exciting reactions. Tom Wilkinson is surprisingly low key as Van Ruijven, compared to the character in the novel; however, he still manages to be repulsive. Essie Davis's performance is also a standout as Vermeer's insecure wife, Catharina.

'Girl With a Pearl Earring' establishes its setting in an unforgettable light, and the story has enough magic to satisfy the patient viewer. Might I add that Cillian Murphy is beautiful.

There are a couple of questions still surrounding the work. Are the pearls real? Who was the model? Vermeer's oldest daughter, Maria? Or perhaps Magdalena, the daughter of Vermeer's principal patron, Pieter Van Ruijven?

GIRL WITH A PEARL EARRING, a film based on the novel of the same name by Tracy Chevalier, does something I've not seen done before, and which would enhance art appreciation considerably if a series of such productions were made focusing on publicly recognizable works of art, e.g. the "Mona Lisa" and her enigmatic smile. The film creates a fictional story around the genesis of the painting, and we watch as the artist creates it.

It's the Dutch city of Delft in 1665. A young girl, Griet (Scarlett Johansson) is employed as a common maid by Catharina (Essie Davis), the artist's haughty wife. At first, the viewer might be forgiven for being led to believe that the household is run by a matriarchy, Johannes (Colin Firth) himself being reclusive. Apparently presiding over everything is Maria Thins (Judy Parfitt), Catharina's severely parsimonious mother. Providing tension from a lower level is Cornelia, the artist's 6-year old daughter, who resents Griet from the very start.

Assigned to clean Vermeer's studio, Griet becomes enthralled by the work in progress. Noticing this, the artist emerges into the audience's view, and involves Griet in the mechanics of his art's creation, especially the selection and purchase of coloring materials, and the preparation of the oils. Griet fills a void in the artist's life. His wife doesn't "understand" his art, and, indeed, hasn't even set foot in his studio since some past quarrel. Johannes becomes (platonically) obsessed with Griet, and, unknown to Catharina, the girl fearfully becomes, perhaps realizing the potential repercussions, his model.

Johansson's performance is brilliant and worth an Oscar nomination for Best Actor. Colin Firth, whose taciturnity and stone-facedness in his roles I usually find unappealing, is perfect as Vermeer. His smoldering passion for art and Griet, along with the other subsurface family tensions, keeps the viewer waiting for something to explode. Parfitt is terrific as the intimidating Maria Thins, who sees what's happening between her son-in-law and the maid, but says nothing to her daughter. Maria knows on which side the family's bread is buttered, and realizes that without the income generated by Vermeer's oils, the household would be thrown into the street.

A somewhat discordant note is the character of Van Ruijven, well-played by Tom Wilkinson. His growing lust for Griet becomes a distraction best left on the cutting room floor. However, his character is necessary to the story for the audience to understand an artist's financial precariousness.

Finally, the pearl earrings take center stage when the explosive confrontation between Johannes and Catharina finally occurs, and the latter's term for her husband's latest work is indeed curious. The audience is reminded of the symbolic power of material things.

GIRL WITH A PEARL EARRING will not likely make it out of the art houses into wide release. But it's a clever and beautiful film that grows on me the more I think about it. If you've ever stood entranced in front of a painting, go see this movie.