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Dangerous Beauty

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Format: VHS Tape

1,116 ratings

IMDb7.1/10.0

$10.99

Audio CD
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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Although it was unfortunately ignored during its brief theatrical release, this sumptuously seductive production is that rarest of cinematic breeds, the (barely) respectable guilty pleasure. Combining historical fact with hysterical anachronisms of language and mannerism, it's been tailored for maximum contemporary appeal but maintains a lush, romantic feel for its factual 16th-century tale of Venetian love, lust, and political repression. Catherine McCormack (Mel Gibson's ill-fated bride in Braveheart) delivers a star-making performance as the "dangerous beauty" who becomes a skillful courtesan to pursue her forbidden love for a dashing Venetian senator (Rufus Sewell). It's all rather silly in a high-toned fashion, and the film turns dour when the church intervenes with a Scarlet Letter-like papal inquest. But the movie's joyously ribald vitality is utterly irresistible, and the casting of McCormack with Jaqueline Bisset (as her mother and courtesan mentor) is a stroke of pure genius. Merchant-Ivory would've made a smarter film from this material, but it probably wouldn't be nearly as entertaining. --Jeff Shannon

Product details

Is Discontinued By Manufacturer ‏ : ‎ No
Package Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 7.32 x 4.19 x 1.12 inches; 6.13 Ounces
Release date ‏ : ‎ May 4, 1999
Date First Available ‏ : ‎ October 26, 2006
Actors ‏ : ‎ Mccormack, Sewell, Kelly, Bisset
Studio ‏ : ‎ Warner Home Video
ASIN ‏ : ‎ 0790736365

Customer Reviews:
1,116 ratings

Customer reviews

4.7 out of 5

1,116 global ratings

5 star		84%
4 star		8%
3 star		2%
2 star		2%
1 star		4%

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Top reviews from the United States

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mj13

Excellent Semi-Biographical Video Of Veronica Franco

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on August 30, 2022

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If you are a fan of Venetian history, or Veronica Franco's poetry, you will appreciate this tale of her love affair with Marco Venier.

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Alyse Black

I adore this movie.

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on May 26, 2022

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I first saw it when I was 17. I am 41 and still love every second of it. A woman learns to weald her power in a society where women are assumed to be wholly powerless. In so doing, she is able to have the love that society had denied her. She shaped a pretty impressive destiny with some pretty lame cards, and I will continue to find that to be both impressive and fun to watch!

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sherry farley

Great to watch over and over

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on August 13, 2022

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This is a true story great scenery and how a mother teaches her daughter to be desired by men

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Unique romantic film based on historical figures

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on January 31, 2012

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I am not typically a fan of romantic movies. I find most of them fairly predictable, so I tend to avoid watching them. However I found Dangerous Beauty to be an exception. It's based loosely on the life of Veronica Franco, a courtesan in 16th century Venice.

The story starts out with an almost Romeo and Juliet like setting, two young people in love, but their families don't afford them the luxury of marrying one another. Veronica's love interest is the brother of her best friend, a wealthy man who's family has planned for him marry for national alliances. Being that she's not up to par social in class standards for her would be in-laws, her mother offers to her an option on how she can still be with the man she loves, though not through marriage. The only way it would be socially acceptable for her to still see him, even after marriage, is if she was a well respected courtesan. She rejects the idea vehemently at first, but after her mother shows her what few other options she has in life, she accepts it, then embraces it.

Her looks, quick wit, poetry and desire for knowledge allow her to raise through the ranks quickly and be quite sought after. She becomes very good at what she does, and wins the hearts of many rich and powerful men in Venice. By the time she is finally able to again be with her true love, wars, kings, the Black Plague and the Spanish Inquisition all now stand in their way. An amazing story with a heartwarming ending, it is a truly unique romance story.

2 people found this helpful

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Amazon Customer

A Wonderful, Romantic Sense of Life Film

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on March 14, 2012

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As a man who views films as literature, for me, I find few films uphold a "this world" ethic and that makes this work a phenomenal achievement against films that seem to revere drug dealers, drug users, and murderers. Catherine McCormack's portrayal is stunning as Franco, who enters the life of a courtesan to be close to her love interest Marco, played by Rufus Sewell.

The majesty of the film lies in its philosophical commentaries. Franco is a direct contrast to the women portrayed of the era. The 'downing a banana in one gulp', contrary to the opinion of a local San Diego film reviewer, is not designed for the enticement of baser film viewers. It is coupled with Franco's demonstration of her intellect, which showed a mind-body unity that Marco's wife Giulia De Lezze, played by the lovely Naomi Watts, finds "obscene." Where sex is viewed as a vile duty, Franco views it as pleasurable. Where women are relegated to the sidelines of society as mere producers of male heirs, Franco pursues her goals actively. Where husbands are chosen for women out of duty, Franco chooses whom she associates and has sex with. She is the Captain of her fate.

The evolution of the conflict between Maffio Venier (played by Oliver Platt) and Franco presents an interesting transition of Venier's unrequited interest in Franco, to envy of Franco's monetary and intellectual success, to his becoming a "repentant" Christian, and finally to his ascension to the position of chief prosecutor in her inquisition as a suspected "witch." The trial of Franco before the Inquisition foreshadows the transition from early Christian civilization, and its lingering moral values, to the burgeoning Renaissance. Facing a sentence of possible death, this conflict climaxes in Franco's uncompromising, unapologetic, and courageous defense of her life and choices. To me, this makes Dangerous Beauty an incredible "sense of life" of film that should not be missed.

13 people found this helpful

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Kat

Great movie for adults

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on July 18, 2022

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This is an interesting story and well worth watching, without children!!

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Miss Jeanne Stahl

THIS MOVIE IS A TRIUMPH

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on March 4, 2004

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This movie is a triumph to the women of our past who risked a lot of their own personal lives and endured hardships that no woman of today's America, could begin to imagine. Don't forget that Veronica became a prostitute when society in Venice would not allow her to marry her lover, Marco, due to his status among his fellow countrymen. In order to make some sort of life for herself, she reluctantly became a prostitute to be educated and recognized as a human being by her country and the men of her time. When Vernonica does become educated and attractive to the men and women of Venice,she is said to be "bewitching." To even mention the lack of nudity or reality of the life of a prostitute (did you forget the unattractive Bishop she entertains or King of Spain that she beds with a knife at her throat for more naval ships)means that you have missed the entire point of this movie. As stated in the movie "PRETTY WOMAN," I don't believe any woman aspires to become a prostitute, sometimes life makes it the only choice a woman has. This movie is about strength, true love, sacrifice and the reality of the lives led by women in our past and some of today. I myself had female relatives that endured hardship and sacrifices similar to Veronica in order for me to be able to live the life I choose today, with or without a man. I now have the freedom of choice. They did not. We all can only hope that our lives can be fulfilled and lived as we choose and if we happen to find a man like Marco who truly loves, respects and is willing to stand up for us, then we have everything.

7 people found this helpful

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Top reviews from other countries

J. McDonald

Dangerous Beauty.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on January 27, 2018

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This is a Hollywood historical drama based on the life of Veronica Franco, a 16th century courtesan and poet who lived in Venice.

Others have provided extensive background information in their reviews so I`ll refrain from doing so.
The film is a quite lavishly filmed effort with Catherine McCormack in the title role; it provides a fairly good account of the main elements of Franco`s life – at least, as far as I know of them – and it works well enough as an entertainment regardless of whether one knows anything about the real character or not. It is notable for presenting a strong, intellectual woman as the lead character and the tale is largely told from her point of view.
That it is a memorable film is borne out by my seeking it out again, some 15 years after seeing it on TV. I found it to be an enjoyable film that stands up well as the costume drama it is – a very good effort considering how films of this kind can often be mangled by the questionable agendas of the movie industry.

The DVD release has no extras and is presented as a nice acceptable transfer in 16x9 screen ratio.

6 people found this helpful

P. Howard

Based on a real Venetian character, her life, as recorded in her poetry, was turbulent to the end.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on February 25, 2021

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I am attending an online Art History course which recommended this film together with a book called "The Honest Courtesan" which is a Biography of Veronica Franco, a Venetian Courtesan famous not only for her looks but also for her wit, education and her poetry. There is probably a lot of timescale liberties taken with the film but she did have a "visit" from the future King of France, was painted by Jacabo Tintoretto, and managed to survive the plague of the mid 1570's. Most unexpectedly, in 1580 she did survive the Inquisition charge of "performing heretical incantations". She won her case and all the charges against her were dropped - who knows whether it was by the means used in the film....but it is worth watching just to see it?

Ness B

Wonderfully acted with a great cast!!

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on February 19, 2014

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If you like you period movies and drama, you'll like the honest courtesan / dangerous beauty.
Originally brought years ago on VHS, the transition to DVD has made the picture quality that much sharper.

The acting is superb especially Catherine Maccormack, who goes from being an obstinate young girl with a head full of fancy ideas about love and a desire to marry a man she can not have, to an educated woman who eventually wins the hearts and minds of all the men in Venice.

A must have for all period drama lovers.

One person found this helpful

RebN

Still an excellent film

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on May 30, 2020

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I remembered having seen this film decades ago, and I recalled it being really interesting with a great story based on true events. I'd been meaning to buy it for some time and rewatch it. Now I have and it's still an excellent film, beautifully shot with wonderfully talented actors, and a great script.

Kathy Wilton

Brilliant film

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on October 3, 2016

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A very good film i thoroughly enjoyed it
A Venetian courtesan becomes a hero to her city, but later becomes the target of an inquisition by the Church for witchcraft. If you like period dramas then i think you would enjoy this, It stars Catherine McCormack in the title role. All you need in a film,love,sex,jealousy,vengeance and then justice

3 people found this helpful

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Dangerous Beauty

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