Effie Gray (2014) – A Review

I watched Effie Gray about a month ago and I fairly enjoyed it so I thought I’d share my impressions with my readers.

First of all, I was drawn by the story because I love the Pre-Raphaelites and I have been fascinated by this ‘Victorian Love Triangle’ for quite a while. The scandalous love triangle involves Effie Gray, played by Dakota Fanning, art critic John Ruskin (Greg Wise) and the young Pre-Raphaelite painter John Everett Millais played by Tom Sturridge whom you may have watched in Waste of Shame (2004). Secondly, the costumes allured me even before I watched the movie, and I was naturally curious about Effie’s wardrobe since I am very fond of the early Victorian era fashion. Effie’s dresses and hairstyles were in the spirit of the Pre-Raphaelites, and her green dinner dress with details of black lace was splendid.

Even thought I had doubts about Effie being played by Dakota Fanning, I changed my mind after ten minutes of watching the movie. What I liked the most about the movie is the portrayal of Effie’s loneliness and isolation. I never actually thought about it, despite being familiar with the story and Effie’s marriage. This movie really made me symphatise with Effie; being very young and naive she must have felt confused and lonely living with Ruskin and his dominating parents, not even sure of his affection towards her anymore, away from home and cut off from all of her loved ones.

My favourite part of the movie is when Effie, Millais and Ruskin travel to Scotland where Effie is to improve her health, and Millais is to paint a portrait of Ruskin. In those gloomy days of solitary and rain Effie and Everett fell in love. I think Tom Sturridge portrayed Millais very well; he seemed shy, sweet and caring, especially in comparison with Ruskin’s aloofness and general disinterest. Along with his amiable nature, Everett was young and passionate, and it doesn’t surprise me at all that Effie fell in love with him, who wouldn’t? The Scottish landscapes are exquisite, wild, gloomy and picturesque! And it rained all the time, could there have been a better background for a love story?

Lastly, I thought the ending was vague. To those who are acquainted with the story of Effie and Millais the everything will be clear; Effie’s marriage to Ruskin will be annuled and she’ll eventually marry Everett. But not everybody is familiar with the story, and to those who are not the ending might seem confusing and disappointing. We mustn’t forget that divorce wasn’t as easy in Victorian era as it is now. Effie was fortunate enough to get her marriage annulled, but things could have played out differently. I just think that the movie could have ended in a better way, a scene of Effie marrying Millais might have been appropriate?

As for Ruskin, I think he shouldn’t have married Effie and then deny her love. He seems rather selfish, cold and aloof. Marriage to him must have been a condemnation to solitude. It is clear from the beginning that Ruskin’s true bride was art. Fortunately, Effie managed to get away from the sad life that was ahead of her.

All in all, I liked the film and I’d give it 4/5 just because there are better period dramas such as Jane Eyre (2011) and Sense and Sensibility (1995) which would earn all five stars on my scale, but I still liked the film very much and I’ll probably watch it again.