GIRL WITH A PEARL EARRING

[Mark R. Leeper]

.
GIRL WITH A PEARL EARRING
(a film review by Mark R. Leeper)

CAPSULE: Tracy Chevalier's novel is trimmed down
to almost a vignette telling the story of the model
for Vermeer's most famous painting. The film
actually runs a little slow and introspective at
95 minutes. This is art director Christina
Schaffer's film really as much as it is director
Peter Webber's. Scene after scene seems to look
like a Vermeer painting. Rating: high +1 (-4 to
+4) or 6/10

Tracy Chevalier's novel GIRL WITH A PEARL EARRING is a much fuller
story than is covered by Peter Webber's film version. To bring
the story down to a somewhat slow-paced 95-minute film much had to
be removed or shortened. The storyline is only what was most
central to the book's plot. But it is really art director
Christina Schaffer's film. The movie is about Vermeer's paintings
and visually it really captures the style of Vermeer's paintings.
The subject matter of scenes, the lighting, and the muted tones of
the color palate are all chosen to match Vermeer's style. Most
frames of the film actually look like Vermeer paintings come to
life. In a way this is almost a betrayal of Vermeer. The
implication seems to be that his characteristic style is really
only photographic realism and the great painter was just being a
literalist and was recording what he saw.

The story is quite simple. In Delft Holland in the 1660s, young
Griet (Scarlett Johansson of EIGHT-LEGGED FREAKS and LOST IN
TRANSLATION) comes to work at the home of Johannes Vermeer. She
is little more than a paid slave in this household ruled with a
powerful hand by the artist's mother-in-law, Maria Thins (Judy
Parfitt). Everyone in the household but Johannes himself treats
Griet roughly and unfairly. He is impressed both with Griet's
aptitude for the tasks of being an artist and her attractive
appeal as a model. The film is even presumptuous enough to have
Griet rearrange furniture to improve a painting. Having her
willing and able to correct the great artist is perhaps
overstating the script's point, but Griet does have talent.
Griet's attractiveness is not lost on Van Ruijven (Tom Wilkinson),
Vermeer's chief patron. And this too causes Griet trouble. There
is some wit in the script as we hear Vermeer's wife and mother-in-
law cajole Van Ruijven to increase his patronage.

A familiarity with Vermeer's painting style in general and with
"Girl with a Pearl Earring" in particular is not necessary, but it
does improve the enjoyment of the film. Director Peter Webber and
writer Olivia Hetreed slowly assemble the elements familiar from
the painting. We see where the interest in the girl's headgear
comes from. We see the pearl earrings on Vermeer's wife's table.
We know they will be important in a slow build to the actual
painting of the portrait. Even then it is a wait before we get to
see the now famous painting, though it will be familiar to some
from the cover of the bestseller. Scarlett Johansson is not a
perfect match for girl in the painting, but watching the film one
does not notice.

Perhaps what is most interesting about the film are the fine
points of life in 17th century Holland. It is now standard in
films showing other cultures to show what a kitchen looks like and
what the food created is. Webber does not make the mistake of
making the food look too inviting. Holland would not have had a
very exciting diet by modern standards. Griet's best friend,
other than occasional visits with her family, is the butcher and
his son and on her visits we see the market in detail. The father
is impressed with Griet's judgement about meat. The son is
interested in the obviously intelligent Griet, even as Vermeer is,
and begins to spend time with her.

This is a film in which what one sees is more important than what
one hears. Visually the film is worth the admission even if the
story could have been more satisfying. I rate GIRL WITH A PEARL
EARRING a high +1 on the -4 to +4 scale or 6/10.

Mark R. Leeper
mle...@optonline.net
Copyright 2004 Mark R. Leeper