Firelight and Talk of Angels

Firelight and Talk of Angels were two movies among many that I've gotten from the library recently. I was looking forward to them because the lead actors in both are ones I admire for their etherial beauty and for their talent at playing dramatic roles. Vincent Perez was the lead male in Talk of Angels, and did a magnificent job, playing the son of a wealthy Spanish merchant and author. He did particularly well considering the female lead wasn't nearly as good, though her Irish accent wasn't as bad as I'd expected it to be. The movie just ended without really concluding the storylines, however. We never know what happened to Perez's character, or to the Irish governess. We never know if they ever met again, or if Perez was killed in the civil war he was so anxious to join. Firelight was a much better movie, crafted with lovely cinematography and enacted by the radient Sophie Marceau, who is much beloved by film cameras everywhere. The gist of the story is that Sophie has to sell herself, due to her fathers debts, to a wealthy married man who wants her to have a baby for him, since his wife is in a coma and unable to have children. She agrees never to have anything to do with either the baby or the father after giving birth. She renegs on that deal, however, because she longs to see her child, and becomes the governess of the very spoiled and willful girl once the girl is 7 years old. Fortunately, Sophie tames the child and helps her learn to read, and the father falls in love with her, and his wife dies, so they can all be together. She believes that by "firelight" all rules are gone, and one can fulfill ones wishes and deepest desires. Indeed, by the end of the film she questions whether or not she has caused things to happen by her strong desires, or if it was fate and chance that created the situation. Interesting film, and a chance to watch the incomparable Sophie Marceau be luminous on screen. I just finished reading a trashy, but interesting novel by the queen of good trash fiction, Judith Krantz. Titled "The Jewels of Tessa Kent" it was a love letter to the ultra wealthy and materialistic women of the world who love gems and jewelry nearly more than people. If, like me, you think that people are always more valuable than things, you will be as amused and disgusted by the lead character, Tessa Kent, as I was. Still, the gem lore and the insight into the world of rare and precious jewels was worth the ridiculous plot.