Belle:The True Story Of Dido Belle
Synopsis:
This movie was inspired by the true story of Dido Elizabeth Belle, the illegitimate mixed race daughter of Royal Navy Captain
Sir John Lindsay. Raised by her aristocratic great-uncle
Lord William Murray, 1st Earl of Mansfield and his wife, Belle's lineage affords her certain privileges, yet the
color of her skin prevents her from fully participating in the
traditions of her social standing. Left to wonder if she will ever find
love, Belle falls for an idealistic young vicar's son bent on change,
who, with her help, shapes Lord Mansfield's role as Lord Chief Justice
to end slavery in England.
Review:
Oh my, where do I begin? I don't think any movie has left me so speechless in every possible way. It even rivals Beyond The Mask...and if you watched my review on that movie then you know that that is saying something! And the fact that this movie is based on a true story makes it even more amazing!
First off, Dido's character is breathtaking. Gugu Mbatha-Raw played the part perfectly. I felt like by watching the movie I actually got to get to know the woman herself. My heart ached for her when she was so set apart from general society, kept like an animal in a cage, only to be allowed freedom when society said it was acceptable. Even though the Earl and his family were good to her, you could tell that Dido felt somewhat rejected, and sometimes resented her skin color. It was obvious that she was longing for love and acceptance, though knew that the only way she could escape living as an old maid with no protection was to marry...whether she loved the man or not.
She was also very courageous and some of the words Dido spoke were just...profound. She was very intelligent and wasn't going to take things at face value, as shown when she goes on to investigate the Zong case. It's clear that Dido believes that if she can't find justice for herself then maybe she can at least pave the way for her her people. Also, she is very sacrificial and caring to those whom she loves, like her cousin Elizabeth. But she's incredibly honest, and isn't afraid of the truth. She has a realistic approach to life, but at the same time wishes society wasn't so barbaric.
who would carry me as their shame. As I have been
required to carry my own mother's: her apparent crime
to be born Negro. Am I to be the evidence?"
And we need to talk about Mr. John Davinier. Sam Reid was the perfect actor to play this part. Right from the start I knew that this man would win Dido's heart. He wasn't forward, rude, or prejudice. As a matter of fact, he was nothing but respectful and kind to Dido. John showed his care for her in very subtle ways, but it was undeniably there. His ambitions to make a law abolishing slavery were so genuine, and he too had some amazing statements to make that took my breath away. John wasn't afraid to speak what he believed to be the truth. That human beings can never be put at a price because they are priceless. Mr. Davinier's involvement in the Zong case was amazing, I loved how he was rallying his friends together to try and come up with a way to show, through the Zong case, that slavery needed to be abolished.
Also, wow, this man is so humble and unselfish! If it wasn't for some minor mistakes he made in the show, I would say he was almost perfect. It was evident he wanted to marry Dido and loved her. But he truly loved her - and you know how I know that? Because he really just wanted her to be happy. He was ready to sacrifice his own happiness if it meant that she would be happy marrying another man instead.
John: "I pray he would marry you without a penny
to your name, for that is a man who will
truly treasure you."
Now for the all together review on strictly the movie itself. The quality of the film was stunning, the sets, the plot, all of it was intricately woven to be both historically accurate, adventurous, romantic, and family-friendly. I also loved how at the end the producers displayed some written information about the real Dido Belle and what happened after what took place where the movie left off.
Altogether, this was probably one of the best movies I will ever watch. Ever. Just a side not: due to some theatrical elements, adult topics, and the nature of the film (slavery), this is a PG-13 movie. But they could have included a lot more unpleasant topics or events, which the producers chose not too put in purposely, and I really respect that.
In a sentence summary: This is a must-see motion picture!
This review is strictly my own unbiased opinion of the movie.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
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