‘The Burnt Orange Heresy‘ directed by Giuseppe Capotondi is one of those films whose fate on the screens was seriously affected by the pandemic. Presented for the first time at the Film Festival in Venice in 2019, it was to be released in theaters in March 2020. It is now released on screens, more than half a year late, in a world where cinemas are sparse and the audiences in them even sparser. Had it been promoted well, this film would have had the chance of at least an average audience success, maybe more than that. As things stand, this film that combines a romantic story with a thriller that happens in the art world, and that tells some interesting truths about the commercial value of modern art, including the role and influence of art critics that channel the taste of the public but also determone where collectors’ money goes is just escapist entertainment at a time when yesterday’s ‘normal’ stories have become the subject of nostalgic fantasies.
The stoary is located in Italy, although the characters being American or British expatriates or travelers the film is spoken entirely in English. James Figueras (Claes Bang) is an art critic and the author of books, the most recent of which demonstrates the role of the critic in appreciating art, but also suggests that the field is open to imposture and scams. At one of the book’s launching events, he meets Berenice (Elizabeth Debicki), a young and beautiful American tourist, whose personality and past seem ambiguous. The two quickly land in bed, after which the art critic invites his new girlfriend to spend the weekend with him in the luxurious villa on the shores of Lake Cuomo of an eccentric rich man called Cassidy, also an art collector (Mick Jagger). In a cottage on the edge of the estate, Cassidy houses Jerome Debney (Donald Sutherland), a brilliant painter who disappeared from the public eye for over 50 years, after his entire work had been burned by flames in a fire in Paris. Did he continue to create? A painting of his, if it exists, would be of immense value – material and artistic. I stop here to avoid the spoiler sin. I will only say that there are enough dialogues about art in the film (some reminiscent of Yasmina Reza’s play ‘Art’) but also thriller action material to please fans of those genres.
The execution is more than reasonable, although not completely without problems. Claes Bang and Elizabeth Debicki are very well suited for their roles, the connection between them is credible, they have chemistry and their dialogues in the first part of the film are an excellent introduction to the subject and the atmosphere. Mick Jagger and Donald Sutherland create each excellent roles in their own ways and give me hope for the future, because, at least in movies, it seems that the peak of men’s success with beautiful women happens after we turn 75 years old. The cinematography is excellent, Italy with its natural landscapes, luxurious villas and exuberant interior art representing the perfect setting for a film that manages to attract attention as a thriller related to art, with romantic overtones. In fact, about two-thirds of the film have a look & feel of the 60s or 70s. The final part changes the tone a bit, modern violence appears although is not necessary or cinematically effective, and some details are explained too much and too trivially. However, there are plenty of other good reasons to search and watch this movie when it hits screens nearby or when you get a chance to see it streamed.