“A Good Woman” is based on the Oscar Wilde play, “Lady Windermere’s Fan,” and stars Scarlett Johansson as Meg Windemere, a young lady who has been married one year to the love of her life, Robert (Mark Umbers). They go to stay for a time at an Italian resort, where they enjoy the lush living, luxurious accommodations, and get swept up in the society. A Mrs. Erlynne (Helen Hunt) is the talk of the town and the focus of all the gossip—she’s said to be a loose woman, a person without morals, and for a time it would appear that Robert isn’t immune. He’s seen going into her apartment at all hours of the day and night, and soon he’s a part of the gossip.
Young Lord Darlington (Stephen Campbell Moore) has taken a shine to Meg and continuously flirts with her, and he’s heard the rumors about Robert. He sends Meg in to get Robert’s checkbook, knowing she’ll find what she does eventually find—checks made out by Robert to Mrs. Erlynne. She has no choice but to believe that he’s been having an affair and financing his mistress, and she’s devastated. What makes it all the worse is that it’s her birthday, and they’ve having a lavish party that night.
Determined to catch her husband’s attention, Meg puts on a daring dress and makes her entrance. Mrs. Erlynne arrives in the same dress, after Meg did everything she could to keep the woman from attending, and Meg is hurt. All the evidence seems to support the fact that her husband is having an affair. She decides to run off with Lord Darlington, but is saved at the end by Mrs. Erlynne herself, who tells her that things aren’t always as they appear.
I loved the richness of this movie. It was set in the 1930s, and the clothing and music were all very appropriate to the times. It had a more serious theme than some of Wilde’s other plays – there was more a focus on drama than on comedy, although there were some definitely funny moments. There were also a few moments of brief sensuality, although nothing that raised my eyebrows.
If you’re looking for a good story with touches of humor, this PG-rated film will be a good choice for you.
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