The film concerns Veronica, a peasant raised by her mother, a former
courtesan, or “whore to royalty”. Veronica is in love with Marco, who can only
marry for politics because of his position in society. This typical idea is given a
spin when Veronica chooses to become the public’s property (as a courtesan) in
hopes of one day being Marco’s woman. When she discovers that she is a
natural born courtesan and that she has access to the library, (she is a
bookworm, too) she embraces her lifestyle, sasses Marco and little and finally
ends up in his arms. But not without a price.....

 Veronica is played masterfully by Catherine McCormack, a terrific choice
(she was Wallace’s bride in 'Braveheart'). She has soft, silky hair and a fragile,
glamorous face, flush with color. Her shapely figure gives her the look of a
courtesan; big-busted, curvy and alluring. The important part of her role is to be
able to wield this terrific power of a woman who can control the pleasure and
desire of a man in a very submissive and warm manner. Like all the characters,
she has a sharp, piercing gaze. None better than Rufus Sewell (who played
Fortinbras in 'Hamlet' with his eyes) knows this. He plays Marco as a man in love,
always deft with his tongue and alive with passion. He is Italian royalty as Han
Solo.

 The best scenes of this film are when Veronica shows off her skill at
rhyming on her feet. She duels words (and at one point swords) with Oliver Platt
(who plays Oliver Platt, again) and it’s absolutely riveting to watch her beat him.
True, it’s a guilty pleasure, but it is one of the few guilty pleasures in the film that
works. These scenes reminded me of the intellectual games played by the upper
crust in 'Jefferson In Paris', only more easily accessible and more entertaining.

 The film falls, however. It becomes formulaic very quickly. In a film this
bold about a woman that sleeps with half of Venice, we see that she only sleeps
with the good looking men there and when faced with an ugly, overweight guy
who eats oysters like they’re going out of style, the film interrupts them with a
war. She never has to taste both sides of the population.

 It’s lackluster cinematography gives us a Venice that doesn’t properly
complement the lifestyles and costumes of it’s inhabitants. Venice looked better in
'The Wings of the Dove'. Its second half is so heavy-handed you almost need to
bite your tongue to keep from choking on the thick, melodramatic atmosphere. It
also begins to develop 'Titanic' syndrome by adding anachronisms. I know I can’t
prove this, but the terms “lay”, “pimp” and “fuck” don’t seem like 18th century
words to me. Even if they are, they stand out too much to work. And my final
complaint is that the film never seems quite genuine, it never really gets to it’s
point and it’s ending (which is really tacked on) doesn’t do the film justice as it
was obviously meant to. To see a quality film about courtesans learing the true
meaning of pleasure and taking this bold occupation in the name of love, rent
'Kama Sutra : A Tale of Love', a film that celebrates storytelling in it’s Indian
setting.

When characters begin to interrupt her final monologue, we see that,
though it was written in a manner that clearly evokes the period, the producers
were far more interested in a studio picture, meant to make money,  than
anything shy of art.
 

(Another point I grilled over was whether or not the film acts as a “feminist” film. While
thinking about it I came to this conclusion: Though it is written by a woman, from a woman’s
point of view, it clearly doesn’t work as feminist propaganda either. Sure, she controls men
and acts as a poet, swordswoman, princess, etc., but the film also lets the men have honor,
lets the men get what they want and never paints them all as the same. The love interest and
his final outcome vindicate the film of any “feminist” mark it could  possibly receive.

Who knows, that might have made a better film.”)