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Becky (Reese Witherspoon) the daughter of a poor but talented painter decides the only way out of poverty is to marry up. When she’s orphaned she uses her connections, talent and raw, innate intelligence to work her way up the social ladder of 19th century society in a shrew move to survive. Her initial plans are thwarted when she elopes and her new husband is disinherited. Using her acquaintances and social connections Becky claws and scrambles for her only means to become successful in a world where women are little more than decorations on their husband’s arms or social schemers such as herself. ***

Based on the classic novel, this latest version of Vanity Fair (it’s been filmed previously both for theatrical exhibition and as a mini-series) touches on the most important points of the wry social observations and criticisms of the original story. Although the film hasn’t been made contemporary like all period films, it’s really about our world today and reflects as such in its casting with Reese Witherspoon as Becky. Witherspoon does a credible job in a difficult role that she could have easily let slip out of her acting range. Interestingly, Natasha Little who did such a marvelous job in the 1998 TV adaptation made for the BBC appears in this version as well but in a smaller supporting role as Lady Jane Sheepshanks. While the entire cast is commendable, Gabriel Byrne gives a notable supporting performance as the Marquess of Steyne who eventually becomes something of a mentor to Becky even though they are suspicious of each other’s motives. The casting clearly wasn’t accidentally as the similarities between Becky and Sheepshanks despite their different social standings. Although it’s far from perfect, Vanity Fair has its fair share of moments. The rich, lush production design and sharp direction by Mira Nair (Monsoon Wedding, Salaam Bombay! And Kama Sutra: A Tale of Love) and strong performances by a stellar supporting cast make Vanity Fair an uneven but compelling retelling of William Makepeace Thackeray’s novel. ---

Two exceptionally good and perceptive featurettes on the characters, the novel and the time the film portrays are highlights of this fine DVD. “Welcome to Vanity Fair” and “The Women of Vanity Fair” provide rich detail on the era the novel was written in and about. Interesting highlights include a discussion of Thackeray’s themes and how they play out in the film reflecting both the code of the time and critical of them as well. We also see deleted scenes and, to be frank, some are redundant so it’s easy to see why Nair eventually cut them before the film premiered. ---