Thoughts: "Tipping the Velvet" was a Victorian euphemism for cunnilingus. Based on the novel by Sarah Waters, Nancy Astley (Rachael Stirling) lived a simple life working for her father at his seaside restaurant with the rest of her family. Until one night she witnesses the performance of male impersonator - Kitty Butler (Keeley Hawes) and her life changes forever. The series is broken into three episodes – the first being the introduction of Nancy and Kitty and their lesbian love affair/heartbreak, the second Nancy’s decline after the loss of Kitty to a man and becoming Diana Lethaby’s (Anna Chancellor) tart and the third Nancy’s acceptation of her new situation and a new love. I found episode two the least enjoyable just because it was so perverse and reckless. One thing to note is how tongue and cheek the whole series felt. It had a strange vaudeville/campy feel to it and at other times overdramatic/melodrama moments. The series was done through BBC so I’m assuming that is how they like their productions. I was a bit surprised at how wicked the show came off considering my view of British culture as very reserved, stiff and stoic. It might be just too much Pride and Prejudice exposure for me. The entire gay/lesbian culture in the 1890s was intriguing. There was definitely a transgender bender lifestyle existing which is apparent throughout most of European history.
1 comment:
It's nice to read a review on this. This is one of those movies that EVERY time it gets to the top, I move it down to see something else.
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