Desertman84 The year was 1769 as it states at the beginning.The British Empire was the country involved in slavery trade.Belle is a film that tells a story inspired from a painting that was done during that time period when a woman of British-African mixed ancestry Dido Elizabeth Belle standing beside her British cousin,Lady Elizabeth Murray.Apparently,it was commissioned by William Murray, 1st Earl of Mansfield, then Lord Chief Justice of England,who happens to be Belle's great uncle. This British period drama film directed by Amma Asante stars Gugu Mbatha- Raw as Belle and Sarah Gadon as Lady Elizabeth together with Tom Wilkinson,Miranda Richardson,Penelope Wilton,Sam Reid,Matthew Goode and Emily Watson.The story of Belle starts from the time she was a child and taken by her father David Murray from the West Indies after the death of her mother whom little was known except being an African slave.Then she was taken to her great uncle,1st Earl of Mansfield, then Lord Chief Justice of England and grew up together with her supposed cousin,Lady Elizabeth Murray.Then the film centers towards Dido,who Belle is familiarly called,to her relationship with an aspiring lawyer and at a time when her great uncle is ruling on the case known as the Zong massacre,wherein slaves were thrown out of the ship by the captain's orders.The decision of the Chief Justice will ultimately lead to the abolition of slavery.Also included in the story is the search of Belle and her cousin for rich and eligible bachelor into becoming would-be husbands as well as Belle's search for the truth about society existing prejudices against those with people of African ancestry and existing trade for slaves as well as her fight for belonging in both her family and society.The viewers would definitely be treated with wonderful performances from cast especially Gugu Mbatha-Raw for her portrayal of Belle.We definitely see in her the pain and the suffering she has to endure due to being of mixed ancestry.We also get to see her hunger for truth about the existing slavery trade that the British Empire has implemented as well as her and her future husband John Davinier,a vicar's son,desire to change it.Also,Gugu and Sarah Gadon provide wonderful presence and charm whenever they are present on screen.What made it short from becoming a great film is the fact that it tried to be less offensive especially with its depiction of racism against African people and those with mixed ancestry.Was it because Amma Asante happens to be of African descent?I felt that more rudeness and hatred especially with the treatment of the would have made it more effective for the viewers to realize the pain and suffering these slaves and people of mixed race would have to go through.Added to that,I felt that the search for husbands of Lady Elizabeth and Belle became somewhat a major theme when less of it would have become better especially since what the viewer has to get from it is basically the how society viewed women of less importance and not equals compared to men as well as how people of mixed race are viewed by the rich and aristocratic.But in spite of these,I still feel it was a good film to watch as it did very well on presenting Belle's hunger for truth,acceptance,justice and change in society.

meran-41048 This was a great film and one that I would recommend. It was well acted, well scripted and just a beautiful display of the history of the time. It may not be 100% historically accurate but it is a great conversation starter for children and a pleasant watch for adults. a lot of period dramas rely heavily on sexuality to keep interest where Belle is much more pure if you will. I enjoyed the elegance with which they handled the bits of romance scattered throughout the film. it was gentle and humble as apposed to passionately violent and in your face. I prefer the approach used in Belle and this is a movie that I will absolutely be getting for our library at home.

Mildred Mata (mildreddolores) The content of the argument, the script ... have consistency from beginning to end: the principle of human dignity, of the convictions by free will, ethics, key complex personalities, complex characters, well placed at the time period, revolutionary tinted.Excellent performances. Excellent costumes, music, photography ... Good atmosphere with landscapes, architecture, medium of transportation, various decorations, taking social classes in consideration...A democratic and well management of social contradictions from different classes, but increasing in contents into the recognition of human dignity regardless of race, class ... Good Content, humanist ideology and justice as supreme values.I love movies of historic significance based in real facts for the betterment of society.(translated from Spanish with help of Google Translate and with some light corrections from my son, Carlos Sujou)

mjfoley-579-784132 James Norton as the younger brother of Tom Felton who once again plays a foppish douche was enough of a contrast to take me out of the moment of the movie. Aside from that I became truly engrossed in the story of Belle as a rather large rock tossed into the still waters of the pressures to find "an acceptable match" for your children and family in British society touching on inheritance and slavery in a way that made me think of Moneyball. The scene where the white Bette explains that she is more property than her Negro cousin Belle dug at the feminist in me. Lord and Lady Mansfield were quite empathetic and the discussions of law and class by them and many other characters were not dumbed down in any way. I do enjoy a movie that requires me to think.