nicholls_les I really enjoyed this movie as it is a retelling of a history of a man I knew little about.The scenery and makeup was just about spot on and captured the period perfectly.The script helped to tell the tale of an American who went along with slavery but away from America loosened his grip and treated his slaves as they should be treated, as people.That said his sexual relationship with a teenage black girl slave shows the hypocrisy of the man. Although the movie does not go into gratuitous detail or unnecessary sexy scenes, in fact the only sexual scene is one involving rather obscene puppets that were popular at the time. Thandie Newton is outstanding in this movie and although she does not appear until half way through she lights up every scene she is in.So a movie well worth a watch and one I would watch again.

oneillrobyn Jefferson promised to his wife on her deathbed that he would never marry again. It turns out that Sally Hemings and Jefferson's wife were half-sisters ... they had the same father. It has been noted that Jefferson's older daughter knew of the relationship but of course it wasn't discussed in their presumably polite household. I just got a tape (that's the only format available today) and I haven't looked at it yet. Since I saw the film only when it was released, and I've learned a lot about Jefferson since then, I'm looking forward to finding free time to just sit and watch. I'll be back and possibly change my rating, but I remember wishing for a more dynamic actor to play Jefferson.

Tim Johnson This film did not make too much of a splash when it was in the theatres here after its initial release but I was fortunate to watch it last evening on a purchased video. I am glad that I saw this film and that, at least for me, it did not just pass into the oblivion of movies that do not make waves when released. I found the film absorbing; the characters were well formed-Nolte particularly was out of the stereotyped roles he is usually landed with and Scacchi played her role to her usual excellence. The stars, however, where Sally and her brother who stole the show from these aforementioned veterans. They nuanced their roles perfectly and brought substance to the many layers of history and social maneuvering that was so much a part of this turbulent period.This was not a lazy persons afternoon time filler. This film demands attention from the viewer because those many layers must be watched carefully or else the whole film loses its continuity. The story is composed of many distinct pieces forming, not only Jefferson's domestic concerns but also the historical whirlwind of this convulsive period in French history. I thought James Ivory did a marvelous job of stitching together the many facets of Ruth Prawer Jhabvala's insightful script. This was a momentous period and I do not believe the script was too complex-anything less would not have done justice to this complexity, interest and beauty of this turbulent period in history.I believe the movie works on many levels and I am hugely happy that even late I was able to see this great film.

fowler-16 So many of the negative comments seem to be reactions against either downplaying or overemphasizing Jefferson's relationship with Sally. It strikes me that this is a reasonably balanced presentation of what's been learned in recent years. Other negative critiques are the disappointments recorded by patriots expecting some grandiose pageant for Fourth of July consumption. But this is all-in-all a less pretentious and better film than the typical celebration of Americana. Nolte presents Jefferson as an idealistic but very human being. Paltrow is very persuasive as Patsy, and many of the rest of the cast present excellent (or well-proportioned) characterizations. Except for some trivial inaccuracies, this is a richly textured reconstruction of history as it may very well have occurred. I find that I look in on it just about every time it pops up on cable--and I'm always rewarded.