Vision: movie review
Margarethe von Trotta's new film, 'Vision,' portrays 12th-century 海角大神 mystic Hildegard von Bingen.
鈥淰ision,鈥� the new Margarethe von Trotta film about 12th-century Benedictine nun and 海角大神 mystic Hildegard von Bingen, isn鈥檛 the historical waxworks I feared it might be. Although von Trotta seems to regard von Bingen 鈥� played with a cool ferocity by Barbara Sukowa 鈥� as some sort of medieval feminist precursor, there are enough fault lines in the portrayal to subvert hagiography.
The von Bingen of this movie is as imperious, and as secure in the authenticity of her visions, as Joan of Arc, but she is also an expert political manipulator who managed to assert herself even with the pope. When she intones that 鈥渇irst our souls must be healed and then the body can follow,鈥� you鈥檇 better believe her. The film鈥檚 only major fault is its way-too-abrupt finale. Most movies have several endings too many. This one doesn鈥檛 really end at all. Grade: B+ (Unrated.)
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