Ammonite – Francis Lee period romance has nothing new to say
British filmmaker Francis Lee follows up the award-winning God’s Own Country with another story of secret romance, albeit with a higher profile cast.
Kate Winslet plays Mary Anning, a celebrated palaeontologist living a quiet life on the coast of 19th Century England, away from the male-dominated scientific community which acknowledges her findings but gives her little credit. She makes a living selling fossils and trinkets to tourists, and supporting her ailing mother (Gemma Jones). One day, a wealthy visitor (James McArdle) pays Mary to teach and care for his convalescing wife, Charlotte Murchison (Saoirse Ronan). The pair initially clash, but an undeniable bond begins to form as the pair find what they have been looking for in each other.
While the story is based on a real-life figure, the accuracy has been debated. Anning’s sexuality was never disclosed, with her relationship with Murchison being assumed as a close friendship. Lee has argued that controversy would never had arisen had a film assumed her to be heterosexual, and indeed there are many biopics that straighten the edges of historical figures believed to be LGBTQ+.
In short, being selective with the facts is what most biopics do, and the film finds an excellent performer to give their version of who Anning was. Stripped of the generous lighting and elaborate costumes of most awards bait, Winslet plays Mary as a brilliant but abrasive person, devoted to her craft but wary of the establishment that dismisses her. Her passion, both for her work and for Charlotte, plays out in small looks, or movements, that say a thousand words. She is equally matched in Ronan, who taps away at Mary’s hard exterior until bold flourishes of infatuation burst forward. She perfectly sums up the repression of the age, where her gender means that her voice is often lost or pushed aside
Despite two heart-felt performances, the story itself feels cold and removed. A lack of dialogue and colour-drained cinematography seems determined to wrench any potential joy from the relationship. It also suffers from feeling very similar to recent Queer cinema classics, feeling quite close in premise to Céline Sciamma’s exquisite Portrait of A Lady On Fire. Even Lee’s previous work, God’s Own Country, has similar plot points in two leads brought together through professional circumstance, and an uncaring parental figure. Even in a lower gear Lee’s work is always worth watching, but the lack of evolution in his storytelling can be a frustration.
Ammonite is worthwhile to watch two acting giants conjure a deep connection using very few resources. However, like so many other awards hopefuls that lose their way, it always feels like something is missing.
Ammonite is available on demand from 26th March.