For my point of view "The Scarlet Letter" is a good film with great performances
All the actors do a superb job
I was worried that Demi Moore might not have the range to handle the role of Mistress Prynne, but she is excellent... She is strong, passionate, intelligent and damaged
In another place and time she might have been a leader; in this movie she is quite believable as the woman who defends her love at all costs
Gary Oldman looks perfect as Reverend Dimmesdale
He projects force and sexual magnetism along with the guilt for his sin
The film opens in 1666 when Hester Prynne (Demi Moore) arrived in the Massachusetts Bay Colony filled with hope that here, at last, in this new World, would come the freedom to worship without fear or persecution
She didn't suspect that beyond the trees there is a savage land of savage passions dark and untamed, and that soon she will face a scornful community in which she will forever be shamed by the scarlet letter
Mistress Prynne rejected the idea of staying in the congregation until her husband's arrival and looked for a house of her own
She finds a beautiful and frightening place, just as 'Eden must have been so untouched
'
On one Sabbath morning, Hester met Reverend Dimmesdale (Gary Oldman) who helps her when her cart got stuck in the woods
She truly enjoyed, few minutes later, his sermon
It was rare, for her, to find a man so young and fiery who could speak with such force of passion
She was moved by his passion
Dimmesdale thought that comprehending God was going to be his greatest challenge, butafter he met Hesterhe was not the man he seems to be
He lost his power before this seductress beautiful woman
He lived in this township his whole life and his purpose was clear
But now he would risk everythinghis life, his ministry, his souljust to spend a few moments alone with her
After he asked her why that morning in the forest, she didn't say that she is married, he wondered how she were able to see so deeply into his nature
From that moment, two hearts were there struggling against a love that grew stronger with each passing day
Hester was courteous enough but her tongue knew no rules
She earned more than a few reprimands in her life for speaking too bluntly
With a frightening strength, she challenged her persecutors and stood up to their hypocrisy, refusing to reveal her lover's identity
"The Scarlet Letter" compels us to recognize the shadow side of our lives, including this passion that pushes us beyond our limits... The climax also compels us to contemplate about whether there is anything that we would be willing to die for
