THE BURNT ORANGE HERESY : Tuesday 28th July 2020.

'THE BURNT ORANGE HERESY' which I saw earlier in the week is an MA15+ Rated drama thriller Directed by Giuseppe Capotondi who has helmed numerous music videos over the years, television commercials and a small number of TV series and feature films. This film adaptation is based on the 1971 book of the same name by Charles Willeford and was chosen as the closing film for last years Venice International Film Festival and went on release in the US on 6th March and was then pulled when the world went into COVID-19 lockdown. It was re-released a couple of weeks ago now in Australia and is scheduled for a re-run in US theatres from 7th August, has generated mixed or average Reviews and has so far grossed US$208K.

The film opens up with ambitious and charming art critic, James Figueras (Claes Bang) who has fallen from grace somewhat and now spends his time lecturing rich American tourists into the why's and wherefore's of the art world around many Italian cities famed for their artworks.  He's happy to bend the truth by incorporating a series of convincingly told fabrications to demonstrate the power that art critics can have upon the unsuspecting admirer or purchaser, but comes clean in the end with his rouse when the lecture is over and his American customers are bidding their thanks and farewells.

All except Berenice Hollis (Elizabeth Debicki) who hangs back because of the free chips on offer, and because they seem to share a chemistry. That chemistry soon lands the pair in the sack together in Figueras' Milan apartment. Having learnt that Figueras was a failed art student who was advised to go into art journalism by his teacher, and that Hollis hails from a small town south of Duluth, Minnesota where an indiscretion with a married teacher has meant she is on forced leave for an extended period, there is little else we know about their back stories.

Following their night of passion Figueras invites his new love interest to the Lake Como home of wealthy art dealer Joseph Cassidy (Mick Jagger), who has contacted Figueras and extended an invitation for him to spend the weekend, for reasons that are as yet unclear. Upon arrival at the palatial home, the pair are escorted up to their room and told to make themselves available in one hour for lunch. Over lunch the three get acquainted, and taking coffee out on the verandah overlooking Lake Como, Cassidy announces that residing in a small cottage on the edge of the estate is renowned and very reclusive artist Jerome Debney (Donald Sutherland) who has not been interviewed for the past fifty years. Cassidy invites Figueras to break that drought, on one condition.

And that one condition, is that Figueras 'procures' a Debney artwork for his own collection, no questions asked, otherwise Figueras goes home empty handed and Cassidy will expose some dirt he has on the art critic from his past. Figueras reluctantly agrees although has no idea how is going to get his hands on a Debney painting without paying a princely sum for, or without the artist knowing about it. The first hurdle however, is getting the reclusive artist to agree to an interview.

The next morning while idling by the pool, along saunters Debney and the three strike up a conversation. By now Cassidy has had to fly out of town leaving Figueras and Hollis to make the most of the weekend and have the run of the estate. Debney is instantly taken with Hollis, and he agrees to let Figueras interview him if he can swim two lengths of the swimming pool under water, which he does, of course. Debney then sets out his agenda for the day which includes a boat ride later that afternoon and dinner that evening in his cottage, during which time they will engage in conversation rather than a formal interview.

For the boat ride across the lake Figueras makes his apologies saying that he needs to rest up, so deputising to Hollis to accompany Debney. Figueras has an ulterior motive naturally, and while the pair are away enjoying each others company, he attempts to break in to Debney's very secure cottage, albeit unsuccessfully. We have also learned subsequently that Debney has no surviving art works from his earlier years as these were all destroyed in two fires - the first at his home, and the second years later at a gallery which housed his collection. He then went into self imposed hiding and barely no one has seen him, or his paintings, for the past fifty years.

Later that evening having talked and eaten Figueras asks Debney if he can see his art work collection. Debney at first is offended by the request stating that it is his choice not to show the world his paintings and they are private works, but Figueras counters this with better the world to see his collection while he is still alive, than to have free rein when he is dead and ransack his work when he is no longer around to defend it. Reluctantly Debney agrees and takes them into a secure locked studio fitted out with unopened tubes of paint, brushes, blank canvases, easels, more blank canvases and more still. There is not a single painting in the whole room. Figueras, who was hoping to 'procure' a painting in an unguarded moment when on cue Hollis would drop her drink glass, is left dumbfounded and astounded by this revelation. Hollis happens to notice on the reverse side of a canvas the title of the supposed painting 'The Burnt Orange Heresy', and upon enquiring Debney responds that the title is just meant to fool anyone who comes looking. Figueras goes outside to catch his breath, and is joined by Hollis and Debney moments later. Debney takes his leave saying that he has a date with an older lady and he cannot leave her waiting and so bids them both farewell.

In walking back to the villa Figueras realises that he has left his laptop and satchel back at the cottage. He tells Hollis to pack their bags as they are leaving immediately. He walks back to the cottage to retrieve his laptop and satchel alone. There he forcibly breaks in, and re-enters Debney's studio. He bundles a whole bunch of paint tubes into his satchel, together with some brushes. He then takes the blank canvas with the inscription 'The Burnt Orange Heresy' written on the reverse and wraps this inside a towel. Next he upturns all the blank canvases, easels, rips up sheets of paper and then squirts a flammable paint thinner all around the room and then sets light to the room. He makes a quick exit as the cottage is very quickly engulfed in flames. He arrives back at the villa before Hollis appears with their bags, by which time he has bundled the blank canvas into the boot of his Range Rover out of sight. They then drive through the night back to Milan.

Hollis slumps exhausted on the bed, while Figueras says he going to start work on his interview notes while its still fresh in his memory. While Hollis sleeps Figueras retrieves the paints, brushes and blank canvas from his car, and sets them up in his office. The phone rings and it is Cassidy enquiring about the fire at his property and whether he was successful in securing a Debney painting before the place burnt to the ground. Figueras answers in the affirmative and Cassidy responds asking him to describe the painting to him which is called 'The Burnt Orange Heresy'. Cassidy much to his joy further adds that he is now the owner of the only Debney painting anywhere in existence since all of his other works burnt in the fire. When Cassidy hangs up, Figueras begins painting his own interpretation of 'The Burnt Orange Heresy' duly signing it with Debney's signature once complete.

Hollis wakes up later and ventures into the office and sees the still wet painting, touching the wet paint with her fingertip. She goes into the bathroom and confronts Figueras. Running a bath, the pair argue, and needless to say it doesn't end well for Hollis. Shortly after the fire, the art world mourns the loss of Debney who died of a heart attack. Sometime later, Figueras has written a book - a retrospective of Debney which is selling like hot cakes, and in New York at Cassidy's Gallery, the pair are seen schmoozing with the who's who of the art world and celebrating 'The Burnt Orange Heresy' which is there on display for all the world to see as Debney's sole surviving painting. One art critic remarks to Figueras that she finds it amazing that Debney had the foresight to leave his fingerprint slap bang in the middle of his artwork, which he had overlooked completely and reels away in horror. Cassidy makes some comments about the whereabouts of Hollis, who has mysteriously disappeared and states that Debney was found in the swimming pool of the villa, face down, drowned. Cassidy also tells Figueras that shortly before his death, Debney sent a sketch to Hollis' mother in Duluth, but as it wasn't signed it is worthless. The film closes out with the sketch of Hollis on her mothers fridge at their home in Duluth, beside newspaper clippings reporting on the first anniversary since her disappearance, and the camera comes to rest on Debney's signature.

Milan with its stunning architecture and Lake Como with its plush lakeside residences provide the smart sexy locations; the glamorous world of works of art, galleries, collectors, artists and critics sets the scene; intelligent dialogue; top notch performances from the four lead characters (even if Mick Jagger comes across as being out of his depth in the company of the other three acclaimed Actors) and a plot that has more surprises in store than you can keep track of, verging on the ridiculous by the time the end credits roll. The first two acts move along a good pace and will keep you riveted, but by the time the third act comes to be the imagination is stretched, all realism is lost and the believability of the pay day is forced to bring the films conclusion to a hastily delivered ending. The film certainly looks the part and there is a real chemistry between Debicki, Bang and Sutherland on screen - it's just a shame that their characters are not more fleshed out from their brief initial introduction, and the film will leave you hanging with plenty of unanswered questions.

'The Burnt Orange Heresy' merits three claps of the Odeon Online clapperboard, out of a possible five claps.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-