Queen of the Desert

Despite assembling a decent enough cast, this biopic of the formidable desert adventurer Gertrude Bell is really little better than a fine example of the arts of cinematography in sandy and windy climes. She (Nicole Kidman) is in Arabia as the Ottoman Empire continues to decline and the European powers pick over it's bones. Her arrival in British Egypt introduces her to her first love "Cadogan" (James Franco) - the third secretary at the British mission but that romance, like her entire life on the nearby peninsula, takes twists and turns before she meets soldier "Wylie" (Damian Lewis). All of this is happening against a backdrop of colonial expansion and her own desires to explore the place and make friends - especially difficult amidst a culture that had a very specific role for women. Gradually, though, she becomes respected and even a facilitator for the British running the British Arab Bureau that was instrumental in supporting the efforts of T.E. Lawrence (Robert Pattinson). It makes a bit more sense if you know some of the history, but otherwise this is a ponderously weak drama that spends way too long on, admittedly beautiful, establishing shots and nowhere near enough time developing the character of this courageous and intelligent woman. Kidman never catches fire in the role, her accent is certainly not British and she (and director Werner Herzog) struggle to get much out of the co-stars who look like they are just going through the motions. You do leave the film with a respect for the decency of the Bedouin aspiring just to be left alone to govern themselves, but the production itself is very much a case of style over substance.