"Offers sumptuous visuals and compelling drama effectively intermingled in a pleasing, satisfying production." James Berardinelli REELVIEWS "Like stepping inside a Vermeer painting. The light, color and composition are eerily perfect." Jami Bernard NEW YORK DAILY NEWS "There are several moments in the picture so evocative, so stunning that they literally make you hold your breath." Rob Blackwelder SPLICEDWIRE "A film so beautiful that it's a treasure to watch and admire, a little like the Old Master himself." Jeffrey Bruner DES MOINES REGISTER " The film’s real pleasures are subterranean, hidden in fleeting glances and demurely loaded body language." Jeannette Catsoulis LAS VEGAS MERCURY

"Girl... is one of the smartest and least cluttered of all the holiday season's new films, not to mention one of the most well-acted and visually sumptuous." Nick Davis NICK'S FLICK PICKS "Beautifully lit, designed and photographed, it is, like much of the Dutch master's work, more to be admired than emotionally embraced." Terry Lawson DETROIT FREE PRESS "The relationship between Griet and Vermeer plays out almost like a dance. The whole movie plays like that, a romance and a history told in waltz time." Pam Grady REEL.COM "A graceful book becomes an even more graceful movie." Chris Hewitt ST PAUL PIONEER PRESS "Girl With A Pearl Earring is one of those quiet, restrained films that softly haunts the viewer for weeks afterward. It won't knock you over, but it won't soon leave you either." Tom Long DETROIT NEWS

At A Glance

"Like a painting come to life... the whole thing looks exquisite." Jeffrey Chen WINDOW TO THE MOVIES

If I was asked what best describes the film "Girl With A Pearl Earring" it would have to be this well worn saying; 'A picture is worth a thousand words'. Well I think that's how it goes. But, if I am wrong [and yes, from time to time I am], I'm sure some helpful reader will let me know. "Girl With A Pearl Earring" is certainly one exquisite film. Cinema-goers who love films that are big on images, short on words and are sumptuous period pieces will absolutely adore this tale which is based on the Tracy Chevalier novel of the same name. Besides the performance by its star Scarlett Johansson the biggest plus for "Girl With A Pearl Earring" is that one could freeze the film at any time and it would appear as though the scene was painted by the dutch master himself. Defining the film as such should, I hope, ring alarm bells in those who adore the opposite of that which I have just described. It would do them well to heed the warning because unless you really like this style of film which relies on expression for communication, you will be bored witless. And believe me I do mean bored. Does that mean those amongst us who enjoy films like "Girl With A Pearl Earring" have better taste when it comes to this genre? Does it mean we are snobby or arty farty? Certainly not! It's the old saying of 'horses for courses' and not every horse will like this course. It's really a matter of credibility. I could gush on with a thousand words, praising, dissecting, allauding to, making comparrisons, which could mislead some people into thinking "Girl With A Pearl Earring" is a film everyone should see when it's painfully obvious to me that it is not. For those who are interested in films such as this one, lets do a little exploring and have a quick look at just how "Girl With A Pearl Earring" came about.
The inspiration for the film came from a poster reproduction of Johannes Vermeer's painting which author Tracy Chevalier had on her bedroom wall since the age of nineteen. "I was lying in bed one morning, contemplating the girl's face, when suddenly I thought, `What did Vermeer do to her to make her look like that, happy and sad at the same time?' Within three days I had the whole story worked out," she explained. "It was effortless; I could see it all in her face. Vermeer had done all my work for me." Screenwriter Olivia Hetreed, has read the manuscript for "Girl With A Pearl Earring" a few months before the book was publiched. "It was a rare treat. I read it in one sitting, almost without breathing," Hetreed said. "I fell in love with Griet; her quiet certainty, her determination to be free in a world where that was almost impossible for a girl from her background," notes Hetreed's husband and Producer Andy Paterson. "The domestic setting is deceptive," elaborating, "I saw it as a cinematic thriller from the start. I loved the way Tracy had taken the few known facts about Vermeer and created a perfect story about the girl who inspired the painting." That may have been the case, but first of all Paterson and his fellow producer Anand Tucker had to convince Tracy Chevalier that selling them the film rights to her novel would ensure "Girl With A Pearl Earring" would mirror the written word. "They were a good double act," Hetreed recalls, "they convinced me they would be true to the spirit of the book." So what was Tracy Chevalier concerned about? "Tracy was concerned that a film might turn out to be a Hollywood melodrama," Paterson says, "but we were able to assure her that we wanted to capture the story she had written. And specifically that Griet and Vermeer would not end up in carnal bliss. We knew the erotic power of the story lay in the fact that there could be no consummation." It's a fact that Chevalier was involved in all aspects of the production including working with screenwriter Hetreed who she says "understood it all so well and was able to develop themes further than I had taken them. She did some things I wish I had done myself in the novel." But Chevalier understates her own powers of perception. The original painting by Johannes Vermeer resides in the Mauritshuis, in The Hague, in Holland. Andy Paterson explains. "A lovely example of how she used her research is the sequence where Griet moves the chair. X-Rays reveal that there was indeed a chair in the painting Woman With A Water Jug, but Vermeer painted it out. Tracy took that idea and used it to drive Griet's character and build her relationship with Vermeer. So the novel is a fantasy, but it feels so authentic," he said. "I have had conversations with heavyweight art experts who now talk of Griet as if she really existed, that's the ultimate tribute to Tracy's work. When we approached the Mauritshuis, the owners of the painting, they were supportive of the project, and of course thrilled that in Scarlett Johansson we had an actress who embodied the girl in the painting." Of course the greatest tribute to Tracy Chevalier is this beautiful film starring Scarlett Johansson as Griet and Colin Firth as Johannes Vermeer, the dutch master who lived in the dutch town of Delft from 1632-1675. The identity of the young lady in his famous painting has never been discovered. It is believed that Vermeer died of stress related illness brought on by rising debts and the collapse of the art market during to the war between France and The Netherlands. Today, only 35 of his paintings remain.
For more facts on Johannes Vermeer, go to Girl With A Pearl Earring An In-Depth Study by Jonathan Janson See the film - Read the book

Tracy Chevalier grew up in Washington, DC. She moved to England in 1984, and graduated in 1994 from the MA course in Creative Writing at the University of East Anglia. Her first novel, The Virgin Blue, was chosen by WH Smith for its Fresh Talent promotion in 1997. In 2000, HarperCollins published Girl with a Pearl Earring, which has gone on to sell over two million copies worldwide. Falling Angels was published to much critical acclaim in 2002. Tracy Chevalier's new book, The Lady and the Unicorn, has just been published in hardback. Tracy Chevalier lives in North London with her husband and son.

Cast & Crew Bytes "Girl With A Pearl Earring" was directed by Peter Webber [televisions "Underground", "Men Only" and "The Stretford Wives"], produced by Andy Paterson ["Promised Land", "Some Girls" and "Hilary and Jackie"] and Anand Tucker ["Hilary and Jackie" and "Shopgirl"], from the screenplay by Olivia Hetreed ["A Small Dance"] which was adapted from the novel by Tracy Chevalier ["The Virgin Blue" and "Falling Angels"]. The film was edited by Kate Evans ["After Alice" and "The Last September"], the Director of Photography was Eduardo Serra ["Unbreakable", "Love Street" and "Funny Bones"], it features original music by Alexandre Desplat ["Family Express", "The Advocate", "Death In Therapy" and "Tristan"] and the costumes were designed by Dien van Straalen ["Drowning By Numbers", "Orlando" and "The Gambler"].
"Girl With A Pearl Earring" stars Scarlett Johansson ["North", "The Horse Whisperer", "Eight Legged Freaks" and "Lost In Translation"], Colin Firth ["Dutch Girl", "Shakespeare In Love" and "Love Actually"], Tom Wilkinson ["The Full Monty", "The Patriot", "In The Bedroom" and "Black Knight"], Judy Parfitt ["King Ralph", "Goodbye My Love", "Element of Doubt" and "Falling Through"] and Cillian Murphy ["Quando", "At Death's Door", "28 Days Later" and "Cold Mountain"] as Pieter. The Story

"A rare and elegant film bathed in the kind of soft, delicate light that can build unexpectedly to feelings of both anxiety and bliss." Rex Reed NEW YORK OBSERVER

Seventeen-year-old Griet has been sent to work in the house of artist Johannes Vermeer. Life in the new household is vastly different from what Griet has experienced previously. Vermeers wife Catharina, mother of his six children is a worrisome creature. Griet has much to contend with. There is Vermeers mother in law Maria Thins who controls the purse strings, Vermeers wealthy patron the lecherous Master van Ruijven and the local buther boy Pieter. Life is harsh but Griet must succeed for her families sake. Then Catharina allocates the job of cleaning her husbands work room to Griet. Here she discovers an affinity for his work. Gradually Griet and Johannes develope a bond, an understanding and an intimacy. Everything changes when the lecherous Master van Ruijven commissions a new painting. It will be one which the world will admire for centuries to come. The Verdict "You could almost believe this to be a Merchant Ivory production and that is the best compliment one could give. Beautifully haunting, "Girl With A Pearl Earring" is a canvas of magnificent images. While there is little dialogue here, every glance, every whisper, every movement conveys an immediate message that is easily understood. A real quiet achiever. Recommended for lovers of fine art, fine films and wonderful images." The Cast

Scarlett Johansson Colin Firth Tom Wilkinson Judy Parfitt Cillian Murphy Essie Davis Joanna Scanlan Alakina Mann Chris McHallem Gabrielle Reidy Rollo Weeks Anna Popplewell Anaïs Nepper Melanie Meyfroid Nathan Nepper Lola Carpenter Charlotte Carpenter Olivia Chauveau Geoff Bell Virginie Colin Sarah Drews Christelle Bulckaen John McEnery Gintare Parulyte

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Griet Johannes Vermeer Van Ruijven Maria Thins Pieter Catharina Tanneke Cornelia Griet's Father Griet's Mother Frans Maertge Lisbeth Aleydis Johannes Baby Franciscus Baby Franciscus Baby Franciscus Paul the Butcher Emilie Van Ruijven Van Ruijven's Daughter Wet Nurse Apothecary Model

The Crew Directed by Peter Webber From the novel by Tracy Chevalier Screenplay by Olivia Hetreed Produced by Andy Paterson & Anand Tucker Co-Produced by Matthew T Gannon & Jimmy de Brabant Original Music by Alexandre Desplat Director of Photography by Eduardo Serra Film Editing by Kate Evans Casting by Leo Davis Production Design by Ben van Os Art Direction by Christina Schaffer Costume Design by Dien van Straalen Special Effects by Alain Couty Visual Effects by James Eggleton Run Time 100 minutes Rated PG [AUST] Copyright ©2004 - Lions Gate Entertainment - All Rights Reserved Copyright © 2004 - Impact Internet Services - All Rights Reserved