The Portrait of a Lady

The Portrait of a Lady is a 1996 period romantic-drama film directed by Jane Campion and adapted from Henry James' 1881 novel of the same name. The film stars Nicole Kidman, Barbara Hershey, John Malkovich, Mary-Louise Parker, Martin Donovan, Shelley Duvall, Richard E. Grant, Shelley Winters, Viggo Mortensen, Valentina Cervi, Christian Bale, and John Gielgud. It received two nominations at the 69th Academy Awards: Best Supporting Actress (Hershey) and Best Costume Design (Janet Patterson). The film tells the story of Isabel Archer, an innocent young woman of independent means manipulated by her "friend" Madame Merle, and the devious Gilbert Osmond.