History Film / DangerousBeauty

* HistoricalVillainUpgrade: The film depicts Veronica Franco as being accused of witchcraft and being tried by the Roman Inquisition. That really did happen. The film, however, also depicts the Inquisition as frothing-at-the-mouth [[TheWitchHunter witch-hunters]] determined in advance not only to convict Franco, but prepared to believe that Venetian society was rife with witchcraft, and eager to conduct mass burnings of witches. This portrayal of the Inquisition as lunatic witch-hunters is quite common and appears in many works. In reality, the official position of the Catholic Church was that accusations of witchcraft were almost invariably [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Witch-hunt superstitious nonsense]]; the Church generally tried to suppress witch-hunts. When the Inquisition ''did'' investigate charges of witchcraft and put suspected witches on trial, it was almost always because public hysteria had broken out, and some person, such as Veronica Franco, had been accused, and the Church wanted to put a stop to it before things escalated. By conducting an official investigation and clearing the accused, the Church could usually calm the situation and end the panic. The real witch-burning hysteria in Europe occurred in predominantly ''Protestant'' northern Europe in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. So while ''Dangerous Beauty'' correctly portrays the Inquisition as dismissing the charges against Franco, it also portrays this as an incredible occurrence resulting from the heroic intervention of the entire Venetian senate. In reality, it was almost a ForegoneConclusion that the Inquisition would dismiss the charges, or acquit her, because that's what the Inquisition normally did with witchcraft charges. Of course, {{TheHeretic Heresy}} is another thing,but that isn't really what this was about.

* HistoricalVillainUpgrade: The film depicts Veronica Franco as being accused of witchcraft and being tried by the Roman Inquisition. That really did happen. The film, however, also depicts the Inquisition as frothing-at-the-mouth [[TheWitchHunter witch-hunters]] determined in advance not only to convict Franco, but prepared to believe that Venetian society was rife with witchcraft, and eager to conduct mass burnings of witches. This portrayal of the Inquisition as lunatic witch-hunters is quite common and appears in many works. In reality, the official position of the Catholic Church was that accusations of witchcraft were almost invariably [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Witch-hunt superstitious nonsense]]; the Church generally tried to suppress witch-hunts. When the Inquisition ''did'' investigate charges of witchcraft and put suspected witches on trial, it was almost always because public hysteria had broken out, and some person, such as Veronica Franco, had been accused, and the Church wanted to put a stop to it before things escalated. By conducting an official investigation and clearing the accused, the Church could usually calm the situation and end the panic. The real witch-burning hysteria in Europe occurred in predominantly ''Protestant'' northern Europe in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. So while ''Dangerous Beauty'' correctly portrays the Inquisition as dismissing the charges against Franco, it also portrays this as an incredible occurrence resulting from the heroic intervention of the entire Venetian senate. In reality, it was almost a ForegoneConclusion that the Inquisition would dismiss the charges, or acquit her, because that's what the Inquisition normally did with witchcraft charges.

* SexIsLiberation: Veronica confesses that she "embraced a whore's freedom over a wife's obedience." The idea that Veronica, as a courtesan, enjoys much more freedom, resources, and power than do the wives of Venice's aristocrats is one of the main themes of the film.

* HistoricalVillainUpgrade: The film depicts Veronica Franco as being accused of witchcraft and being tried by the Roman Inquisition. That really did happen. The film, however, also depicts the Inquisition as frothing-at-the-mouth [[TheWitchHunter witch-hunters]] determined in advance not only to convict Franco, but prepared to believe that Venetian society was rife with witchcraft, and eager to conduct mass burnings of witches. This portrayal of the Inquisition as lunatic witch-hunters is quite common and appears in many works. It is also totally false. In reality, the official position of the Catholic Church was that accusations of witchcraft were almost invariably [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Witch-hunt superstitious nonsense]]; the Church generally tried to suppress witch-hunts. When the Inquisition ''did'' investigate charges of witchcraft and put suspected witches on trial, it was almost always because public hysteria had broken out, and some person, such as Veronica Franco, had been accused, and the Church wanted to put a stop to the nonsense before things got out of hand. By conducting an official investigation and clearing the accused, the Church could usually calm the situation and end the panic. The real witch-burning hysteria in Europe occurred in predominantly ''Protestant'' northern Europe in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. So while ''Dangerous Beauty'' correctly portrays the Inquisition as dismissing the charges against Franco, it also portrays this as an incredible occurrence resulting from the heroic intervention of the entire Venetian senate. In reality, it was almost a ForegoneConclusion that the Inquisition would dismiss the charges, or acquit her, because that's what the Inquisition normally did with witchcraft charges. [[TheHeretic Heresy]] charges definitely were another story, however.

* GreenEyedMonster: The wives of Veronica's clients are understandably jealous of her, and see her as a corrupting influence on their husbands. At the same time, they resent the power, knowledge and independence she has acquired through her trade, and are clearly very uncomofortable when they are forced to come to her for news on the war.

* TheMistress: Veronica becomes this to Marco after having been a courtesan.
* UnproblematicProstitution: The film portrays high class 16th Century Venetian prostitution in a glowing light. There's a scene where lower class prostitutes are shown to be in desperate shape, but for the most part, prostitution is looked upon as a way to empower intelligent women, allowing them to interact with wealthy men on their own terms. Of course, the film totally overlooks the fact that its main character had, in the RealLife story this movie was based on, ''six kids'' with her high class lover. Oh, and also, the earliest, most virulent form of syphilis was raging through Italy at the time, making prostitution a dangerous gamble. However, Veronica does caution a friend who thinks her daughter becoming a courtesan is a good way to get an education and independence against romanticizing this, as it's easy for courtesans to fall from grace and into the dire straits of street prostitution.

''Dangerous Beauty'' is a 1998 American biographical drama movie directed by Creator/MarshallHerskovitz that explores the life of Veronica Franco (Catherine [=McCormack=)), a courtesan in Venice in the 16th century who at first becomes a hero but later becomes a target by the Church for witchcraft.

''Dangerous Beauty'' is a 1998 American biographical drama movie directed by Creator/MarshallHerskovitz that explores the life of Veronica Franco (Creator/CatherineMcCormack), a courtesan in Venice in the 16th century who at first becomes a hero but later becomes a target by the Church for witchcraft.

* StandUpInSupport: When Veronica Franco, [[HighClassCallGirl a courtesan]] in Renaissance-era Venice, is on trial for her role in bringing TheScourgeOfGod onto the citizens of the city state, Marco, her lover/favorite client admits his guilt, since he sinned by occasionally hiring her. When the inquisitor tells him the Church won't try a powerful nobleman, he urges the other men in the court stand and admit their own culpability. Just as Marco's about to be arrested for helping spread ThePlague that's infecting Venice, the other men begin standing, admitting that they are just as guilty, since they also procured the services of a prostitute at some point.

* IAmSpartacus: A variation occurs when Franco is brought before the Holy Inquisition for her "role" in spreading ThePlague [[TheScourgeOfGod that is afflicting Venice at the time]], she is sentenced to death for her crime. Just then her lover/favorite client, Marco, points out the hypocrisy of the ruling, since she was not alone in bringing God's wrath to the city state, and that her clients, and any other john who had procured a courtesan, was guilty in engaging in sinful activities, but were not prosecuted because the Church [[ScrewTheRulesIHaveMoney refused to go after the rich and powerful]]. After calling on all the other men in the court to stand and admit their guilt, the Judge is about to have him arrested when Veronica's other clients, and all the other men in attendance, stand to admit their guilt of having at one point or another acquiring the services of a prostitute.

!Tropes for the film:

A 1998 American biographical drama movie directed by Creator/MarshallHerskovitz that explores the life of Veronica Franco (Creator/CatherineMcCormack), a courtesan in Venice in the 16th century who at first becomes a hero but later becomes a target by the Church for witchcraft.

* UnproblematicProstitution: The film portrays high class 16th Century Venetian prostitution in a glowing light. There's a scene where lower class prostitutes are shown to be in desperate shape, but for the most part, prostitution is looked upon as a way to empower intelligent women, allowing them to interact with wealthy men on their own terms (of course, the film totally overlooks the fact that its main character had, in the RealLife story this movie was based on, ''six kids'' with her high class lover. Oh, and also, the earliest, most virulent form of syphilis was raging through Italy at the time, making prostitution a dangerous gamble). However, Veronica cautions a friend who thinks her daughter becoming a courtesan is a good way to get an education and independence against romanticizing this, as it's easy for courtesans to fall from grace into the dire straits of street prostitution.

* IAmSpartacus: A variation occurs when Franco is brought before the Holy Inquisition for her "role" in spreading ThePlague [[TheScourgeOfGod that is afflicting Venice at the time]], she is sentenced to death for her crime. Just then her lover/favorite client, Marco, points out the hypocrisy of the ruling, since she was not alone in bringing God's wrath to the city state, and that her clients, and any other john who had procured a courtesan, was guilty