Becoming Colette

REVIEW
While never quite overcoming its pedestrian handling of a potentially illuminating subject, this steamy drama, replete with female frontal nudity and "shocking" lesbian love scenes, is filmed in a lush, bombastic and romantic style. The story concerns the early years in the life of Sidone-Gabrielle Colette, one of France's greatest and most popular writers of the 20th century. Young Gabrielle (May) meets sweet-talking bon vivant Willy (Brandauer) and quickly sweeps him off his feet. They move to Paris to begin a carefree life of society living. But when Gabrielle shows him some of her writing, he publishes the work as his own and becomes the talk of the town. It's not until she begins a lesbian relationship with a friend that the increasingly sophisticated Gabrielle starts on her road to self-determination. Despite director Huston's heavy handling, the film is entertaining in telling the story of one woman's growth, accomplished on her own terms.