Janet McTeer in Portrait of a Marriage (1990)

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Director Stephen Whittaker scrutinizes the real-life love affair between a pair of historical personages in the critically acclaimed drama Portrait of a Marriage (1990). Despite the intense social pressures that exist in post-WWI Britain, feminist writer Vita Sackville-West (Janet McTeer) and novelist Violet Keppel (Cathryn Harrison) manage to maintain a passionate, if volatile attachment. When Vita’s husband (David Haig) understandably objects, his sentiments drive a wedge between the two women that they find difficult to overcome. It’s certainly a sad development, as the scenes between Harrison and McTeer are the most salacious of the movie. The talented actresses burnish the screen as they indulge in one another’s fleshy offerings.