While the majority of high school students haven’t read the classic novel Vanity Fair by William Makepeace Thackeray, I am pleased to announce that this reviewer has actually skimmed the majority of this book and watched the movie that came out on DVD recently, and this reviewer liked it.

The extremely long and elaborate old novel has been translated fairly well onto the screen in director Mira Nair’s (Monsoon Wedding) version of the tale of Miss Becky Sharp (Reese Witherspoon), a girl who grew up impoverished while watching her rich peers attend a girl’s finishing school. When the time comes for Becky and her best friend to leave the school, the ambitious Becky begins to experience the ups and downs of climbing up the social ladder of 19^th century England.

Because one of Nair’s goals of the movie was to accent the aspect of India, her nationality and the location of many of her previous films, some may object to certain over-hyped scenes, such as the Indian dance number- it’s just too much for some people to believe in such a rigid society. I actually liked the whole feeling of a potentially bland place that 19^th century England could have been and turning up the volume so it would grab a wider audience. The public these days doesn’t seem to want to watch a plain English upper class movie where people sit around and drink tea all day, and although the plot isn’t about that, another director could have easily have made the movie very similar to that.

One of the things that kept the movie going was the constant revival of old friends, enemies and strangers that Becky comes across, and while the story does not revolve around her, her presence on screen gives the audience the impression that she is the heroine of the story. However, the book makes a point of claiming that this story doesn’t have a hero or heroine. This is true, for all of the characters, including the bright Becky Sharp, never truly have a hero’s characteristics. Reese’s character, while smart and perky, is Machiavellian, deceptive, and manipulative to all that meet her so she may possibly climb again up the social mountain. Frankly, I’m sick of reading these old English books in class about a shy but kind girl who finds her true love while her sister is flamboyant because she takes walks outside a la Sense and Sensibility, but the characters in this film were actually interesting.

While the plot may seem boring to certain readers, such as those people who can’t stand looking at the name Jane Austen or Bronte, or if you’re a guy, then you should probably trust your instincts on this one and rent an action flick, but if you appreciate works of the Bronte sisters or are fans of Reese or Bollywood movies, then Vanity Fair will grab your attention.