The Governess
This film is set around 1840. In the first scene in which the two main characters become intimate, you hear a zipper as Mr. Cavendish begins to undress. The zipper was not invented until 1891.,Charles Cavendish: I do not feel myself.
Mary Blackchurch: Nor do I. But we can be any self we want, can't we?,Featured in Siskel & Ebert: The Negotiator/The Governess/EverAfter/BASEketball/The Thief (1998),Mary Blackchurch
Vocals by Ofra Haza
Ofra Haza performs courtesy of BMG Ariola Germany.,After her father is murdered, Rosina (Minnie Driver) must marry without love or strike out and try something different. She changes her name and takes a job as a governess.

Of course, she also has to hide her Jewishness and learn to be a Protestant.

Her employer, Charles Cavendish (Tom Wilkinson) is a photographer working on a way to fix the photos he takes so that they last more than a day. She shows an interest in his work and spends her spare time helping. As expected, Minnie Drivers sensuality soon captivates him. He gives up his photographs of nature and gets into portraiture.

He realizes that he is not her intellectual equal and, when he discovers that he was in love with a Jewess, he turns very cruel.

She returns to London during a cholera epidemic, finding her mother dead. He new knowledge enable her family to survive, and she flourishes.

Driver was outstanding, and Jonathan Rhys Meyers was also good as the son.

Sandra Goldbacher's first feature film shows much promise.,