Despite strong performances by Minnie Driver and Tom Wilkinson, this film fails to ignite the imagination of the viewer.

By the way, what has become of Ms. Driver? She had such a potential in the film industry.

This to me was almost like an 1850s version of Yentl without the musical fanfare. With the death of her father, Driver takes a position as a governess to a Christian family, hiding her Jewish identity.

While I realize that this is a period peace, it was awfully dull even for 1850 England and Scotland.

The lady of the house is most irritating with that sing-song voice of hers. I expected her to refer to Driver as dear at any moment. What kind of name is Mary Blackchurch? I know that Driver is trying to pass herself off as a Christian, but does this name signify all the way?

In the interim, Mary finds love with the young charge's father (Wilkinson) and his emotionally unbalanced son.

In the end, the only thing that we see accomplished is that Mary has found a profession to provide for her family-photography. Did we really have to be subjected to what was happening throughout the film?

The early scenes of Judaism practiced in 19th century England and the cholera epidemic at the end could have been played up more. There is a definite underlying feeling of anti-Semitism by the Wilkinson family but that's never allowed to come out.

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