Interesting idea, spoiled in the telling

Rating: 3/10 (6 October 2016)

The British have long been known for top-notch period dramas: the lovely clothes, the palatial homes, every detail of food and drink and music spot-on. So far so good. But how did the director manage to turn a rattling good political/social story set at a time of great unrest in all of Europe and slow it down to a trudge through the sludge?
Perhaps part of it was the camera work, particularly all those shots through windows that "just happen" to blur the one thing the viewer needs to see? Or the terrible sound, which allows us hear every footstep and slurp of wine, but always blurs the dialogue at its most vital point? The needless implied lesbian sex scene? Or simply the wooden performances on the part of all the actors? Shoddy directing, shoddy writing--of course it got an Oscar.
To be honest, for a story where so much might have happened not a lot goes on.
Longest 98 minutes I've sat through in a long time.