Product: Nora [VHS] (2000)
Rating: 3.0
An Enjoyable Romantic Film
Nora is about the woman and often inspiration in James Joyce's life. Ewan McGregor plays James Joyce and Susan Lynch plays Nora Barnacle. While the movie is titled after her it basically begins and ends with Joyce after a brief reflection of her being beaten by her Uncle and sent off to a nunnery after sneaking out with a local boy in Galway. The real story begins in 1904 when she moves away to work at a hotel as a servant. Here she meets Joyce who is instantly taken with her. On their first outing she introduces him to the intricacies of her hand which instantly links him to her forever but constantly brings around bouts of jealous and doubt from Joyce. Their relationship is frowned upon by everyone because she is poor and he is rich and they aren't married. The turmoil of their relationship is entwined with the turmoil of his attempts to write (and get published) the collection of short stories, Dubliners; specifically the Dead which he draws from Nora's past experience. The movie is beautifully shot and the accompanying music inviting. I don't recall any nudity but there is explicit dialogue and suggestiveness. I found the Irish accents difficult to decipher at the beginning and occasionally throughout but overall an enjoyable romantic film.