original title:
The Triumph of Love
italian title:
il trionfo dell'amore
directed by:
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screenplay:
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world sales:
country:
Italy
year:
2000
film run:
107'
format:
colour
release date:
07/09/2001
festivals & awards:
Leonida (Mira Sorvino) is a Spartan princess who sits on the country’s throne that her father stole from the father of Agis (Jay Rodan). She has a profound sense of justice and decides to restore the throne and the crown to its rightful owner, Agis. But after seeing him swimming in a lake, Leonida also falls in love with Agis and sets up to conquer his heart. Agis was brought up in secret in a great house run by the philosopher, Ermocrate (Ben Kingsley) and his sister Leontina (Fiona Shaw) and taught according to the principles of Illuminism whereby reason is considered the most important attribute and feelings and emotions are to be distrusted, furthermore followers of Illuminism also distrust all that is mysterious and inexplicable. Ermocrate and Leontina have taught Agis to hate Leonida. The Princess and her faithful servant, Corine (Rachael Stirling) dress up as two young men, Focinio (Sorvino) and Ermidas (Stirling), and go to Ermocrate’s villa begging him to teach them. Helped by two servants, Arlecchino (Ignazio Oliva) and Dimas (Luis Molteni), the pair put on a magnificent performance that is both clever and sensual to convince Agis that Illuminism is not the only way of life and in the end, Love triumphs.
The story is based on a play by Marivaux.