![]() International upheaval, as viewed from the intimate vantage point of a historical figure as enchanting and modern feeling as Bell, gives the filmmakers a variety of avenues to explore. ![]() This is the time of the Ottoman Empire’s last days as various nations become mired in World War I. The narrative tracks her life and travels leading up to her collaboration with Winston Churchill ( Christopher Fulford) in mapping the borders of Iraq, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia. She’s quickly shipped off to relatives in Tehran in the hope she’ll find some satisfaction. ![]() The story begins in 1898 as Bell (played by Nicole Kidman) rankles her parents with desires of exploring the world and challenging herself intellectually instead of finding the appropriate suitor. It is never able to communicate the complexity of the woman at its center. But has there ever been a time accepting women this fearsome, bright, and independent? Despite the rich biographical material of the real-life woman on which this is based and the skill of the filmmakers involved, “Queen of the Desert” ends up being an emotionally empty, thematically ill-defined, and listless affair. The film briefly flirts with the idea that maybe Bell was simply born in the wrong time. That she’s a woman in the late 1800s, when the story begins, yearning to explore the world rather than be saddled with an ill-suited marriage makes her all the more remarkable. Apparently, when her nanny tried to put her in a dress she pushed the woman away and proudly exclaimed “On my own!” Bell is quickly established as an impetuous, headstrong, and intelligent woman, disregarding social mores at every turn. Early in “Queen of the Desert,” Gertrude Bell’s father recounts a story to her about her first words spoken as a child that encompasses the entirety of her identity and disposition.
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