The Burnt Orange Heresy Movie Storyline. An ambitious art critic steals a rare painting and becomes consumed by his own greed as the operation spins out of control, in Giuseppe Capotondi’s (The Double Hour) thriller based on Charles Willeford’s noir novel and starring Elizabeth Debicki, Donald Sutherland, Claes Bang, and Mick Jagger.
Sexy and twisty like so many of the best thrillers, The Burnt Orange Heresy benefits from its unpredictable plot, glossy settings, and outrageous cast — international stars Claes Bang (The Square) and Elizabeth Debicki (Widows) lead a roster that includes legend Donald Sutherland and the inimitable Mick Jagger, who looks like he’s having the time of his already storied life.
Transplanting Charles Willeford’s cult novel from Florida to rather more gorgeous locations on Italy’s Lake Como, the story begins with James Figueras (Bang) using his impressive knowledge of art history to swindle attendees at his paid lectures. But his sights are soon set higher, on a rare painting by the reclusive genius Jerome Debney, but also on the distracting Berenice Hollis (Debicki), who has motives of her own. With wheels set in motion by Joseph Cassidy (Jagger), a fabulously wealthy art collector who long ago shed anything so common as morals, it’s not long before greed and desire lead to the sudden shock of murder.
Set in a fine art world where beauty sells for millions, The Burnt Orange Heresy takes some satisfying satirical swipes at that milieu. Jagger in particular is a pure pleasure to watch. But as the stakes get higher, the screws of the thriller plot tighten. Flinty banter and libertine sex give way to suspicion, guilt, and mounting desperation. This expert cast is more than up to the task as the gears shift smoothly to polished, contemporary film noir.
The Burnt Orange Heresy, the closing film of the Venice Film Festival, is a refined, sexy and exciting film that brings to mind the Hitchcock films. The charismatic and appealing anti-hero of the film is James, an ambitious art critic who is capable of murder without even blinking his eye.
The Burnt Orange Heresy is an Italian-American drama thriller film directed by Giuseppe Capotondi and with a screenplay by Scott Smith. It is based on the book of same name by Charles Willeford. The film stars Claes Bang, Elizabeth Debicki, Mick Jagger, and Donald Sutherland. It was selected as the closing film at the 76th Venice International Film Festival. It is scheduled to be released on March 6, 2020, by Sony Pictures Classics.
The Burnt Orange Heresy (2020)
Directed by: Giuseppe Capotondi
Starring: Claes Bang, Elizabeth Debicki, Donald Sutherland, Rosalind Halstead, Mick Jagger, Katie McGovern, Alessandro Fabrizi, Alexia Murray, Flaminia Fegarotti, Fabio Melchionna
Screenplay by: Scott B. Smith
Cinematography by: David Ungaro
Film Editing by: Guido Notari
Music by: Craig Armstrong
MPAA Rating: R for some sexual content / nudity, language, drug use and violence.
Distributed by: Sony Pictures Classics
Release Date: March 6, 2020
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