Jefferson in Paris (1995)

This film tells of the story of how Thomas Jefferson's sexual relationship with his slave Sally Hemmings started. I remember when I first heard about Jeffersons reported relationship with the young slave girl, it was in the mid-1990's right around the time this movie came out. I was upset, having then a very rose colored almost sainted view of the Founding Fathers (still for the most part very great men, but far from perfect). Indeed many people where understandably put off by these allegations, and there's been an unwillingness to believe them simply because its Thomas Jefferson. But now, fifteen years later its generally accepted that Mr. Jefferson had four children by Hemmings, its been proven now by DNA evidence.

The film story is of course set in Paris, appropriate given the title don't you think. In 1784 Thomas Jefferson (here played by Nick Nolte) was dispatched as the fledgling American governments ambassador to France; which had just been the only real allie they had in their war for Independence from Britain. Jefferson would stay in his post for five years, witnessing the early days of the French Revolution (which he predicted would turn out well) before being recalled to America to serve as George Washington's first Secretary of State.

While in France and in accordance to his position Jefferson spent a lot of time among the royal court and the French aristocracy. This being a Merchant/Ivory production it really gets the period feel down. The ruling class had long been decadent, they throw themselves lavish entertainments, sumptuous dinner party's, and indulge in every passing fade such as wand healing and mesmerism. Yet at the same time these Frenchmen could be great patrons of the arts and sciences, and exciting things besides politics where happening there, such as early hot air balloon experiments. Amid the French swells Jefferson meets and falls in love with Maria Cosway (Greta Scacchi) the English/Italian wife of the apparently gay portrait artist Richard Cosway.

Jefferson vacillates between his love for Maria and loyalty to an oath he made to his late wife never to remarry and which his daughter Pattsy (Gwyneth Paltrow) won't let him forgot. Apparently unable to decide what to do Jefferson ends up in a relationship with Sally Hemmings (Thandie Newton) which both Pattsy and Maria find out about and are non too pleased, though partly in keeping with the propriety of the times they refuse to speak about this issue openly (indeed in the film nobody seems to address the issue directly). Nolte in the middle of his 1990's hay day is a good Jefferson, which is almost unimaginable now given the current state of his career and public perception. The rest of the cast is very good too and this inherently slow motion picture does manage to sustain interest over its 2 1/2 hour running time.

Grade: B+