Affinity

This 2008 adaptation of Sarah Waters' titular 1999 novel—broadcast on Britain's ITV and featured in a number of U.S.-based LGBT film festivals—offers a strange mix of gender empowerment and spiritualism wrapped in a Victorian setting. In 1874 London, aristocratic Margaret Prior (Anna Madeley) seeks relief from her inner heartaches—including the death of her beloved father—by serving as a “Lady Visitor” to the Millbank women's prison. Although she envisions herself as a guiding figure to the inmates, her regal bearing and life experiences are far removed from the women she visits. Margaret quickly finds herself strangely attracted to the mysterious Selina Dawes (Zoe Tapper), who was charged in the death of a participant at a séance that she conducted. Even though the court branded her a fraud, the other inmates believe that Selina has paranormal powers. Soon, Margaret is haunted by eerie circumstances, including the mysterious appearance of flowers and a lock of Selina's hair in her bedroom. While the story ultimately drifts into an unsatisfying conclusion, this is a beautifully detailed production, and director Tim Fywell taps into the kinetic chemistry between Madeley and Tapper, which helps compensate for the wobbly plotting. A strong optional purchase. (P. Hall)