Wow! What a beautiful film, a visual treat.
From the moment the film opened I made up my mind to immerse myself in the 19th century world of John Keats and Fanny Brawne. I loved the tranquil music, the long pauses and the beautiful scenery. While the romance took a while to ignite I didn’t think the plot was too slow.
My favourite part was the analogy made between reading a poem and diving in a lake…
one doesn’t dive in a lake simply to immediately swim to the shore, the experience of the water and swimming in it is the reason we dive in. So too with poetry. Poetry is read to be enjoyed and savoured first and analysed later. John Keats
Not a direct quote from the film, this is what I remember of it and the meaning I took from it.
The other startling part of this film for me was the scene where Fanny is told of John’s death and is read the description of his last moments. She broke down from deep grief and this was portrayed so accurately and vividly that I could almost feel the difficulty she was having breathing.
Definitely glad I saw this one and I loved my first visit to Cinema Paris at Fox Studios.
Ahh... Serenity 
I like your thoughts! I’m really glad we saw it together. Right up your alley… very Bronte-like. 🙂
It certainly was a slow-burning, passionate romance. I like how the emotions are portrayed realistically, like in the scene you mentioned, and also in her relationship with her younger siblings.
For me, I also loved the sensuality of the scenes, like when Fanny reads Keats’ letter in a meadow of bluebells, or when she lies down on her bed with the curtain billowing in the breeze. I think this is a signature of director Jane Campion, as I remember that “The Piano” was also visually beautiful, emotional and very sensual.