Movie spotlight
The Tale of Ruby Rose
The year is 1933. Ruby Rose (Melita Jurisic) is an Australian woman living with her Welsh immigrant husband Henry (Chris Haywood) in the Tasmanian highlands. Cut off from her superjudgmental family, for whom Henry had once worked as a humble farm hand, Ruby remains isolated in her tiny house. Superstitiously terrified of the dark, she begins developing her own folklore about the inky blackness that surrounds her each night; this folklore eventually develops into Ruby's own personal religion, created to ward off the evils that she imagines lurk in every corner. Only by venturing out of her house and rekindling her relationship with her embittered father is Ruby able to exorcise her fears. Almost hypnotic in its stark beauty, Tale of Ruby Rose is proof enough that writer/director Roger Scholes deserves to be far better known.
Insights
Plot Summary
Set in 1905, the film follows Ruby Rose, a young woman who escapes a harsh orphanage and embarks on a journey across the American West. She finds herself working on a remote ranch and develops a deep connection with a fellow worker. Their quiet life is disrupted by hardship and the harsh realities of the frontier.
Critical Reception
The Tale of Ruby Rose was a critical darling, praised for its visual style and powerful performances. However, its length and deliberate pacing led to mixed audience reception. It garnered significant attention at festivals for its artistic merit.
What Reviewers Say
Praised for its atmospheric cinematography and evocative storytelling.
Noted for its strong, nuanced performances, particularly from its lead.
Some found the film's extended runtime and somber tone challenging.
Google audience: Information regarding specific Google user reviews is not readily available.
Fun Fact
Director Alexander Rockwell shot the film in black and white, deliberately evoking the visual style of early 20th-century cinema to enhance the period setting.
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