The Portrait (1993 film)

The Portrait is a 1993 American television film directed by Arthur Allan Seidelman. It stars Gregory Peck and Lauren Bacall, reuniting the two actors after their previous collaboration in the film Designing Woman (1957). The film is based on the 1915 novel The Portrait of a Lady by Henry James; however, it significantly deviates from the source material, using only the core theme of a young woman inheriting a large sum of money and subsequently becoming the target of fortune hunters.

The film centers on Fanny Church (Cecily Hobbs), a young American woman living in Europe. Upon inheriting a fortune, she becomes the object of desire for various individuals, including the charming but ultimately deceitful Gabriel Church (Gregory Peck), who claims to be a distant relative. He manipulates events and expectations to ensure that Fanny marries his son, Oliver (Patrick Holt). Laura Sessions (Lauren Bacall), a perceptive and independent woman, acts as Fanny's confidante and attempts to warn her about Gabriel's true intentions.

The storyline focuses heavily on themes of manipulation, greed, and the complexities of relationships within wealthy social circles. While marketed as an adaptation of Henry James's novel, it is generally considered a loose adaptation, with significant plot changes and a different tone. The film was produced for television and aired on TNT. Critical reception was mixed, with some praising the performances of Peck and Bacall, while others criticized the liberties taken with the original novel and the perceived melodramatic tone.