I watched The Age of Innocence the other night and was reminded of how magnificent Winona Ryder is... She owned that film. Michelle Pfieffer and Daniel Day Lewis had nothing on Winona's subdued yet compelling performance of a woman we think is flighty, unintellectual and clueless but is truly cunning and calculating while rallying her allies and devising a plan to keep her marriage and her good name intact while her husband's hormones lead to several makeout sessions with her own cousin. Winona deftly develops this character throughout the entire film with a well-placed question here and a pointed look there until she drops the hammer down towards the end. Whammo! Winona wins!
Anyway, today is Winona's birthday and in celebration I thought I'd share this photo... An oldie but goodie of a troubled actress having at least the sense of humor to mock her situation.
(PS - If you enjoy historical fiction and haven't read Edith Wharton's masterpiece novel upon which the movie is based - and to which it stays rather true - please treat yourself and do so immediately. You won't be sorry. Wharton's description of 1800's New York society is spot on.)
