> Otto, I feel you've badly misinterpreted the director's intentions > here. Since any criticism is based on interpretation, what follows > is mine... Chris, I want to exercise my spectatorial resistance and disregard author's intentionality (which guarantees no reception). However, I like Jane Campion's woman's look--it is one that I am willing to embrace. > > Baines and Aida are put in a difficult situation from the beginning. > Baines recognizes Aida's pain, caused by her separation from the > piano and the uncaring attitude of her husband. Baines' decision to > take her to the piano establishes that he is a much different type > of man than Stewart (?), a fact Aida must surely take notice of. > His feelings for Aida intensify, and he has the piano moved so that > Aida will have access to it. By the time she arrives at his cabin, > the piano itself begins to take a back seat to the fact that these > two people have become quite attracted to each other. Just a film buff point here: Hunter's character is named Ada, not *Aida.* You must be thinking about Italian opera or something. > > I felt that both Baines and Aida found themselves incapable of > moving forward in a relationship that both wanted to pursue. > Despite the attraction, neither one feels comfortable with it, for > all the obvious reasons, and the issue must be resolved indirectly. > So, what we have is a dilemma with no apparent solution. How can > Baines approach Aida? What should he say or do? How can Aida let > herself become a party to this situation, while maintaining the > degree of pride she requires? > > Baines' idea of bargaining sex (not *unwanted* or *one-sided* sex, > mind you) for the piano keys is the excuse that Aida is looking for. Hey, that's sharp. > Under the pretense of doing anything to regain her piano, she is > able to let go completely, with a man that she knows cares more for > her than her husband ever could. My point is that Aida is hardly > "whoring for piano keys", Otto. She is giving in to one of the most > intense of all human emotions -- the desire to become intimate with > someone you care for, and who cares for you -- and Baines comes up > with a perfect excuse that allows her to do so. By this point, Aida > cares less about the piano, she just wants to be with this man that > looks at her with such emotional yearning and such sexual hunger. > > Without being too contentious here (as I've been *asked* not to be), > I think that Jane Campion sets all of this up very well, and anyone > who doesn't see the romance, the lust, that has built up between > these two characters must have missed the point completely. This is > sad, because I feel that it's quite possibly the most intense moment > in the entire film, and one to be savored, not ridiculed. > "I miss you already." Gloria Monti