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| Image from The Borgias, streamed via iFlix |
Season 1 Episode 5
Perhaps it is because I am now viewing this first season with the benefit of hindsight, but I am finding that the things that I remember annoying me back when I first saw this almost three years ago, no longer do (or at least, not to the same degree). Though I remember Ruta Gedmintas fondly from The Tudors, the character Ursula has never been a favourite of mine. When I re-watched 'Lucrezia's Wedding' last week, the line 'Liberate me' still rankled me. Yet, I did not mind her as much as I used to. She has a lot more screen time in this episode, and as I watched I kept waiting for the familiar feeling of irritation, the one I had back in 2011. It did not happen.
Part of the challenge of the character Ursula is the organic, mesmerising chemistry between Francois Arnaud and Holliday Grainger. Ursula is a woman who wakes in Cesare a hunger that drives him to kill (and yes I know Cesare wanted to kill the Baron anyway because he insulted Vanozza, repeatedly). Ursula may not be Cesare's great love but, for a time, she is an overwhelming passion of his. It is tricky to make this believable, in the face of the Cesare/ Lucrezia chemistry.
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| Image from The Borgias, streamed via iFlix |
The writing on the Cesare/ Ursula scenes is a beautiful, haunting song of tragic romance, and Francois Arnaud and Ruta Gedmintas do their professional best to sell them. I wonder if another actress, one with more chemistry with Mr. Arnaud, could have made the character Ursula work better. There was a time when I was convinced that yes, absolutely, the character was just not the right fit for Ms Gedmintas. Now, I am not so sure.
Ursula, her face marked with her husband's brutal fist, tells Cesare the Baron is riding for Ostia the following day, and she will be free for a couple of nights. Rather than focusing on the promise of pleasure, Cesare asks Micheletto to practise duelling with him. Micheletto obviously holds back during the practise, but gives Cesare the helpful tip of having more than one blade. On a rainy night Cesare confronts the Baron and kills him. Cesare and Micheletto dump his body on the river.
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| Image from The Borgias, streamed via iFlix |
Another character I was not too fond of is Paolo. This has nothing to do with Luke Pasqualino, who is an engaging actor, and more because the poor servant boy in love with the beautiful wealthy lady of the house is a storyline I have seen too many times before, and one that has come to bore me. In this episode, the servants, including Paolo, has become aware of Giovanni Sforza's brutal treatment of his wife. Lucrezia befriends Paolo, who offers to adjust Lord Sforza's saddle; his injury will give Lucrezia a respite from his ill treatment.
Lucrezia's confidence with Paolo is in stark contrast with her pitiful, agonising relationship with her husband. Lucrezia and Paolo form the bond of youth faced with darkness brought by the grown-ups. The gentle game they play at the stables, the soft touching of their hands, the growing boldness in their eyes, all speak of young love's gentle ascent to passion. As with Ursula, I find that I no longer mind Paolo as much as I did when I first saw this series.
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| Image from The Borgias, streamed via iFlix |
Did Lucrezia set out to seduce Paolo? Lucrezia is much too young and inexperienced at this point, so I do not think she had seduction in mind. However, I think she felt her power when Paolo had to fight his blushes with her the first time they spoke at length. Lucrezia has always been shown as a quick study; it would not surprise me if the thought occurred to her that Paolo was a boy who would do what she asked, if only because she asked, that he was a boy who wanted to please her. When Rodrigo, following a nightmare, wanted Cardinal Sforza's assurance that his daughter was not being ill treated by the Cardinal's cousin, Cardinal Sforza alluded to Borgia intelligence prevailing. It was spoken to appease the agitated Pope, but there was a lot of truth in it.
Rodrigo finds himself needing to marry off another one of his children to serve his political machinations, and this time, it is his youngest son, Gioffre. Rodrigo initially meant to marry off Juan, but the proud Gonfaloniere refused to marry anyone less than a king's legitimate daughter. The Borgia alliance with the Sforzas is now fraying, with Ludovico of Milan declaring that he will allow French armies to pass through his land. That the Sforza alliance proved so fragile makes Lucrezia's current situation that much sadder. Why does she have to suffer so, when her suffering does not give her family the security it craves?
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| Image from The Borgias, streamed via iFlix |
Strays
■ In one of the episode's most startling scenes, Ludovico of Milan, whist hosting Cardinal Della Rovere, pees on his nephew Gian Galeazzo, whom he keeps caged and shackled in a cell below the audience chamber, zips up, then tells the horrified cardinal, 'Politics is a delicate game.'
■ Ludovico's primacy in Milan is being challenged by young Gian Galeazzo. When Cardinal Sforza delivers Rodrigo's threat of seeing justice to Gian Galeazzo's claim to Milan should Ludovico prove to be an inconstant ally, Ludovico releases Gian Galeazzo and poisons him.
■ Rodrigo sends Cesare to Florence to offer the public burning of Savonarola in exchange for Florentine support.
■ Rodrigo means to marry young Gioffre off to Sancia, the illegitimate daughter of the King of Naples.
■ This episode shows the first time Cesare kills a man with his own hands.
■ Counting sheep takes on a horrifying quality, with Lucrezia following the maid Francesca's advise of keeping her mind occupied whilst her husband bedded her.
Quotes
Cesare: 'Blink once, and you will be eyeless.'
Micheletto: 'And I would still serve you without one eye, Your Eminence. Or without two.'
Machiavelli: 'You are far too clever for a cardinal.'
Machiavelli: 'And if these times have made you clever, the coming months may thrust genius upon you.'
Rodrigo: 'Juan will do what Juan will do.'
Show: The Borgias (Showtime)
Season: One
Episode Number in Season: Five
Episode Number in Series: Five
Episode Title: The Borgias In Love
Episode Writer: Neil Jordan
Episode Director: John Maybury
Original Air Date: April 24, 2011
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