'Tis Pity She's a Bore

Instead of doubting the audience's ability to embrace the radical in Ford's text in a "post-Braveheart world," Perloff might have sought inspiration from Braveheart himself, William Wallace. As comfortable wearing his heart on his sleeve as spearing his enemy's on a spike, the bold Scottish hero (at least as Hollywood and Mel Gibson would have it) didn't shy away from extremes of passion and violence. "They may take our lives, but they'll never take our freedom!" he says in one of the film's most Oscar-grabbing moments. You can almost imagine Giovanni saying these words to Annabella as he thrusts his dagger into her breast.