The Worst Man in London

Who was Charles Augustus Howell? He may now be a mostly forgotten figure from the Victorian era of the late nineteenth century, but in his day he cut a fascinating and morally dubious figure in London’s art circles. Rodrigo Areias’ sumptuous biopic recreates the world to detail Howell’s Machiavellian skill at rising through high society, manipulating those around him to acquire works that would establish his reputation and security, and when that didn’t work, resorting to blackmail. It charts his relationship with key figures from this time, such as the painter and poet Dante Gabriel Rossetti (who was convinced by Howell to dig up the poems that were buried with his wife Elizabeth Siddal so he could sell them). To some, he was viewed as a charming rogue. To others, like the poet Algernon Charles Swinburne, he was “the vilest wretch I ever came across”.

A rich tapestry of nineteenth-century life, The Worst Man in London profits from the painterly quality of cinematographer Jorge Quintela’s imagery. While never directly referencing the various art movements of the time, the film embraces a palette that expresses the vividness of the Pre-Raphaelite movement, as Areias corrals his impressive cast in capturing the spirit of the period.

– Vanja Kaludjercic