Effie Gray

 

Portrait made of John Ruskin by his protege the painter John Everett Millais.

In the movie Effie Gray, 

at the very beginning, the teacher John tells his students

that Nature should be painted as it is seen

the good and the bad that occur 

they must be true to their observation.

Later, the painter John E. Millais

happens to be hired to paint the portrait of John Ruskin

as he fell in love with his wife.

The interesting part is 

when one wants to win 

one truly does its best to look good

either by shining one's own qualities 

and/or by degrading the competition.

According to me, the student surpassed the master

as he remained true to his self

by honouring and painting what he saw 

not letting temptation of sabotaging his master's portrait becoming his goal.

Instead he made sure to paint his master as is

doing so, he did not darkened his heart with a goal that was not his.

His initial goal was to become a recognised painter and for this you need to be true to your learning.

Therefore if you are true to your initially set goal

which is your heart desire

and do not forget it 

do not exchange it for some other secondary goal, say revenge

then your gain is the ultimate gain

this is the real success

as you followed the light of your heart

in the service of the fulfilment of your goal/heart desire.

Ironically; the same teacher fell short of his own teaching

as he refused to accept his wife as it is

due to his own fears - whatever fears he had.

From a deep and exalted love and devotion he had for his by then future wife

once married he let this being compromised

because of his inability to face his own fears 

and contrary to his teaching 

instead of seeing things for what they are 

and painting his own life with what he had

he preferred to give into his fears, denials, covering up his own weaknesses 

which his own self loathing ended up being directed towards his wife

who started leaving a life of an "eternal torment"

Effie's mother happened to lose at least 7 kids

and Effie's husband made fun of that barnyard who should not be at this point distressed..

Anyway the fun part is once Effie remarried

she ended up having 8 babies

Definitely the souls of the lost ones 

must have reincarnated by her

I couldn't prevent myself of having that thought.

All in all, though the movie could have been more expressive in exploring these aspects

it was yet an honourable take.

May be the deep silence and the gravity displayed by all the actors was enough of a silent talk 

pointing at these very emotions.