Synopsis

In sixteenth-century Venice, Veronica Franco turns to life as a courtesan after losing the chance to marry the aristocrat she loves. Her intelligence, beauty, and poetic talent make her one of the city's most celebrated women, while her influence attracts powerful allies and dangerous enemies. As war, plague, and religious persecution threaten Venice, Veronica must defend herself against accusations of witchcraft.

Factoids & Trivia

• The film is based on Margaret F. Rosenthal's 1992 biography The Honest Courtesan: Veronica Franco, Citizen and Writer in Sixteenth-Century Venice.

• Veronica Franco was a real Venetian courtesan and poet who lived from 1546 to 1591. Her published poems and letters helped preserve a rare first-person record of a Renaissance woman's intellectual and social life.

• The production used locations in Rome and Venice, including Villa Aldobrandini in Frascati and Odescalchi Castle in Bracciano.

• The movie went through several proposed titles, including Courtesan, The Honest Courtesan, Indiscretion, and Venice. Warner Bros. ultimately selected Dangerous Beauty after research suggested that many American viewers did not understand the word "courtesan."

• The screenplay's writer later helped turn the story into a stage musical. Dangerous Beauty premiered professionally at the Pasadena Playhouse in February 2011, with music by Michele Brourman and lyrics by Amanda McBroom.

• The film was released in the United States on February 20, 1998, and runs approximately 111 minutes.