Fascinating story but except for F.Murray Abraham this movie had some of the worst acting I have ever seen. I have seen children in school plays put on more believable performances than Amber O'Shea and James Michael Gregary. With the lacking script and C movie performance (I thought at first it might be a porno film) it took me 3 days to watch. I was so intrigued with the story line I wanted to see the ending but again because of the scrip and acting I could only watch it in small doses. I'm hoping someone will take this wonderful tale and make a real "movie" about it. Probably watchable if you have allot of paperwork or crafts or something to take your mind off the performers and their flat delivery of poor lines.

Although I can see where the dissers are coming from, I found this film charming. Yeah, the script and acting could have been better, but man, what a story! Aimee Dubucq de Rivery, cousin of the French Empress Josephine, captured by pirates and sold into the Turkish ruler's harem, in later life ends up transforming Turkey into the modern age through her son. She was known as the Sultan Valideh, the Veiled Power, and she made herself and her son a bridge to the West.She must have been something and a half, and Amber O'Shea, with a pretty crappy script, somehow manages to sell it. And of course any harem run by F. Murray Abraham is my kind of harem.All in all, a pleasant couple of hours. I await the REAL movie of Naksh, the Sultan Valideh.

This film has all the trappings of a B movie. The costuming is remarkably bad (there's tulle and lame everywhere), the acting is hokey, and the writing a little less than mediocre.But I _love_ this film nonetheless. I own it and watch it every now and again. I enjoy the cheesiness, and it's best enjoyed with a friend or two over drinks and hearty commentary and giggles. It's a wonderful orientalist film with glitter and glam mixed with quite a bit of fantasy.It is based on a true story, and I am surprised every time to see it was actually filmed at Topkapi palace.

A captivating, straight-from-the-heart historical drama,based on a true story. Features a beautiful film score (byWilliam Goldstein II) and authentic scenery (the movie was shoton location in Istanbul). The characters are well crafted andsensitively portrayed. Foremost among the acting performances, which are alloutstanding and convincing, is that of F. Murray Abraham(perhaps best known for his role as Salieri in Amadeus). Heportrays the old sultan Abdu'l-Hamid, who buys a Frenchschoolgirl for his harem and renames her 'Nakhshadil', unawareof the profound effect she will later have on his country. The French schoolgirl, Aimee Dubucq de Rivery, is played byactress Amber O'Shea in a down-to-earth manner that some viewersmay not appreciate; nevertheless, her portrayal of Aimee isendearing and plausible. The character of Aimee was not meant tobe portrayed as a larger-than-life heroine, but rather as aculturally-displaced spoiled brat who was forced to grow up andtake charge of her life in order to survive in the moreprimitive, oppressive Ottoman society. Maud Adams skillfully portrays Abdu'l-Hamid's jealous wife,Sineperver. James Michael Gregary stars as the handsome butnaive successor to the throne, Selim, who becomes romanticallyinvolved with Aimee yet fails to heed her warnings about theneed for political reforms and the elimination of the troublesome elite guard known as the Janissaries. Ron Dortchbrings to life the complex character of Tulip, a eunuch who isthe second most powerful official in the Ottoman Empire (afterthe Sultan). The interactions of these individuals take placeamidst Ottoman royal court intrigues as Western Europeaninfluences begin to have a major impact.