It is hard to not see women in history as the responsible or the engine of greatest movements. Esther, hebrew queen and heroine. Joan of Arc, lead an army and a heroine of France, Queen Elizabeth from England, Marie Curie first woman to win Nobel prize and Eleanor Roosevelt co president of the USA.

A very notable character who change the course of the middle east is a woman named Gertrude Bell (Nicole Kidman). She was a the daughter of a wealthy British family, who moved to Tehran thanks to her uncle. She falls in love with a Embassy employee Henry Cadogan (James Franco), but she is not allow to marry him, because her family considers him bad company. Sadly, due this circumstances Henry commit suicide forcing Gertrude to leave Tehran and devote herself to travel the middle east and explore this territory that is very turbulent at the time because British government wants full power.

Gertrude, becomes a writer, traveller, political officer, administrator and archeologist.

Werner Herzog directs this Lawrence of Arabia style film with a female hero in his hands. The film beautifully shot, but the story is a mess. When you read Gertrude writings and stories, you become so interested to understand how this woman becomes a hero for the middle east, but sadly the screenplay don’t honor her story and experience. The beautiful vista of the deserts and the compelling images of war simply vanished when you see a movie not fitting the characters in place. After 20 min of film you loose interest, because there is no appeal between Gertrude and her lovers as well her mission to change the middle east.

Nicole Kidman performs masterfully, but she cannot hold the film much longer.