It is the 16th century and the women of Venice are little more than property. Marriages are arranged to upgrade the family's social and economic statis. So when Veronica Franco (Catherine McCormick) falls in love with Marco Venier (Rufus Sewell) you know they can never be wed. Marco comes from a very affluent family and would never marry below his station, especially since Veronica's father spent her dowry. Veronica's mother, Paola (Jacqueline Bisset), tells her there is another option where she can still see Marco, become a courtesan like she was. Veronica reluctantly agrees and her mother sets out to train her in the ways of the courtesan who she claims are the most educated women in the world. Soon Veronica is Venice's most popular prostitute and has the rich and powerful in the palm of her hand. But she is more than just good in bed, she is educated and intelligent. She and Maffio Venier (Oliver Platt) frequently square off for poetry duels. But the mood of Venice is changing, with a war going on and an unexplainable plague the people are looking for a scapegoat and Veronica could soon find herself in some hot water.
Dangerous Beauty is for the most part an entertaining movie. There are some periods when the movie is lethargic, but the rest of the time it is rather engaging. Catherine McCormick carries this film on her lovely shoulders. She was wonderful and quite convincing. It is not hard to imagine why every man in Venice desired her. Rufus Sewell did well too, the two seemed to have a chemistry between them. Despite a few slow spots, Dangerous Beauty is a well writen and acted film.