Tilda Swinton delivers a striking performance in this account of the Tudor noble, Orlando, who, at the behest of the infatuated Queen Elizabeth (played by Quentin Crisp), resists aging. The film traces his journey through various experiences—romances, and ultimately shows how he adjusts – physically – as England transforms into Britain and he eventually gains independence. His time serving as an ambassador in the Mid…

“Orlando” draws from a novel that has generated considerable discussion, and it handles complex themes with surprising effectiveness. Virginia Woolf’s “Orlando” is an intriguing and often debated work by an author whose own life was marked by hardship: childhood sexual abuse, bouts of depression, lifelong existential questioning, and bisexuality. The novel emerged from the relationship between Woolf and Victoria S…