Effie Gray

The film opens with Effie walking through a garden, talking with her younger sister Sophie about a fairy tale in which a girl marries a man with wicked parents. The moment sets up Effie's naivete and foreshadows the troubles in her future marriage.

They marry the prosperous art critic John Ruskin in Perth. They travel to London to stay with his parents. Effie begins to feel isolated as she faces belittlement from his mother and a lack of emotional or physical intimacy.

In London, the Ruskins' home becomes a tense battleground. John's mother belittles Effie at every turn and Effie struggles with isolation within the aristocratic household.

At a Royal Academy dinner, a heated debate rages about the new Pre-Raphaelite movement, which John supports. He persuades Sir Charles Eastlake to allow the young painters to exhibit their works.

Elizabeth Eastlake's wife notices Effie's distress during a visit to the Eastlakes' home. The encounter increases the sense that Effie is trapped in a repressive marriage, prompting John to call a doctor to examine her.

The doctor condemns John's apparent neglect and the use of laudanum, even if unintended, and urges fresh air and more attentive care. The comments also reveal Effie's fragile state under the Ruskins' care.

Effie travels to Venice with John as he researches The Stones of Venice, but he ignores her. She is left in the company of a young Italian man, Raffaele, who tries to assault her. John remains oblivious to her distress.

Back in London, Effie suffers a string of nervous ailments while John remains emotionally distant. The doctor laments John's lack of care and notes that laudanum usage has worsened Effie's health.

On a trip to Edinburgh, Millais becomes a friend to Effie and grows troubled by John's dismissive attitude toward his wife. John leaves them alone for several nights, allowing the bond between Effie and Millais to deepen. Effie and Millais fall in love, and he urges her to consider her options and whether she deserves a life apart.

Effie reaches out to Sophie and arranges a visit with Elizabeth Eastlake. She confesses to Elizabeth that she is still a virgin and that John claimed disgust at her body on their wedding night. Elizabeth urges Effie to seek legal advice and consider her options.

A doctor confirms Effie's virginity, strengthening her case. Her sympathetic lawyer explains that an annulment could be pursued on grounds of John's impotence, setting the stage for legal action.

Effie travels to Perth to accompany her sister, but intends to leave John forever. Before departing, she visits Millais, and he promises to wait for her.

Back in London, the Ruskin family is horrified when Effie's lawyer serves notice of annulment proceedings on the grounds of impotence. The move defines the end of Effie's marriage as the public faces of the families are affected.