As stunningly picturesque as all of this undeniably proves to be, Queen of the Desert is a barren emotional quagmire, Bell's incredible story deserving of so much more than this movie sadly proves to be willing to offer.

The result is a well-made invitation to nod off.

Bell was an extraordinary figure, tailor-made for a dazzling presence like Kidman, but Werner Herzog, directing his own script, unwisely structures Bell's story around her intimate relationships with men.

A film so misguided, when it is talented people getting it so wrong, is disheartening. The whole thing feels like mimicry and the filmmakers, the audience and Gertrude Bell herself – we’ve all been cheapened.