IMDb >
The French Lieutenant's Woman (1981)
Watch It
Buy it at Amazon
Rent it at Blockbuster.com
Discuss in Boards More at IMDb Pro Add to My Movies Update Data
BETA
Discuss in Boards More at IMDb Pro Add to My Movies Update Data
Quicklinks
Top Links
trailers and videosfull cast and crewtriviaofficial sitesmemorable quotesOverview
main detailscombined detailsfull cast and crewcompany creditstv scheduleAwards & Reviews
user commentsexternal reviewsnewsgroup reviewsawardsuser ratingsparents guiderecommendationsmessage boardPlot & Quotes
plot summarysynopsisplot keywordsAmazon.com summarymemorable quotesFun Stuff
triviagoofssoundtrack listingcrazy creditsalternate versionsmovie connectionsFAQOther Info
merchandising linksbox office/businessrelease datesfilming locationstechnical specslaserdisc detailsDVD detailsliterature listingsNewsDeskPromotional
taglines trailers and videos posters photo galleryExternal Links
showtimesofficial sitesmiscellaneousphotographssound clipsvideo clipsThe French Lieutenant's Woman (1981) More at IMDbPro »
| Videos (see all 3) |
|
Overview
User Rating:
Director:
Writers:
Release Date:
August 1981 (UK)
more
Tagline:
She was lost from the moment she saw him.
Plot:
A film is being made of a story, set in 19th century England, about Charles, a biologist who's engaged to be married...
more
| add synopsis
Plot Keywords:
Awards:
Nominated for 5 Oscars.
Another 9 wins
&
12 nominations
more
NewsDesk:
(15 articles)
Their Best Role: Meryl Streep
(From Cinematical. 18 November 2009, 9:02 AM, PST)
Director Kenny Ortega Bails on 'Footloose' Remake
(From Cinematical. 26 October 2009, 8:32 AM, PDT)
(From Cinematical. 18 November 2009, 9:02 AM, PST)
Director Kenny Ortega Bails on 'Footloose' Remake
(From Cinematical. 26 October 2009, 8:32 AM, PDT)
User Comments:
A classic film about sexual repression past and present
more (42 total)
Cast
(Cast overview, first billed only) | Meryl Streep | ... | Sarah / Anna |
 | Jeremy Irons | ... | Charles Henry Smithson / Mike |
 | Hilton McRae | ... | Sam |
| Emily Morgan | ... | Mary |
| Charlotte Mitchell | ... | Mrs. Tranter |
| Lynsey Baxter | ... | Ernestina |
| Jean Faulds | ... | Cook |
| Peter Vaughan | ... | Mr. Freeman |
| Colin Jeavons | ... | Vicar |
| Liz Smith | ... | Mrs. Fairley |
| Patience Collier | ... | Mrs. Poulteney |
| John Barrett | ... | Dairyman |
| Leo McKern | ... | Dr. Grogan |
| Arabella Weir | ... | Girl on undercliff |
| Ben Forster | ... | Boy on undercliff |
Additional Details
Parents Guide:
Runtime:
124 min
Country:
Language:
Color:
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Certification:
Iceland:12 |
Canada:PG (Ontario) |
Singapore:M18 |
Australia:M |
Argentina:16 |
Finland:S |
Norway:16 |
Sweden:11 |
UK:12 (video re-rating) (2001) |
UK:15 (video rating) (1986) |
UK:AA (original rating) |
USA:R (certificate #26244) |
West Germany:12
Filming Locations:
Company:
Fun Stuff
Trivia:
An attempt to adapt the novel was made in the 1970's, to star Vanessa Redgrave, but a satisfactory script couldn't be written, and funding was a problem.
more
Goofs:
Continuity: Early in the film when Charles takes a horse-drawn carriage to visit Ernestine the horse changes between shots (confirmed by the number of "stocking" feet it has).
more
Quotes:
Charles Henry Smithson:
[to Ernestina] I can assure you, the true charm of this world resides in this garden.
more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in Z Channel: A Magnificent Obsession (2004) (TV)
more
FAQ
See Jeremy Irons discuss this filmmore
more (42 total)
Message Boards
Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for The French Lieutenant's Woman (1981) moreRecommendations
If you enjoyed this title, our database also recommends:
Show more recommendations
|
|
|
|
|
| The Stunt Man | Out of Africa | Mansfield Park | Sunset Blvd. | Match Point |
|
IMDb User Rating:
|
IMDb User Rating:
|
IMDb User Rating:
|
IMDb User Rating:
|
IMDb User Rating:
|
Related Links
| Full cast and crew | Company credits | External reviews |
| News articles | IMDb Drama section | IMDb UK section |
| Add this title to MyMovies |
I loved The French Lieutenant's Woman. The film-within-the-film is more than just an experimental device - it is actually a key feature of how the film works and part of what makes it so fascinating and enjoyable. Harold Pinter, who wrote the screenplay and has a Nobel Prize for Literature, should be given some credit for knowing what he is doing. The two stories in the film are juxtaposed to provide intriguing contrasts and comparisons. At first, I found myself thinking that the point was to show how much easier and more uncomplicated sexual relationships are in the twentieth century, but as the story develops, and as more entanglements obstructing their happiness are revealed, I began to realize that the film may really be trying to show that we are not so different from the Victorians after all: we have our own obsessions, repressions and frustrations. A happy middle-class family proves to be as much of an obstacle to sexual gratification and fulfilment as hypocritical Victorian morality. A warning: there is no point watching this film for visible and clearly expressed emotion and a satisfyingly romantic representation of love in this film, since it makes a point of resisting that by focusing on the characters' awkward and embarrassing fumblings, and by deliberately avoiding all the clichés of period drama. The inclusion of the contemporary story line actually helps us to distance ourselves from the Victorian plot rather than drawing us into it, and makes Jeremy Irons's proposal at the beginning, or the love scene in Exeter between him and Streep, more comic and ridiculous, than volcanic and romantic. But that is the point, isn't it? Period films have a tendency to ignore how bizarre sexuality was in the past, and by romanticizing and familiarizing it, make it more easy for us to consume now. But there was no such thing as "normal" sexuality in Victorian Britain, because, as the statistic about London prostitutes in the film shows, they were all far too screwed up. And maybe we are not so different these days. It's not as if the sex industry has got any smaller since then. It's not a conventional period romance, but if you want something a little more thoughtful and interesting than that, then you will hugely enjoy this film. Apart from anything else, it has two great performances from Jeremy Irons and Meryl Streep. Streep in particular is spectacularly mysterious and alluring as the object of Irons's sexual obsession. Great film.