Bitter Moon (1992)

British couple Fiona and Nigel Dobson are sailing to Istanbul en route to India. They encounter a beautiful French woman, and that night Nigel meets her while dancing alone in the ship's ... See full summary »

Director:

Roman Polanski

Writers:

Gérard Brach (screenplay), John Brownjohn (screenplay),

Stars:

Peter Coyote, Emmanuelle Seigner, Hugh Grant

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Peter Coyote	...	Oscar
Emmanuelle Seigner	...	Mimi
Hugh Grant	...	Nigel
Kristin Scott Thomas	...	Fiona
Victor Banerjee	...	Mr. Singh
Sophie Patel	...	Amrita Singh
Patrick Albenque	...	Steward
Smilja Mihailovitch	...	Bridge Player
Leo Eckmann	...	Bridge Player
Luca Vellani	...	Dado
Richard Dieux	...	Partygoer
Danny Wuyts	...	Bandleader (as Danny Garcy)
Daniel Dhubert	...	Bus Inspector
Nathalie Galán	...	Girl in Boutique (as Nathalie Galan)
Eric Gonzales	...	Cook

Storyline

British couple Fiona and Nigel Dobson are sailing to Istanbul en route to India. They encounter a beautiful French woman, and that night Nigel meets her while dancing alone in the ship's bar. Later he meets her crippled American husband Oscar, who tells him their story. While living in Paris for several years trying to be a writer, he becomes obsessed with a woman he met by chance on a bus. He tracks her down and they start a steamy love affair. Soon Oscar finds himself enslaved body and soul by her love, and continues to tell Nigel the details of this relationship in various stages over a number of visits to Oscar's cabin.

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Plot Keywords:

abuse | wheelchair | love | accident | sex | 

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Genres:

Drama | Romance | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for the strong depiction of a perverse sexual relationship

Details

Country:

France UK USA

Language:

English French

Release Date:

11 March 1994 (USA)

Also Known As:

Bitter måne

Filming Locations:

Paris Studios Cinéma, Billancourt, Hauts-de-Seine, France

Box Office

Budget:

$5,000,000 (estimated)

Gross:

$1,862,805 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Canal+, Columbia Pictures Corporation, Les Films Alain Sarde

Technical Specs

Runtime:

139 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The movie is based upon Pascal Bruckner's 1981 novel "Lune de fiel" - a pun on "Lune de miel", the French word for "honeymoon". "Lune de fiel" literally means "poison moon".

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Goofs

At about 1:49 when Mimi takes off her shoes and Oscar has wet himself, the position of the visible shoe on the floor varies between shots (points 180 degrees the other way).

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Quotes

Oscar: It's no fun hurting someone who means nothing to you.

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Connections

References Andy Warhol's Dracula (1974)

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Soundtracks

"STOP"
Written by Bruce Brody and Sam Brown (as Samantha Brown) and Gregg Sutton
Performed by Sam Brown
Courtesy of A&M/Polygram Special Projects

User Reviews

Heartwrenching filthy spectacular

Roman Polanski really outdid himself in this original film about lust,perversions,love,dependencies,relationships and the evil of man. All shaped and formed in the city of love,Paris.You're flung to and from Paris on to a cruise on open dark waters.The shift and the graphic story send your sealegs a drift.

Hugh Grant ,in his shy studdering act of a prude sexually frustrated Englishman drawn into temptation by the french vamp,is adorable compared to the other characters in the film.

Curiosity killed the cat!

This movie is at times very erotic and then it slides down to real perversity's.

It captures you and doesn't leave you unmarked.