The Scarlet Letter (1995)

In 1666 in the Massachusetts Bay colony, Puritans and Algonquian have an uneasy truce. Hester arrives from England, seeking independence. Awaiting her husband, she establishes independence,... See full summary »

Director:

Roland Joffé

Writers:

Nathaniel Hawthorne (novel), Douglas Day Stewart (screenplay)

Stars:

Demi Moore, Gary Oldman, Robert Duvall

1 win & 9 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Demi Moore	...	Hester Prynne
Gary Oldman	...	Rev. Arthur Dimmesdale
Robert Duvall	...	Roger Chillingworth
Lisa Andoh	...	Mituba (as Lisa Joliffe-Andoh)
Edward Hardwicke	...	Gov. John Bellingham
Robert Prosky	...	Horace Stonehall
Roy Dotrice	...	Rev. Thomas Cheever
Joan Plowright	...	Harriet Hibbons
Malcolm Storry	...	Maj. Dunsmuir
James Bearden	...	Goodman Mortimer (as Jim Bearden)
Larissa Laskin	...	Goody Mortimer
Amy Wright	...	Goody Gotwick
George Aguilar	...	Johnny Sassamon
Tim Woodward	...	Brewster Stonehall
Joan Gregson	...	Elizabeth Cheever

Storyline

In 1666 in the Massachusetts Bay colony, Puritans and Algonquian have an uneasy truce. Hester arrives from England, seeking independence. Awaiting her husband, she establishes independence, fixing up a house, befriending Quakers and other outsiders. Passion draws her to a young pastor. He feels the same; when they learn her husband has probably died at the hands of Indians, they consummate their love. A child is born, and on the day Hester is publicly humiliated and made to wear a scarlet letter, her husband appears after a year with Indians. Calling himself Chillingworth, he seeks revenge, searching out Hester's lover and stirring fears of witchcraft. Will his murderous plot succeed?

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Plot Keywords:

massachusetts | adultery | 17th century | new england | quaker | 

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Taglines:

When intimacy is forbidden and passion is a sin, love is the most defiant crime of all.

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for violence and sexuality

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

13 October 1995 (USA)

Also Known As:

La letra escarlata

Filming Locations:

Oyster River, British Columbia, Canada

Box Office

Budget:

$50,000,000 (estimated)

Gross:

$10,400,000 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Allied Stars Ltd., Cinergi Pictures Entertainment, Hollywood Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

135 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Dolby Digital

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Meg Ryan lobbied hard for the part of Hester Prynne.

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Goofs

Nicholas Rice is credited as playing the clerk, but the role was actually played by someone else.

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Quotes

[to the crowd gathered for Hester's hanging]
Reverand Arthur Dimmesdale: In God's eyes, I am her husband.

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Connections

Referenced in Saturday Night Live: Lara Flynn Boyle/Bon Jovi (2001)

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Soundtracks

"Agnus Dei"
(Based on Samuel Barber's "Adagio for Strings")
Performed by Robert Shaw and the Robert Shaw Festival Singers
(Adm. by G. Schirmen Inc. (ASCAP))
Courtesy of Telarc International Corporation

User Reviews

Just Horrible

If this movie were original it would be only fair to mediocre, but claiming its based on Nathaniel Hawthorne's classic novel is insulting. I hear the ads for this movie say its based 'freely and liberally' on the book. Well, this is an insult to the book. Is Demi Moore so illiterrate she comments (see trivia section) that it was okay to change the ending of the book from sad to happy because not many people read the book? Unbelievable. The Scarlett 'A' imagery has been permanently etched in American culture. Take classic literature and try shoving it through the Hollywood formula mill and this movie is the result, a faceless, emotionless and forgettable movie. Try sayign that about the book