Moll Flanders (1996)

User Rating:

6.2/10   

Director:

Pen Densham

Writers (WGA):

Daniel Defoe (character from novel)
Pen Densham (screen story)

Release Date:

14 June 1996 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Tagline:

The remarkable story of one woman's unbreakable spirit.

Plot:

The daughter of a thief, young Moll is placed in the care of a nunnery after the execution of her mother...

Plot Keywords:

Britain | Nun | Epic | England | Prostitution

Awards:

4 nominations

Cast

Robin Wright Penn	...	Moll Flanders (as Robin Wright)
Morgan Freeman	...	Hibble
Stockard Channing	...	Mrs. Allworthy
John Lynch	...	Artist
Brenda Fricker	...	Mrs. Mazzawatti
Geraldine James	...	Edna
Aisling Corcoran	...	Flora
Jim Sheridan	...	The Priest
Jeremy Brett	...	Artist's Father
Britta Smith	...	Artist's Mother
Cathy Murphy	...	Polly
Emma McIvor	...	Mary
Maria Doyle Kennedy	...	Alice
Ger Ryan	...	Orphanage Woman
Harry Towb	...	Magistrate

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for violence, nudity and sex-related material

Runtime:

123 min | Germany:113 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | Stereo (QSound)

Certification:

Iceland:12 | Canada:14+ (Ontario) | Australia:M | France:U | Portugal:M/12 | South Korea:18 | Spain:7 | USA:PG-13

Filming Locations:

Ardmore Studios - Herbert Road, Bray, County Wicklow, Ireland

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

Jeremy Brett's last film.

Quotes:

Mrs. Allworthy: Life's terrible short girl. Give yourself some pleasure. I'll bet you've never been kissed.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Film Geek (2005)

Soundtrack:

Sellenger's Round

Outstanding in every way

This movie is very special. Congratulation to everyone who was involved ! Most of the credit is due to Robin Wright in the title role of Moll Flanders. She gives one of the most memorable performances in movie history. So please sit back and enjoy the godsend on-screen-presence of Miss Robin Wright. Her talent and beauty is a gift to the movies and should be honored with more than just the Golden Satellite Award nomination she received for playing this challenging and complex part with such a brilliance. The movie owes its authenticity to her excellent acting abilities.

The part of Hibble is played by the gorgeous Morgan Freeman. He is not only very believable but also very strong and equivalent to the remarkable Wright.

To give you an impression of the richness and elegance this film contains, I will describe some of the most poignant moments of this masterpiece:

-When Morgan Freeman reads the memories of Moll to her daughter, his voice suddenly changes into Robin Wright telling her story from her birth to running away from the convent. When she escapes this prison you live to see one of the most illustrious scenes in movie history crowning in her fountain-bathing (movie cover).

-Another very special moment is when the artist (John Lynch in a wonderful performance) asks Moll what she expects from life and she answers : "Nothing any more". When she tells him that, Robin Wright is both breathtaking and lovely. Expressing a feeling was never more credible before.

-Robin Wright also copes superbly with whe difficult situation when Morgan Freeman tells her that he didn't find her baby. This is a very emotional and toughing scene.

-the thunder-storm-sequence is full of tension and very realistic

-Robin Wright dancing in front of her adoptive family is a gift from director Pen Densham to his viewers. His ability of both giving Robin Wright enough room to develop her character and never losing track of his own ideas is unique. Would have deserved at least a best director nomination...

-One of Robin Wright's most enjoyable scenes is the one where she refuses a piece of jewellery to confirm her love for John Lynch. "All my life I dreamed about this moment...but no one can separate me from this man, unless he wants me to leave him. I love him enough to do that. But you can't buy me..." This is one magical moment in movie history.

-When Stockard Channing's Mrs. Allworthy (she is unique, too) and Robin Wright's Moll Flanders meet for the first time, you are part of a magic moment, too. It's both funny and heart rending to see Moll netted by the villain.

Although the movie is a false interpretation of Daniel Dafoe's classic book, it tells a timeless and classic story about one woman's unbreakable spirit (that's what the cover tells you and that is true), so don't miss the opportunity to see this irresistible and convincing film and enjoy the full cast: Robin Wright in a performance awards are made for, Stockard Channing and Morgan Freeman.

10 out of 10