The Portrait of a Lady (1996)

User Rating:

5.9/10   

Director:

Jane Campion

Writers:

Henry James (novel)
Laura Jones (screenplay)

Release Date:

17 January 1997 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Plot:

Isabel Archer, an American heiress and free thinker travels to Europe to find herself. She tactfully rebuffs the advances of Caspar Goodwood...

Plot Keywords:

Art | Sexuality | Victorian Era | Consumption | Nun

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 4 wins & 6 nominations

Cast

Nicole Kidman	...	Isabel Archer
John Malkovich	...	Gilbert Osmond
Barbara Hershey	...	Madame Serena Merle
Mary-Louise Parker	...	Henrietta Stackpole
Martin Donovan	...	Ralph Touchett
Shelley Winters	...	Mrs. Touchett
Richard E. Grant	...	Lord Warburton
Shelley Duvall	...	Countess Gemini
Christian Bale	...	Edward Rosier
Viggo Mortensen	...	Caspar Goodwood
Valentina Cervi	...	Pansy Osmond
John Gielgud	...	Mr. Touchett
Roger Ashton-Griffiths	...	Bob Bantling
Catherine Zago	...	Mother Superior
Alessandra Vanzi	...	Nun #2
Amy Lindsay	...	Miss Molyneux #1 (as Katie Campbell)
Katherine Anne Porter	...	Miss Molyneux #2
Eddy Seager	...	Strongman's Spruiker
Pat Roach	...	Strongman
Emanuele Carucci Viterbi	...	Roccanera Butler
Francesca Bartellini	...	Isabel's Maid
Achille Brugnini	...	Footman At Ballroom

Directed by
Jane Campion

Writing credits
Henry James		(novel)
Laura Jones		(screenplay)

Produced by
Steve Golin	....	producer
Ute Leonhardt	....	associate producer
Monty Montgomery	....	producer
Heidrun Reshöft	....	associate producer (as Heidrun Reshoeft)
Mark Turnbull	....	associate producer
Ann Wingate	....	co-producer

Original Music by
Wojciech Kilar

Cinematography by
Stuart Dryburgh		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Veronika Jenet

Casting by
Johanna Ray

Production Design by
Janet Patterson

Art Direction by
Martin Childs		(supervising art director)
Mark Raggett

Costume Design by
Janet Patterson

Makeup Department
Nuala Conway	....	hair assistant
Nuala Conway	....	makeup assistant
Magdalene Gaffney	....	hair designer
Magdalene Gaffney	....	makeup designer
Peter King	....	hair designer
Peter King	....	makeup designer
Amanda Knight	....	makeup artist
Ken Lintott	....	makeup artist
Peter Owen	....	hair designer
Peter Owen	....	makeup designer
Noriko Watanabe	....	hair stylist: Nicole Kidman
Noriko Watanabe	....	makeup artist: Nicole Kidman
Campbell Young	....	hairdresser
Nuala Conway	....	key crowd hair stylist (uncredited)
Massimo Gattabrusi	....	hair daily (uncredited)
Paola Gattabrusi	....	daily makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Tim Clawson	....	executive in charge of production
Rosemary Dority	....	post-production supervisor
Nigel Goldsack	....	unit production manager
Joel Hatch	....	production supervisor
Giles Johnson	....	location production manager: Italy
Glenn Kiser	....	executive in charge of post-production
Marco Valerio Pugini	....	production manager: Italy
Linda Shamest	....	post-production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Ida Corti	....	second assistant director: Italy
Simon Emanuel	....	third assistant director
Colin Englert	....	second unit director
Piero Frescobaldi	....	third assistant director: Italy
Richard Hoult	....	assistant director: second unit
Fabio Jephcott	....	assistant director: second unit
Paul Taylor	....	second assistant director
Mark Turnbull	....	first assistant director
Julia Waye	....	assistant director: second unit

Art Department
Alessandro Alberti	....	assistant art director: Italy
Elio Altamura	....	property buyer: Italy
John Behan	....	carpenter
Agostino Bivi	....	painter: Italy
Arnaldo Bivi	....	painter: Italy
Stuart Blinco	....	painter
Leanda Bowden-Smith	....	production buyer
John Campbell	....	stand-by painter
Darryl Carter	....	stand-by carpenter
Jack Carter	....	construction manager
Bruno Cesari	....	set decorator: Italy
Paul Cheesman	....	dressing prop man (as Paul Cheeseman)
Nicholas Clark	....	art department assistant (as Nicholas 'Nico' Clark)
Matthew Cook	....	dressing prop man (as Matt Cook)
Stan Cook	....	props storeman
Giuseppe De Luca	....	dressing prop man
Marco Di Francesco	....	props laborer: Italy
Angelo D'Offizi	....	carpenter: Italy
Judy Ducker	....	production buyer
Trevor Dyer	....	carpenter
Ronald Fallen	....	carpenter
Ronald Fallen	....	painter
Alfonso Fortunati	....	painter: Italy
Andrew Good	....	carpenter
Les Hall	....	carpenter
Robert Harper	....	supervising painter
John Hedges	....	supervising carpenter
Vittorio Imperia	....	dressing prop man: Italy
Richard Jones	....	carpenter
Constante Maialetti	....	greensman: Italy
Paolo Marasciulo	....	carpenter: Italy
Simon Marjoram	....	carpenter
Thomas McCarthy	....	carpenter (as Tom McCarthy)
Ennio Meloni	....	carpenter: Italy
Rodolfo Mignacca	....	drapesman: Italy
Miraphora Mina	....	assistant to production designer
Bernadino Nardoni	....	construction coordinator: Italy (as Bernardino Nardoni)
Norman North	....	stand-by painter
Stefano Maria Ortolani	....	art director: Italy (as Stefano Ortolani)
Jill Quertier	....	supervising set decorator
Anthony Rhone	....	painter (as Tony Rhone)
Cesare Rossiello	....	greensman: Italy
Romolo Siani	....	stand-by painter: Italy
Domenico Sica	....	scenic artist: Italy
Franco Staltari	....	construction stagehand: Italy
Graham Stickley	....	dressing prop man
Alfio Tempera	....	property dresser leadman: Italy (as Alfio 'Bruno' Tempera)
John Thorpe	....	carpenter
Alan Titmus	....	stand-by stagehand
Bradley Torbett	....	stand-by prop man
Charles Torbett	....	property master
Jason Torbett	....	stand-by prop man
Remo Tozzi	....	art department assistant
Charlotte Watts	....	assistant art director
Kenneth Welland	....	painter (as Ken Welland)
Ben Wilkinson	....	dressing prop man
Roger Willis	....	carpenter

Sound Department
Gethin Creagh	....	sound re-recording mixer
Robert Deschaine	....	adr mixer
Peter Glossop	....	sound mixer
Tom Glossop	....	sound assistant
Bronwen Gower	....	assistant sound editor
Dave Humphries	....	adr recordist (as David Humphries)
Tim Jordan	....	adr editor
Bradley Kendrick	....	sound assistant
Rick Lisle	....	assistant sound editor
Paula Lourie	....	assistant sound editor
Shaun Mills	....	boom operator
Andrea Moser	....	sound assistant: Italy
Martin Oswin	....	sound re-recording mixer
Basia Ozerski	....	assistant sound editor
Julie Pearce	....	adr mixer
Julie Pearce	....	foley mixer
Andrew Plain	....	dialogue editor
Annabelle Sheehan	....	adr supervisor
John Simpson	....	foley walker
Lisa Simpson	....	foley assistant
Lee Smith	....	sound designer
Peter Townend	....	sound effects editor
Karin Whittington	....	dialogue editor
Phil Winters	....	assistant sound editor
Paul J. Zydel	....	adr mixer (as Paul Zydel)
Greg Fitzgerald	....	sound mix liason (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Edmondo Natali	....	special effects: Italy
Germano Natali	....	special effects: Italy
Silvio Natali	....	special effects: Italy
Fabio Traversari	....	chief special effects: Italy
Germano Unger	....	special effects: Italy
Jonathan Bullock	....	special effects trainee (uncredited)
Dave Crownshaw	....	snow effects supervisor (uncredited)
Martin 'Marty' McLaughlin	....	snow effects trainee (uncredited)
Matthew Roberts	....	special effects assistant (uncredited)
Steven Warner	....	special effects trainee (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Martin Body	....	optical effects: Peerless Camera Co.
Ditch Doy	....	digital effects: Peerless Camera Co.
Paddy Eason	....	digital effects: Peerless Camera Co.
Kent Houston	....	visual effects supervisor: Peerless Camera Co.
Chris Lovegrove	....	motion control: Peerless Camera Co.
Mark Nelmes	....	digital effects: Peerless Camera Co.
Tim Ollive	....	digital effects: Peerless Camera Co.
Susi Roper	....	visual effects coordinator: Peerless Camera Co.
David Smith	....	optical effects: Peerless Camera Co.
Charlie Tyler	....	motion control: Peerless Camera Co.
Dean Yurke	....	digital effects: Peerless Camera Co.

Camera and Electrical Department
Grant Adams	....	video assist operator
Sam Bloor	....	electrician: Italy
Fabio Cafolla	....	best boy: Italy
Peter Casey	....	generator operator
Tristam Cones	....	clapper loader
Julian Court	....	camera operator: second unit
Marco Cristiani	....	camera operator: second unit
Luca De Santis	....	rigger: Italy
Lorenzo Dominici	....	stand-by rigging grip: Italy
Cesare Emidi	....	grip: Italy
David Hughes	....	best boy rigger
Mark Hutton	....	generator operator
Don Jowsey	....	gaffer
Simon Lucas	....	electrician
Colin Manning	....	key dolly grip
Grant Matthews	....	still photographer: Italy
Keith McNamara	....	focus puller: second unit
Maurizio Micalizzi	....	grip: second unit
Ettore Migalizzi	....	grip: second unit (as Ettore Micalizzi)
Les Mills	....	stand-by rigger
Ted Morris	....	camera assistant
Ted Morris	....	focus puller
Sean O'Neill	....	best boy electric
Livio Perri	....	rigger: Italy
Marco Pieroni	....	Steadicam operator
Stefano Pugini	....	focus puller: second unit
Massimiliano Quaglietti	....	rigger: Italy
Piero Quaglietti	....	rigger: Italy
Darren Quinn	....	grip
Stuart Reid	....	electrician: Italy
Kate Robinson	....	camera operator: second unit
Mauro Rumor	....	rigger: Italy (as Mauro Romor)
Marco Sacerdoti	....	Steadicam assistant
Trinh-Dinh San	....	camera assistant: Italy (as Trinh Dinh San)
Nazzareno Savini	....	grip: Italy (as Nazareno Savini)
Jean-Paul Seresin	....	focus puller: second unit (as J.P. Seresin)
Jim Smart	....	electrician (as Jimmy Smart)
John Spinks	....	assistant still photographer: Italy
Benedetto Stefanucci	....	remote head operator: Italy
Juergen Teller	....	still photographer: Italy
Bill Thornhill	....	electrician (as Billy Thornhill)
Nigel Willoughby	....	camera operator

Animation Department
Andrea Adams	....	animator (uncredited)

Casting Department
M. Rosaria Caracciolo	....	casting: minors (as Rosaria Caracciolo)
Beth Charkham	....	casting: UK
Brendan Donnison	....	adr voice casting
Mary Jane Fendler	....	casting assistant (as Mary Jane Lavacca)
Elaine J. Huzzar	....	casting associate
Clare Moseley	....	extras casting: UK
Shaila Rubin	....	casting: Italy

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Sergio Ballo	....	wardrobe liaison: Itlay
Maurizio Basile	....	set stand-by costume assistant: Italy
John Birkinshaw	....	dresser
John Bright	....	costumes: Cosprop
Wendy Chuck	....	assistant to costume designer
Helen Mattocks	....	dresser
Emanuela Muratolo	....	seamstress: Italy
Pat Novissimo	....	jeweller: Lowther Antiques
Ruggero Peruzzi	....	costumes: La costumi d'arte Roma, Firenze
Sally Turner	....	assistant costume designer
Ros Ward	....	wardrobe mistress
Patrick Wheatley	....	wardrobe supervisor

Editorial Department
Paul Ensby	....	color timer
Heidi Kenessey	....	assistant film editor
Cesar Augusto Meneghetti	....	assistant film editor
Tishna Molla	....	assistant film editor
Jane Moran	....	first assistant film editor
Melanie Oliver	....	assistant film editor
Tasha Pym	....	assistant film editor (as Natasha Pym)
Adrienne Shaw	....	assistant film editor
Sylvia Wheeler	....	negative cutter

Music Department
Martin Astle	....	assistant music engineer
Juraj Durovic	....	musicians contractor
Isobel Griffiths	....	musicians contractor
Jan Holzner	....	assistant music engineer
Michael Hradisky	....	assistant music engineer
Veronika Jenet	....	music editor
Wojciech Kilar	....	orchestrator: score
Stepán Konícek	....	music conductor (as Stepan Konicek)
Andrew Kotatko	....	music consultant
Nic Raine	....	music conductor
Dawn Soler	....	music supervisor
John Timperley	....	music engineer
John Timperley	....	music mixer
Julie Pearce	....	assistant music editor (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Stefano Antenucci	....	unit driver: Italy
Massimo Biondi	....	driver: Italy
Simone Bramucci	....	driver: Italy
Andrea Buchetti	....	driver: Italy
Luigi Buldrini	....	driver: Italy
Claudio Chelucci	....	driver: Italy
Nicola Ciccarella	....	driver: Italy
Dino Colasanti	....	unit driver: Italy
Vincenzo Corcioni	....	driver: Italy
Stefano De Leonibus	....	unit driver: Italy
Mauro De Vito	....	driver: Italy
Marco Di Francesco	....	driver: Italy
Agostino Ferrini	....	unit driver: Italy
Tony Goff	....	driver
Gerry Gore	....	additional transportation coordinator
Mario Graziosi	....	driver: Italy
Antonio Grieco	....	driver: Italy
Robert Groves	....	driver
Mike Hamilton	....	driver
Brian Hathaway	....	transportation coordinator
Chas Hewitt	....	unit driver
Tony Hewitt	....	driver
Keith Horsley	....	unit driver
Frank Hughes	....	driver
Tommy Hunt	....	driver
Adriano Iannilli	....	driver: Italy
David J. Jones	....	driver
Tony Leport	....	driver
Fabrizio Libertini	....	driver: Italy
Bob 'Heart Attack' Lilley	....	unit driver (as Bob Lilley)
Enzo Massoli	....	driver: Italy
Peter Nichols	....	driver
Jeff Oldman	....	unit driver
John Ott	....	driver
Sergio Paladina	....	unit driver: Italy
Fabio Petri	....	unit driver: Italy
Stefano Picucci	....	driver: Italy
Enrico Pini	....	transport captain: Italy
Luciano Plescia	....	driver: Italy
Alessandro Renga	....	driver: Italy
Marco Ribechini	....	driver: Italy
Francesco Ruggeri	....	driver: Italy
Stefano Ruocco	....	driver: Italy
Bob Sachs	....	driver (as Bob Sacks)
Paolo Sacripanti	....	unit driver: Italy
Walter Santalmasi	....	driver: Italy (as Walter Santalmassi)
Loredano Santangelo	....	driver: Italy
Stanley Sirkin	....	unit driver
Albert Smith	....	driver
Gian Mauro Taddei	....	driver: Italy
Massimiliano Taglioni	....	unit driver: Italy
Armando Tranquilli	....	driver: Italy
Giuliano Troiano	....	driver: Italy
Bill Turner	....	unit driver
Elio Usai	....	driver: Italy
Mauro Venditti	....	driver: Italy
Mario Verni	....	unit driver: Italy
Mark White	....	driver
Mark White	....	transportation
Dale Wilson	....	driver

Other crew
Gerardo Albero	....	production assistant: Italy (as Gerardo 'Dino' Albero)
Bachofen Alexis	....	production assistant (as Alexis R. Bachofen)
Gian Nicola Bacci	....	production assistant: Italy
Margie Balter	....	piano instructor
Francesco Barbieri	....	production assistant: Italy
Simona Benzakein	....	publicist: Italy
Mona Bernal	....	production coordinator: Italy (as Maria G 'Mona' Bernal)
Fabrizio Bianchi	....	production assistant: Italy
Hermano Boccanera	....	production assistant: Italy
Beryl Brown	....	assistant production accountant
Judi Bunn	....	production coordinator
Warren Burt	....	security
Stephen Calloway	....	etiquette advisor
Michael Campion	....	assistant to publicist: Italy
Renzo Cantini	....	crowd marshall: Italy
Vittorio Carta	....	work permits: Italy
Karen Chalk Wheeler	....	post-production accountant (as Karen Wheeler)
Jan Chapman	....	script consultant
Lorenzo Colonna	....	production assistant: Italy
Victoria Connell	....	floor runner
Jennifer Cooper	....	caterer (as Jenny Cooper)
James Cousins	....	security
Lynn-Maree Danzey	....	script supervisor
Nick Daubeny	....	location manager
Alexis Delage-Toriel	....	assistant publicist: Italy
Stefano De Leonibus	....	office security: Italy
Andrea Doven	....	assistant: Ms. Kidman
Richard Dunmore	....	location scout
Kate Ellis	....	documentarian
Kate Ellis	....	title designer
Colin Englert	....	consultant researcher
Sergio Farina	....	set security: Italy
Eugenia 'Lilla' Fiumi	....	floor runner: Italy
David Flynn	....	chef
Emily Giles	....	production assistant
Elaine Gilks	....	accounts assistant
Caroline Hill	....	location scout
Elizabeth Himelstein	....	dialect coach
Billy Hinshelwood	....	legal services: Marriott Harrison (as William Hinshelwood)
Ellen Hofstadter	....	accounting supervisor (as Ellen Hofstadter-Shapiro)
Robert Katz	....	film researcher
Barbara Kilar	....	muse
Barbara Kreisler	....	set contact: Italy
Marcello Lanza	....	assistant accountant: Italy
Enrico Latella	....	production assistant: Italy
Jodi Leesley	....	assistant: Ms. Kidman
Leslie Lewis	....	executive: PolyGram Soundtracks
Claire Litchfield	....	unit nurse
Peter Long	....	documentarian
Peter Long	....	title designer
Linda Lorenzetti	....	interpretor: Italy
Fabio Mancini	....	assistant location manager: Italy
Roberto Martino	....	warehouse security: Italy
Norma Marie Mascia	....	contact: Rome (as Norma Maria Masha)
Beppe Mercero	....	catering assistant: Italy
Beppe Mercero	....	translator: Italy
Paolo Mini	....	production assistant: Italy
Aroldo Mogiani	....	crowd marshall: Italy
Janice Munro	....	production secretary: Italy
Riccardo Neri	....	location manager: Italy
Susan Nickerson	....	researcher: stock footage
Anna Nicolosi	....	assistant location manager: Italy
Daniel Nixon	....	security
Sandra Nixon	....	production accountant
Matthew Palmer	....	security
Francesco Pavolini	....	production assistant: Italy
Mauro Pellegrini	....	crowd marshall: Italy
Jacquie Perryman	....	senior vice president: PolyGram Soundtracks
Giles Phelps-Brown	....	production assistant
Sargent Pillsbury	....	assistant: Mr. Golin
Enzo Prosperini	....	shooting permits: Italy
Simona Prosperi	....	production assistant: Italy
Susan Bello Pugliese	....	unit nurse: Italy
Barbara Ragghianti	....	assistant location manager: Italy
David Reynolds	....	catering supervisor
Daniela Rocco	....	assistant location manager: Italy
Denise Rowe	....	assistant: Ms. Campion
Tom Sacchi	....	floor runner: Italy
Jack Sainte-Rose	....	assistant to producer
Alberto Sarcinelli	....	set security: Italy
Jalee Marie Simaan	....	post-production accountant (as Jalee Simaan)
Enzo Sisti	....	fiscal representative: Italy
Mark Somner	....	assistant location manager
Flavia Sparapane	....	choreographer (as Flavia Sparapani)
Diego Tempera	....	production assistant: Italy
Daniele Tiberi	....	production accountant: Italy
Giovanni Tinti	....	set security: Italy
Stefano Tozzi	....	warehouse security: Italy
Maurizia Tranchina	....	assistant crowd marshall: Italy
Day Trinh-Dinh	....	projectionist: Italy (as Trinh Dinh Day)
Ron Watkins	....	security supervisor
Doreen Wilcox	....	film researcher
Roger Williams	....	assistant: Mr. Montgomery
Rebecca Wiseman	....	chef
Carla Zacchia	....	cashier: Italy (as Carla Zacchia Legall)
Lulu Zezza	....	production representative
Toby Hosking	....	set runner (uncredited)
Francesco Pavolini	....	floor runner (uncredited)
Roger Phillips	....	end titles (uncredited)

Thanks
Sir Francis Dashwood	....	the producers would like to thank: West Wycombe Park
Ronald Eastman	....	acknowledgment: fly material filmed by (as Ron Eastman)
Harvey Edgington	....	the producers would like to thank: Greenwich Film Commission (as Harvey Edginton)
Vicci Harper	....	special thanks (as Viccy Harper)
Veronika Jenet	....	special thanks
Laura Jones	....	special thanks
Nicole Kidman	....	special thanks
Meera Lawrence	....	acknowledgment: Jane Campion's family thanks for her kind help
Monty Montgomery	....	special thanks
Marco Nencini	....	the producers would like to thank: Lucca
Janet Parkoff	....	acknowledgment: Jane Campion's family thanks for her kind help
Janet Patterson	....	special thanks
Lady Rasch	....	the producers would like to thank: Heale House
Major D.A.C. Rasch	....	the producers would like to thank: Heale House

Production Companies

• Polygram Filmed Entertainment (presents)
• Propaganda Films

Distributors

• Gramercy Pictures (I) (1996) (USA) (theatrical)
• Ascot Elite Entertainment Group (1996) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• Líder Films (1997) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• PolyGram Filmed Entertainment Distribution (1997) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• PolyGram Filmed Entertainment (1997) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Sogepaq Distribución (1997) (Spain) (theatrical)
• PolyGram Video (1997) (USA) (VHS)
• PolyGram Video (1997) (Netherlands) (video)
• Kinowelt Home Entertainment (2008) (Germany) (DVD)
• Elliniki Kinimatografiki Enosi (ELKE) (Greece)
• Home Video Hellas (HVH) (Greece) (VHS)
• Transeuropa Video Entertainment (TVE) (Argentina) (video)

Special Effects

• Snow Business International (as Snow Business)
• Effects Associates
• First Effects
• Peerless Camera Company (digital and optical effects)
• Germano Natali (uncredited)

Other Companies

• Angel Recording Studios  music recorded and mixed at (as Angel Recording Studios, London)
• Animals Okay  animals provided by (as Animals O-Kay)
• Atlab  sound mixing facilities (as Atlab, Australia)
• Carrozzeria Medese  carriages and horses: Italy
• Cineservices  grip equipment: Italy
• Cinesicura  production insurance: Italy
• Comune di Firenze  the producers would like to thank
• Comune di Roma  the producers would like to thank
• Cosprop  costumes
• Costumi d'Arte  costumes: Roma, Firenze
• Daniel Berquiny  animals supplied by: Italy
• Debbie Kaye  carriages and horses: UK
• Film Audit  fiscal representatives
• Focus Transport Ltd.  production transport
• Giovanni Pratesi Antiquario  antiques
• Great Northern/Reiff & Associates  production insurance: USA (as Great Northern/Reiff & Assoc.)
• Il Comune di Lucca  the producers would like to thank
• International Film Guarantors  completion guaranty provided by
• Johanna Ray and Associates  casting
• L.C. Pompei, Rome  shoes (as Pompei, Rome)
• Lee Lighting  lighting equipment
• Location Facilities  location transport facilities (as Location Facilities Ltd, UK)
• London Records  soundtrack available on (as London Cds and Cassettes)
• Lowther Antiques  jewellery
• Marriott Harrison  legal services
• Ministero per i beni culturalie ambientali  the producers would like to thank
• Panavision UK  camera equipment
• Panavision UK  grip equipment
• Panavision  cameras and lenses
• Panorama Films  production facilities (as Panorama Productions S.R.L.)
• RHH/Albert G. Ruben Insurance Services  production insurance: UK (as RHH/Albert G. Ruben)
• Sapex Scripts  post-production script services
• Set Meals  location catering
• Smécky Studios  music recorded and mixed at (as Smecky Studios, Prague)
• Spectrum Films International  post-production facilities (as Spectrum Films, Sydney)
• Technicolor  color by (as Technicolor, London)
• The Old Royal Naval College, Greenwich  the producers would like to thank (as Royal Naval College, Greenwich)
• Trasporti Cinematografici Tranquilli (TCT)  production transport (as TCT {Tranquilli}, Italy)
• Victoria and Albert Museum  the producers would like to thank (as The Victoria and Albert Museum, London)
• Video & Film Company  ultimatte equipment

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for mature sensuality and some brief nudity.

Runtime:

144 min

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English | Italian

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Singapore:NC-16 | Iceland:L | South Korea:18 | USA:PG-13 (certificate #34839) | Argentina:13 | Australia:PG | Belgium:KT | Chile:14 | Finland:K-12 | Germany:12 (bw) | Italy:T | Mexico:B | Netherlands:12 | Peru:14 | Portugal:M/12 | Spain:7 | Sweden:Btl | UK:12

Filming Locations:

England, UK

Company:

Polygram Filmed Entertainment

Trivia:

The opening theme of "Portrait of a Lady" came to Wojciech Kilar when he was flying back to Poland from a meeting with director Jane Campion. Lacking manuscript paper he scribbled it on his boarding pass.

Goofs:

Continuity: During the ball scene, a full orchestra can be heard while only a chamber orchestra (less than ten people) appears on the screen.

Quotes:

Gilbert Osmond: You don't lose your temper, you find it.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Killing Floor (2007)

Soundtrack:

The Skater's Waltz

A cool, enigmatic film, but stylish...

An interesting film with an undercurrent of sexual repression similar to that in Campion's other films. Nicole Kidman is excellent, given the material, though her transition from likeable, virtuous innocent to a cold and corrupted woman doesn't ring as true as it should--the three years glossed over with a subtitle isn't adequate to show the change. I blame this on the interpretation, direction, and/or editing rather than Kidman's performance, however. Malkovich is not as strong, and one wonders what any woman could see in him as a lover.

The ending is cold and unsettling. Most filmgoers prefer to know that their hero/heroine is "safe" at the end of the story. Here, who knows ?

Production values are good, and the film is quite stylish with interesting use of camera tilt, lighting, and angles. It's quite artsy. I am glad I saw the film, but acknowledge it's not likely to be everyone's cup of tea.