Love and Death on Long Island (1997)

Director:

Richard Kwietniowski

Writers:

Gilbert Adair (novel)
Richard Kwietniowski (writer)

Release Date:

6 March 1998 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

Giles De'Ath is a widower who doesn't like anything modern. He goes to movies and falls in love with film star...

Plot Keywords:

Actor | Obsession | Film Within A Film | Supermarket | Actress

Awards:

4 wins & 2 nominations

Cast

John Hurt	...	Giles De'Ath
Jason Priestley	...	Ronnie Bostock
Fiona Loewi	...	Audrey
Sheila Hancock	...	Mrs. Barker
Harvey Atkin	...	Lou
Gawn Grainger	...	Henry
Elizabeth Quinn	...	Mrs. Reed
Maury Chaykin	...	Irving 'Irv' Buckmuller
Linda Busby	...	Mrs. Abbott
Bill Leadbitter	...	Eldridge
Anne Reid	...	Maureen (as Ann Reid)
Danny Webb	...	Video Assistant (as Daniel Webb)
Andrew Barrow	...	Harry
Dean Gariss	...	Rob
Robert McKewley	...	Video Salesman

Also Known As:

Amour et mort à Long Island (Canada: French title)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for brief strong language, thematic elements and some sexual content.

Runtime:

93 min | Germany:90 min | UK:103 min | USA:94 min | Argentina:94 min

Country:

UK | Canada

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Argentina:13 | Netherlands:AL | Australia:M | France:U | Germany:12 | UK:15 | USA:PG-13

Filming Locations:

Bedford, Nova Scotia, Canada

Company:

Arts Council of England

Goofs:

Continuity: When Giles lands at the airport in New York and drives thru the city all the trees are in full leaf as they would be in summer yet when he takes a cab to the motel on Long Island here are no leaves on the trees and it is obvious it is a different season.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Giles De'Ath: It is so difficult to know where I should begin, especially when, unlike you, I already know the ending. But let us say that this story began with end of another.

Movie Connections:

References Cliffhanger (1993)

Thoughtful & interesting interpretation of bridging the generation gap

What a wonderful piece of acting John Hurt gives us as Giles a naive English writer visiting Long Isalnd for the first time. Completely obsessed with the discovery of all the modern electronic gadgetry, he purchases TV and video equipment, shuts himself away and enters a new and exciting world.

He becomes besotted with the image of a handsome young actor Ronnie Bostock (Jason Priestley) a favourite among teen-age movie-goers. It's as if he is starting a completely new life with a new warmth he has never known before.

The urge to help Ronnie in his career so that he will always be close to him is the predominant theme of the film. John Hurt's performance as the older man restraining his true feelings for a handsome young man of another generation is faultless and truly absorbing. Conversations between the two men are the highlights of the film and the confession scene extremely moving.

Ronnie Bostock's girl friend Audrey ( Fiona Loewi) is both charming and beautiful and adds a sweet touch to the story. She is responsible for bringing the writer and actor together. The story is punctuated with little episodes of wry humour brought about by people who live entirely different lives.

Altogether a very satisfying film that shows how some of us live in a cocoon unaware of the extreme joy and subsequent disappointment that lies beyond.