Home
search
more | tips
IMDb > Paradise Road (1997)
Paradise Road
Quicklinks
Top Links
trailers and videosfull cast and crewtriviaofficial sitesmemorable quotes
Overview
main detailscombined detailsfull cast and crewcompany creditstv schedule
Awards & Reviews
user commentsexternal reviewsnewsgroup reviewsawardsuser ratingsparents guiderecommendationsmessage board
Plot & Quotes
plot summaryplot synopsisplot keywordsAmazon.com summarymemorable quotes
Fun Stuff
triviagoofssoundtrack listingcrazy creditsalternate versionsmovie connectionsFAQ
Other Info
merchandising linksbox office/businessrelease datesfilming locationstechnical specslaserdisc detailsDVD detailsliterature listingsNewsDesk
Promotional
taglines trailers and videos posters photo gallery
External Links
showtimesofficial sitesmiscellaneousphotographssound clipsvideo clips

Paradise Road (1997) More at IMDbPro »

Photos (see all 12 | slideshow) Videos
Paradise Road (1997) -- Fact-based recounting of a group of women who are imprisoned on the island of Sumatra by the Japanese during World War II and used music as a relief to their misery.

Overview

User Rating:
6.5/10   2,287 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 2% in popularity this week. See rank & trends on IMDbPro.
Director:
Bruce Beresford
Writers:
David Giles (story) and
Martin Meader (story) ...
more
Contact:
View company contact information for Paradise Road on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
11 April 1997 (USA) more
Genre:
Drama | War more
Plot:
Fact-based recounting of a group of women who are imprisoned on the island of Sumatra by the Japanese during World War II and used music as a relief to their misery. full summary | add synopsis
Plot Keywords:
more
Awards:
1 win & 3 nominations more
NewsDesk:
Elle To Make Theatrical Debut
 (From WENN. 25 September 2001)

User Comments:
Powerful more

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Glenn Close ... Adrienne Pargiter

Frances McDormand ... Dr. Verstak
Pauline Collins ... Daisy 'Margaret' Drummond

Cate Blanchett ... Susan Macarthy

Jennifer Ehle ... Rosemary Leighton-Jones

Julianna Margulies ... Topsy Merritt
Wendy Hughes ... Mrs. Dickson

Johanna ter Steege ... Sister Wilhelminia (as Johanna Ter Steege)
Elizabeth Spriggs ... Mrs. Roberts
Pamela Rabe ... Mrs. Tippler

Clyde Kusatsu ... Sergeant Tomiashi, 'The Snake'

Stan Egi ... Captain Tanaka
David Chung ... The Interpreter
Sab Shimono ... Colonel Hirota
Penne Hackforth-Jones ... Mrs. Pike
more
Create a character page for: ?

Additional Details

MPAA:
Rated R for prisoner of war brutality and violence.
Runtime:
122 min | 114 min (FMC Library Print)
Country:
Australia | USA
Color:
Color
Aspect Ratio:
2.35 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Dolby Digital

Fun Stuff

Goofs:
Factual errors: An early night scene of the women swimming ashore (set in the week after 10 February 1942) shows the full moon. The moon was between last quarter and new moon that week. more
Quotes:
Dr. Verstak: Sometimes God reaches down and pulls the wings off his butterflies. more
Movie Connections:
References Silent Cries (1993) more
Soundtrack:
Funeral March more

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
3 out of 4 people found the following comment useful:-
Powerful, 29 January 2001
8/10
Author: smatysia (feldene@comcast.net) from Houston

First class work here. The film follows a group of women captured in Asia by the Japanese, and interned as enemy aliens. It shows the inhuman brutality that the Japanese inflicted on anyone they considered to be of an inferior race. (i.e. not Japanese) (for that matter anyone not samurai) As a coping mechanism, and partially in defiance of their captors, the women form a vocal orchestra, playing the parts of classical music with only their voices. The music soothes the women, those in the orchestra, and those who aren't. The Japanese soldiers even come to enjoy the sound, and the atrocity rate drops a couple of notches.

Stand out performances abound here. In fact I can't really single out any of the cast. They were all good, including the Japanese actors. I had thought from the reviews that the music would be the largest part of the film, with just the backdrop of the prison camp, but it really wasn't. I recommend this film.

Was the above comment useful to you?
more

Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Paradise Road (1997)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
Answer honestly.... taggertjc
I was wondering. nalleballe
more help with similiar movie billr1953
Films about Japanese camps similar to this? ta86
Did that girl with the relationship die or not ? max_lee55
Song Hazar_me
more

Recommendations

If you enjoyed this title, our database also recommends:
- - - - -
The Great Raid Singapore The Children of Huang Shi Blood Oath Flying Tigers
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
Show more recommendations

Related Links

Full cast and crew Company credits External reviews
News articles IMDb Drama section IMDb Australia section
Add this title to MyMovies

You may report errors and omissions on this page to the IMDb database managers. They will be examined and if approved will be included in a future update. Clicking the 'Update' button will take you through a step-by-step process.