Washington Square (1997)

Director:

Agnieszka Holland

Writers (WGA):

Henry James (novel)
Carol Doyle (screenplay)

Release Date:

10 October 1997 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Tagline:

She must choose between her father's fortune... Or the man she loves.

Plot:

Catherine Sloper has found the man of her dreams in Morris Townsend, but her plans to marry him are strongly opposed by her father...

Plot Keywords:

Money | Self Destructiveness | Betrayal | Party | Surrogate Mother

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Jennifer Jason Leigh	...	Catherine Sloper
Albert Finney	...	Dr. Austin Sloper
Maggie Smith	...	Aunt Lavinia Penniman
Ben Chaplin	...	Morris Townsend
Judith Ivey	...	Aunt Elizabeth Almond
Arthur Laupus	...	Mr. Almond
Jennifer Garner	...	Marian Almond
Robert Stanton	...	Arthur Townsend
Betsy Brantley	...	Mrs. Montgomery
Nancy Daly	...	Maureen (Maid)
Sara Ruzicka	...	Catherine Sloper (age 11)
Rachel Layne Sacrey	...	Sarah Almond
Rachel Osborne	...	Alice Almond
Scott Jaeck	...	John Ludlow
Peter Maloney	...	Jacob Webber (Notary)

MPAA:

Rated PG for thematic elements including some sensuality, a childbirth scene and brief mild language.

Runtime:

115 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | French

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Certification:

Iceland:16 (including commercials) | Iceland:L | Argentina:13 | Chile:14 | France:U | Peru:14 | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:PG | Spain:T | UK:PG | USA:PG | Australia:PG

Filming Locations:

Baltimore, Maryland, USA

Company:

Alchemy Filmworks

Trivia:

At one point, Brooke Shields was cast as Catherine Sloper, but dropped out due to her commitment to the TV series "Suddenly Susan" (1996).

Quotes:

Catherine Sloper: You treated me badly. I felt it very much. I felt it for years. It made a great change in my life. But I can't talk about it.
Morris Townsend: Why didn't you marry then. Levinia tells me there've been chances.
Catherine Sloper: I didn't wish to marry. Yes.
Morris Townsend: You had nothing to gain.
Catherine Sloper: I had nothing to gain. What ever else happened, I did, I did love once. Well, actually.
Morris Townsend: Do you hate me?
Catherine Sloper: No. But please don't come here again.

Movie Connections:

Version of Arvtagerskan (1962) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Please Don't Come Here Again

FINE ADAPTATION OF THE HENRY JAMES NOVEL

It is unfair to compare the 1997 film "Washington Square" to the 1949 film "The Heiress." "Washington Square" is a faithful adaptation of Henry James' eponymous classic novel; "The Heiress" is based on the stage adaptation of the James novel by Augustus and Ruth Goetz.

Hence, the two most dramatic scenes in "The Heiress" do not appear in "Washington Square" -- Morris Townsend's cruel jilting of Catherine right before their planned elopement, and Catherine's revenge in the final scene, where Morris is left pounding on the bolted door.

There were many fine performances in "Washington Square," most notably Jennifer Jason Leigh. Her many expressions of hurt, pain, and anguish are heart-breaking to watch. Ben Chaplin's outstanding portrayal of "the fortune hunter" is surprisingly sympathetic. Maggie Smith's Aunt Lavinia is seen as meddling and trouble-making. The soundtrack is beautiful, and the set designs and costumes provide an accurate portrayal of 19th century New York.