The Virgin Suicides (1999)

A group of male friends become obsessed with a group of mysterious sisters who are sheltered by their strict, religious parents after one of them commits suicide.

Director:

Sofia Coppola

Writers:

Jeffrey Eugenides (novel), Sofia Coppola

Stars:

James Woods, Kathleen Turner, Kirsten Dunst

3 wins & 11 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
James Woods	...	Ronald Lisbon
Kathleen Turner	...	Mrs. Lisbon
Kirsten Dunst	...	Lux Lisbon
Josh Hartnett	...	Trip Fontaine
Michael Paré	...	Adult Trip Fontaine (as Michael Pare)
Scott Glenn	...	Father Moody
Danny DeVito	...	Dr. Horniker
A.J. Cook	...	Mary Lisbon
Hanna Hall	...	Cecilia Lisbon
Leslie Hayman	...	Therese Lisbon
Chelse Swain	...	Bonnie Lisbon
Anthony DeSimone	...	Chase Buell (as Anthony Desimone)
Lee Kagan	...	David Barker
Robert Schwartzman	...	Paul Baldino
Noah Shebib	...	Parkie Denton

Storyline

The lives of an eclectic group of men who live in an affluent American suburb in the '70s are forever changed by their obsession with five doomed sisters.

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Plot Keywords:

suicide | virgin | suburb | school | isolation | 

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Taglines:

Beautiful, mysterious, haunting, invariably fatal. Just like life.

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for strong thematic elements involving teens

Details

Official Sites:

Paramount Classics [United States] Paramount Classics [United States] (Obsession Design)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

12 May 2000 (USA)

Also Known As:

Sofia Coppola's the Virgin Suicides

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$6,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

£141,888 (UK) (19 May 2000)

Gross:

$4,859,475 (USA) (25 August 2000)

Company Credits

Production Co:

American Zoetrope, Eternity Pictures, Muse Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

97 min 90 min (TV)

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Sofia Coppola played Kathleen Turner's little sister in Peggy Sue Got Married directed by her father, Francis Ford Coppola. Sofia then directed Turner in this.

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Goofs

The father refers to his model airplane as a B model North American P-51 Mustang in British service, however, the model aircraft is actually a Curtiss P-40 Warhawk.

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Quotes

Doctor: What are you doing here, honey? You're not even old enough to know how bad life gets.
Cecilia: Obviously, Doctor, you've never been a 13-year-old girl.

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Connections

References Melody (1971)

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Soundtracks

"Alone Again (Naturally)"
Written by Gilbert O'Sullivan
Performed by Gilbert O'Sullivan
Courtesy of Grand Upright Music, Ltd.
By Arrangement with Rhino Entertainment Company
Published by Grand Upright Music, Ltd.

User Reviews

Dreamy, poignant, captivating...a must-see!

The Virgin Suicides. Just the name may scare away viewers from this film. But if you are a fan of the 1993 novel, you will appreciate the way this vivid portrayal captures the spirit of love, life, and death. The story begins with an introduction to the Lisbon family. Mr. and Mrs. Lisbon gave birth to five daughters: Cecile, Lux, Mary, Bonnie, and Therese, all ranging in ages from thirteen to seventeen. Following a suicide attempt from Cecile, her parents and sisters struggle to give her what they think she lacked before; love, attention, admiration. But somewhere along the way, Cecilia grew lost and constantly withdrew from many situations. One tragic night at a Lisbon party, Cecilia succeeds at committing suicide. What follows is a bittersweet experience in the girl's lives. The story is narrated by the neighborhood boys, who lust after the girls, collecting everything they can of theirs and holding meetings just to talk about the wonders of their forbidden fruit. After strict Mrs. Lisbon shuts the house in maximum security isolation, the girl's only contact with the outside world is through these boys. This poignant, beautiful drama, written and directed by newcomer Sofia Coppola, captures the smooth lifestyles of mid 1970s suburbia, along with the beauty and angst of teenage life. It shows us how deeply through the heart emotions can run, and how to get in touch with them. Kirsten Dunst, the beautiful and talented young actress that portrays the most rebellious of the sisters, is stunning and provacative. Her best work yet.