Quills (2000)

Director:

Philip Kaufman

Writers (WGA):

Doug Wright (play)
Doug Wright (screenplay)

Release Date:

15 December 2000 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | History | Romance

Tagline:

There are no bad words... only bad deeds.

Plot:

In a Napoleonic era insane asylum, an inmate, the irrepressible Marquis De Sade, fights a battle of wills against a tyrannically prudish doctor.

Plot Keywords:

Marquis De Sade | Asylum | Writer | Insane Asylum | Punishment

Awards:

Nominated for 3 Oscars. Another 14 wins & 33 nominations

Cast

Geoffrey Rush	...	The Marquis de Sade
Kate Winslet	...	Madeleine 'Maddy' LeClerc
Joaquin Phoenix	...	The Abbe du Coulmier
Michael Caine	...	Dr. Royer-Collard
Billie Whitelaw	...	Madame LeClerc
Patrick Malahide	...	Delbené
Amelia Warner	...	Simone
Jane Menelaus	...	Renee Pelagie
Stephen Moyer	...	Prouix, the Architect
Tony Pritchard	...	Valcour
Michael Jenn	...	Cleante
Danny Babington	...	Pitou
George Yiasoumi	...	Dauphin
Stephen Marcus	...	Bouchon
Elizabeth Berrington	...	Charlotte

Also Known As:

Quills - Macht der Besessenheit (Germany)

MPAA:

Rated R for strong sexual content including dialogue, violence and language.

Runtime:

124 min

Country:

USA | Germany | UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Brazil:16 | Malaysia:18PL (re-rating) | Iceland:16 | Singapore:R(A) (cut) | Portugal:M/16 | Argentina:16 | Australia:MA | Canada:18A | Chile:18 | Denmark:15 | Finland:K-15 | France:-12 | Germany:16 (w) | Hong Kong:III | Japan:R-15 | Netherlands:16 | New Zealand:R16 | Norway:15 | Peru:18 | South Korea:18 | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | Switzerland:16 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:16 (canton of Vaud) | UK:18 | USA:R (certificate #37355) | Canada:R (Ontario)

Filming Locations:

London, England, UK

Company:

Fox Searchlight Pictures

Trivia:

The genuine model head cast from the real Marie Antoinette (and on loan from Madame Tussaud's wax museum in London) is in the basket of aristocratic victims.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: When Simone is buying her copy of "Justine", the date visible on the cover is MDCCCCVII: 1907.

Quotes:

Coulmier: I love you Madeleine... as a child of God.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Assembling the League (2003) (V)

Soundtrack:

Au clair de la lune

Not Everything is Black and White!

Geoffrey Rush, star of Pirates of the Caribbean, Elizabeth, and Shakespeare in love, Stars in this tale of the infamous and perverted Marquis de Sade. Imprisoned away from the world in the French asylum of Charenton. In a bid to silence the Marquis, famous for his lewd and pornographic writings which has made him infamous, The French ruler Napoleon sends the cold and reserved Dr Royer Collard (Michael Caine) to cure and prevent him from smuggling manuscripts to a publisher, secretly aided by the beautiful virginal chambermaid Madeleine (Kate Winslett) who often finds herself the object of his writing and affection. However along with the Marquis, Madeleine also finds herself the object of the affections of the young and handsome Abbe du Coulmier, (Joaquin Phoenix) the administrator at Charenton. His priestly vows prevent them from being together and conceals hi love fro her. The Marquis meanwhile is suffering at the hands of the repulsive doctor. Due to an indiscretion, at one of many of Charenton open nights when the French aristocracy gather to watch one of the Marquis plays. The play entitled "the crimes of love" makes exact and deliberate references to the doctor's personal life where he picked a penniless but beautiful young nun Simone (Amelia Warner) from a convent, a girl young enough to be his daughter- to be his wife and subjected her to hours of "nightly wife's duties". The doctor vows revenge on the Marquis and even more so when Simone runs away with an architect after reading one of his most lewd novels to date. The Marquis is stripped of all his privileges; first his paper, quills, and ink are taken but he refuses to be silenced. With tragic consequences. As the punishments grow more severe and each knew novels written b something disgusting objects the marquis and the doctor are locked in deadly battle over power and control, which sends the law and order of Charenton asylum downhill as the fight takes a twisted and unexpected turn. A thrilling story with many twists and turns where egos collide and love interferes where power and money speak and authority is threatened.