I Capture the Castle (2003)

User Rating:

7.0/10   

Director:

Tim Fywell

Writers:

Dodie Smith (novel)
Heidi Thomas (screenplay)

Release Date:

9 May 2003 (UK)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Tagline:

I love, I have loved, I will love.

Plot:

A love story set in 1930s England that follows 17-year-old Cassandra Mortmain, and the fortunes of her eccentric family, struggling to survive in a decaying English castle.

Plot Keywords:

Castle | First Love | 1930s | Wedding | Bohemian

Awards:

2 wins & 4 nominations

Cast

Marc Blucas	...	Neil Cotton
Rose Byrne	...	Rose Mortmain
Sinéad Cusack	...	Mrs. Cotton (as Sinead Cusack)
Tara Fitzgerald	...	Topaz Mortmain
Romola Garai	...	Cassandra Mortmain
Bill Nighy	...	James Mortmain
Henry Thomas	...	Simon Cotton
David Bamber	...	Vicar
Henry Cavill	...	Stephen Colley
James Faulkner	...	Aubrey Fox-Cotton
Sarah Woodward	...	Leda Fox-Cotton
Helena Little	...	Mother
Florence Jones	...	Rose (aged 10)
Harrison Ward	...	Thomas (aged 4)
Joe Sowerbutts	...	Thomas

MPAA:

Rated R for brief nudity.

Runtime:

113 min | USA:111 min (Palm Springs International Film Festival)

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Iceland:L | Finland:K-11 | Canada:G (British Columbia) | Canada:PG (Alberta/Ontario) | Argentina:13 | Australia:PG | Chile:14 | New Zealand:PG | Norway:15 | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:NC-16 | South Korea:15 | UK:PG | USA:R | Mexico:C

Filming Locations:

Eltham Palace, Court Road, Eltham, London, England, UK

Company:

50 Cannon Entertainment

Trivia:

Rose Byrne did all of her own piano playing.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: Rose sends Cassandra a bottle of what appears to be Penhaligon's Bluebell perfume for her 18th birthday. According to the Penhaligon's website, the Bluebell perfume was first manufactured in 1978, whereas the film takes place around the early 1940s.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Cassandra: I write this sitting in the kitchen sink.

Movie Connections:

References "Pride and Prejudice" (1995)

Best adaptation ever

The rights to this film were rescued from Disney. I dread to think what Disney would have done with the book. Thank goodness they never tried it!

This book was one of my favourites, so I went to see the film in fear and trepidation. I needn't have worried. It is a beautiful film in its own right. Nothing was overstated. The emotions and nuances were captured perfectly by some wonderful performances, without the need to spell everything out in black and white.

Please see this film. I haven't enjoyed anything so much in ages.