Girl with a Pearl Earring (2003)

Director:

Peter Webber

Writers:

Tracy Chevalier (novel)
Olivia Hetreed (screenplay)

Release Date:

9 January 2004 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Drama | Romance

Tagline:

He had a vision no one saw as clearly as she. In a house where everything had its place, where every image had meaning, he gave her the power to see the light. She gave him a look that would last forever.....

Plot:

A young peasant maid working in the house of painter Johannes Vermeer becomes his talented assistant and the model for one of his most famous works.

Plot Keywords:

Maid | Painting | Painter | Servant | Paint

Awards:

Nominated for 3 Oscars. Another 12 wins & 34 nominations

Cast

Colin Firth	...	Johannes Vermeer
Scarlett Johansson	...	Griet
Tom Wilkinson	...	Pieter Van Ruijven
Judy Parfitt	...	Maria Thins
Cillian Murphy	...	Pieter
Essie Davis	...	Catharina Bolnes Vermeer
Joanna Scanlan	...	Tanneke
Alakina Mann	...	Cornelia Vermeer
Chris McHallem	...	Griet's Father
Gabrielle Reidy	...	Griet's Mother
Rollo Weeks	...	Frans
Anna Popplewell	...	Maertge
Anaïs Nepper	...	Lisbeth
Melanie Meyfroid	...	Aleydis
Nathan Nepper	...	Johannes

Also Known As:

La jeune fille à la perle (Luxembourg: French title)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for some sexual content.

Runtime:

100 min

Country:

UK | Luxembourg

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

Iceland:LH | Malaysia:U | Hungary:14 | Czech Republic:12 | South Korea:15 | New Zealand:PG | USA:TV-PG (cable rating) | Australia:PG | Brazil:12 | Finland:K-7 | Germany:6 | Hong Kong:IIA | Italy:T | Netherlands:AL | Norway:11 | Philippines:PG-13 | Singapore:PG | Spain:7 | Sweden:7 | Switzerland:7 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:7 (canton of Vaud) | UK:12A | USA:PG-13

Filming Locations:

Amsterdam, Noord-Holland, Netherlands

Company:

Archer Street Productions

Trivia:

The film was originally slated to star Kate Hudson and Ralph Fiennes and be directed by 'Mike Newell' . Hudson pulled out during preproduction (allegedly because she refused to wear a wimple for the role), which resulted in funding being pulled, and by the time new funding was secured, Newell had to move on to another project. After a director search, Peter Webber was tapped for the job and held auditions for a new female lead. He settled on Kirsten Dunst, who then dropped the project in wake of Spider-Man (2002)'s success. At this point, Fiennes had been waiting so long that he too had to move on to other scheduled projects, and so became unavailable. Scarlett Johansson and Colin Firth were then cast.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: The camera obscura is partially made of plywood which was invented in the 1930s.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Griet's Mother: Griet! Leave that.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Making of 'The Phantom of the Opera' (2005) (V)

Paintings at an Exhibition, in a Magnificent Contemplative Art Work

In Delfti, Holland, 1665, the poor seventeen years old Griet (Scarlett Johansson) is hired as a maid in the household of the Dutch painter Johannes Vermeer (Colin Firth), to maintain her family. The Vermeer family is supported by the powerful and wealthy commissioner Van Ruijven (Tom Wilkinson), and is totally dependent on the inspiration of master Johannes Vermeer to keep their high standard of living as if they were rich. When Griet arrives in the breast of Vermeer's family, she understands the relation of power among the members of the family and Van Ruijven, and meanwhile, a platonic love and attraction develop between Johannes and her, due to her feelings and perspective relative to his work. "Girl With a Pearl Earring" is a magnificent contemplative art work and a beautiful dramatic romance based on a famous painting, which has this name. It is known that the maid who worked in Vermeer's house was the model and inspiration for such a piece of arts. However, the dramatization, based on an adaptation of Tracy Chevalliers's novel, is a fiction. The reconstitution of Delftt in the Seventeenth Century is amazingly perfect, being based on paintings of that time. Watching this film, the viewer feels as if he or she were seeing paintings at an exhibition, and if he or she pauses the DVD on any scene, will have a magnificent painting on the screen of the TV. The intense performance of the cast and direction are overwhelming, highlighting the spectacular Scarlett Johansson, who is in my opinion, one of the best "new"actress in the cinema industry. Most of the feelings and sensations of the characters are transmitted through the looks and expressions of the actors and actresses. This movie had three Oscar nominations in 2003 (cinematography, art direction and costume design) and two Golden Globe nominations, and is highly recommended to any viewer who appreciates arts. I am a positive fan of movies, I always try to find the beautiful points or entertainment it can offer, instead of looking for destructive parts, like most of the professional critics do, but "Girl With a Pearl Earring" has superseded my uppermost expectations. My vote is nine.

Title (Brazil): "Moça Com Brinco de Pérola" ("Young Woman With Pearl Earring')