Evening (2007)

Director:

Lajos Koltai

Writers (WGA):

Susan Minot (screenplay) and
Michael Cunningham (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

29 June 2007 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Tagline:

Her greatest secret was her greatest gift.

Plot:

A drama exploring the romantic past and emotional present of Ann Grant and her daughters, Constance and Nina. As Ann lays dying, she remembers, and is moved to convey to her daughters, the defining moments in her life 50 years prior, when she was a young woman. Harris is the man Ann loves in the 1950s and never forgets.

Plot Keywords:

Wedding | 1950s | Nurse | Deathbed | Gay Kiss

Cast

Claire Danes	...	Ann Grant
Toni Collette	...	Nina Mars
Vanessa Redgrave	...	Ann Lord
Patrick Wilson	...	Harris Arden
Hugh Dancy	...	Buddy Wittenborn
Natasha Richardson	...	Constance Haverford
Mamie Gummer	...	Lila Wittenborn
Eileen Atkins	...	The Night Nurse
Meryl Streep	...	Lila Ross
Glenn Close	...	Mrs. Wittenborn
Ebon Moss-Bachrach	...	Luc
Barry Bostwick	...	Mr. Wittenborn
David Furr	...	Ralph Haverford
Sarah Viccellio	...	Lizzie Tull
Cheryl Lynn Bowers	...	Peach Howze

Also Known As:

Spuren eines Lebens (Germany)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for some thematic elements, sexual material, a brief accident scene and language.

Runtime:

117 min

Country:

USA | Germany

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | DTS

Certification:

USA:PG-13 | Netherlands:6 | Ireland:12A | Hong Kong:IIA | Germany:6 | Philippines:PG-13 | Singapore:PG | South Korea:15 | Finland:K-7 | Australia:M | Singapore:NC-16 (DVD rating) | Argentina:13 | Portugal:M/12 | Sweden:Btl

Filming Locations:

85th St. and West End Avenue, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Hart-Sharp Entertainment

Trivia:

According to The Hollywood Reporter (9/14/06): "director Jonathan Caouette (Tarnation (2003)) had been in preliminary discussions to direct, and Oscar-winning actress Ellen Burstyn was discussed for the lead role, but those deals never developed."

Goofs:

Anachronisms: In a scene in which characters get ready to drive away from the mansion, they are shown fastening seat belts with a shoulder strap. Shoulder straps were not introduced until much later than the mid '50's.

Quotes:

[from trailer]
Buddy Wittenborn: What if we just sang and laughed together... for the rest of our lives.
Young Ann: It wouldn't work.
Buddy Wittenborn: Not for you...

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Jeopardy!: (#26.31)" (2009)

Soundtrack:

Time After Time

Motherhood, Love and Tragedy

While in her deathbed, Ann Lord (Vanessa Redgrave) repeats the name "Harris" and recalls the day on the 50's when she was an aspirant singer and traveled from New York to be the maid of honor of her wealthy friend Lila Wittenborn (Mamie Gummer) in Newport. Ann Grant (Claire Danes) is welcomed by Lila's alcoholic and reckless brother Buddy (Hugh Dancy) in the Wittenborn's cottage at seaside and he tells her that his sister is in love actually for their friend and servant Harris Arden (Patrick Wilson), who fought in the war and has graduated in medicine. Later the bride-to-be confesses her true feelings about Harris to Ann. However, when Ann meets Harris, she has a crush on him and they have a brief affair during one night stand while a tragedy happens with Buddy. Meanwhile Ann's daughters, the insecure and unstable Nina Mars (Toni Collette) and the happy wife and mother Constance Haverford (Natasha Richardson), are worried with their mother and have differences to be resolved.

"Evening" has one of the best feminine casts I have ever seen in a movie, with magnificent performances. The resemblance of the stunning Mamie Gummer with her mother Meryl Streep is amazing and she has a performance that honors the name of her mother. The locations, costumes, set decoration, cinematography and soundtrack are also awesome. Unfortunately the plot is confused and I have not clearly understood the message of this film. Why motherhood is so important in the story? Was Constance engendered in the night stand of Ann and Harris and he would be her father? Why Ann and Harris have not stayed together, if the guy really loved her like he confesses in their occasional encounter in New York? Which issues Ann Lord has resolved after the visit of Lila Ross? Was Buddy Wittenborn bisexual or his love for Harris was a fraternal love? Why Nina Mars changed her thoughts about motherhood in the end? It seems that the screenplay writers or the director failed since they were not able to make sense and fulfillment to the beautiful love story. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Ao Entardecer" ("In the Eventide")