Die Damen aus Boston (1984)

A Boston feminist and a conservative Southern lawyer contend for the heart and mind of a beautiful and bright girl unsure of her future.

Director:

James Ivory

Writers:

Henry James (novel), Ruth Prawer Jhabvala (screenplay)

Stars:

Christopher Reeve, Vanessa Redgrave, Jessica Tandy

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 1 win & 5 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Christopher Reeve	...	Basil Ransome
Vanessa Redgrave	...	Olive Chancellor
Jessica Tandy	...	Miss Birdseye
Madeleine Potter	...	Verena Tarrant
Nancy Marchand	...	Mrs. Burrage
Wesley Addy	...	Dr. Tarrant
Barbara Bryne	...	Mrs. Tarrant
Linda Hunt	...	Dr. Prance
Charles McCaughan	...	Music Hall Policeman
Nancy New	...	Adeline
Jon Van Ness	...	Henry Burrage (as John Van Ness Philip)
Wallace Shawn	...	Mr. Pardon
Peter Bogyo	...	Mr. Gracie
Martha Farrar	...	Mrs, Farrinder
Dusty Maxwell	...	Newton Tarrant

Storyline

19th-century Boston woman dedicated to the suffrage movement, meets a faith healer's daughter, a Mississippi lawyer also has eyes for the young woman.

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Plot Keywords:

lesbian | f rated | period drama | lawyer | feminist | 

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Taglines:

A BEAUTIFUL FILM . . . An intimate and exquisite probe of the feminist heart. [Australia Theatrical]

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Certificate:

12

Details

Official Sites:

Merchant Ivory Productions [United States] Official Site

Country:

UK USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

12 July 1985 (West Germany)

Also Known As:

Amarás a un extraño

Filming Locations:

Memorial Hall, 45 Quincy St, Cambridge, MA 02138 USA

Box Office

Gross USA:

$1,009,700

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$1,009,700

Company Credits

Production Co:

Merchant Ivory Productions, WGBH, Rediffusion

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Madeleine Potter received an 'introducing' credit on the movie's poster, but not during the opening titles.

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Goofs

The invitation Basil receives to hear Verena give an address is for Wednesday, June 1, 1876. In 1876, June 1 fell on a Thursday.

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Quotes

Miss Birdseye: [on Basil] Your cousin looks like a genius, my dear.
Olive Chancellor: It's only a distant cousin. He's a lawyer from Mississippi, he left his mother and his sisters behind and he's come to try to make his living in New York. He's not in sympathy, I'm afraid.
Miss Birdseye: Well, I've often found that people are only waiting for the light.

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Connections

Featured in From the Journals of Jean Seberg (1995)

User Reviews

Timeless

The other reviews really don't get that this is a very subtle expose on gay relationships in this era. Was Henry James gay? Did he live his perspective through this story of the Bostonians…?. And imagine writing about women's rights movement intertwined with gay women of the day- a man writing in the 1800's! WoW – how progressive even today in 2011 people still debate the legitimacy of gay relationships (not me-please note I am happily married heterosexual). This is in amazing film. Period accurate and an incredible story about the dynamic of class – to be the lover of a women of means but who is really drawn to a traditional marriage – if he has the means to support her. Watch this from that perspective. It's remarkable to think that this was written in the late 1800's and that this film was done in the 1980s – so way ahead of its time. And then look at Christopher Reeve and how he took this movie to break out of his Superman stereo type…. Pretty incredible. I think the naysayers here really didn't get the historical significance of this film. Its an amazing film. Thank you Merchant and Ivory…you are amazing.