Metropolitan (1990)

A group of young upper-class Manhattanites are blithely passing through the gala debutante season, when an unusual outsider joins them and stirs them up.

Director:

Whit Stillman

Writer:

Whit Stillman

Stars:

Carolyn Farina, Edward Clements, Chris Eigeman

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 6 wins & 9 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Carolyn Farina	...	Audrey Rouget
Edward Clements	...	Tom Townsend
Chris Eigeman	...	Nick Smith (as Christopher Eigeman)
Taylor Nichols	...	Charlie Black
Allison Parisi	...	Jane Clarke
Dylan Hundley	...	Sally Fowler
Isabel Gillies	...	Cynthia McLean
Bryan Leder	...	Fred Neff
Will Kempe	...	Rick Von Sloneker
Ellia Thompson	...	Serena Slocum (as Elizabeth Thompson)
Stephen Uys	...	Victor Lemley
Roger W. Kirby	...	Man at Bar
Alice Connorton	...	Mrs. Townsend
Linda Gillies	...	Mrs. Rouget
John Lynch	...	Allen Green (as John Lynch)

Storyline

In an apartment on Manhattan a couple of friends from the New York upper-class meet almost every night to talk about social mobility, play bridge and discuss Fourier's socialism; the cynic Nick, the philosophical Charlie, party girl Sally and austenite Audrey. They are joined by Tom. His background is much simpler and he is critical of their way of life. But he finds a soul mate in Audrey, who without his knowledge falls in love with him.

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Plot Keywords:

upper class | new york city | debutante | socialite | aristocracy | 

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Taglines:

Finally... A film about the downwardly mobile.

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

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Certificate:

PG-13

Details

Country:

USA Spain

Language:

English

Release Date:

3 August 1990 (USA)

Also Known As:

Metropolitan

Filming Locations:

Cornwall, New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$225,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$2,938,208

Company Credits

Production Co:

Westerly Films, Allagash Films, Producciones Kaplan S.L.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

98 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Will Kempe was originally cast as "Nick Smith". There is even an outtake of him in the role on the 2005 DVD.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Mrs. Rouget: You can't listen to what your younger brother has to say. I can't think of anyone less an authority of female anatomy.
Audrey Rouget: He can see... It's hideous.
Mrs. Rouget: No, it isn't. You're being very subjective. You know, there was a survey of girls your age some years ago and nearly all of them were convinced that either their behinds, or their noses, were grotesquely oversized. And there was no apparent correlation between this conviction and their actual size.
Audrey Rouget: Really? They did a survey of that?
Mrs. Rouget: Yes....

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Connections

Featured in Cinefile: Made in the USA (1993)

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Soundtracks

Tell Me
Performed by Jock Davis
Courtesy of Jock Davis

User Reviews

Other Era Tales from New York's Upper Class

"Metropolitan" is a film that hearkens back to an era of old money and tradition, reminiscent of the Gilded Age of the late 19th Century in America. It was a time when men in white bows and tales led girls in pristine, white dresses to their cotillions in ballrooms in gilded hotels like the Plaza in New York where some of this film's scenes take place. The film is a sociological examination of what happens in Park Avenue grand pied-à terres, with after hours parties frequented by the American royalty or upper class. The characters are somewhat hollow, but intellectual in their discussions of 19th century novels and literary critics. These are the children of the very rich, the haute bourgeoisie who attended such hallowed institutions as the Chapin School and Miss Porter's School (Farmington). The characters are fairly well played by unknown actors and actually, I found them to be one dimensional but quite convincing.

Carolyn Farina who plays the demure Audrey Rouget is very sweet and you care about her, at least I did. She is self-deprecating and cute and plays this part to the hilt. Her "Rat Pack" of pals like her, though often she fades into the woodwork, as she is very quiet and somewhat shy. Chris Eigeman, who plays the "tiresome" and overbearing Nick Smith is at times, quite entertaining with his hilarious hyper critical attitude and cynicism about those who surround him. Eigeman plays this role quite well and though you don't really like him, he is so obnoxious which makes him fun to watch. His talk of how "detachable collars" on tuxedos and his pretentious wearing of top hats look quite out of place in this early 1990's film. I like the Jane character and the Sally Fowler character played by Dylan Hundley. These two characters exemplify upper class attitudes by their tastes and speech and are in keeping with how preppy, privileged, upper class American girls behave, at least on the East Coast.

Not much happens plotwise in the film. You are almost left wondering whether something of any importance is going to unfold, this film doesn't really go anywhere. One wonders if the director had some message in mind, for those who always look for such things in a movie. I think rather than being a great drama film, it is more of a social commentary on a lost era in the modern world. Most people probably couldn't identify with this film, as its characters are far more privileged than the average person and far more worldly and educated as evidenced by their speech and interests. Other than the world of debutante balls and nightly after hours parties, this film doesn't show much happening.

Despite its somewhat dated context and what some may view as dull plot, "Metropolitan" is one of my all time fave films. I guess I like the pretense of it and its refreshingly other era feel with I feel gives it a certain charm and je ne sais quoi as the French say.