Bitter Moon (1992)

After hearing stories of her, a passenger on a cruise ship develops an irresistible infatuation with an eccentric paraplegic's wife.

Director:

Roman Polanski

Writers:

Pascal Bruckner (novel), Roman Polanski (screenplay)

Stars:

Hugh Grant, Kristin Scott Thomas, Emmanuelle Seigner

1 win & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Peter Coyote	...	Oscar
Emmanuelle Seigner	...	Mimi
Hugh Grant	...	Nigel
Kristin Scott Thomas	...	Fiona
Victor Banerjee	...	Mr. Singh
Sophie Patel	...	Amrita Singh
Patrick Albenque	...	Steward
Smilja Mihailovitch	...	Bridge Player
Leo Eckmann	...	Bridge Player
Luca Vellani	...	Dado
Richard Dieux	...	Partygoer
Danny Wuyts	...	Bandleader (as Danny Garcy)
Daniel Dhubert	...	Bus Inspector
Nathalie Galán	...	Girl in Boutique (as Nathalie Galan)
Eric Gonzales	...	Cook

Storyline

British couple Fiona (Dame Kristin Scott Thomas) and Nigel (Hugh Grant) are sailing to Istanbul en route to India. They encounter a beautiful French woman, and that night, Nigel meets her while dancing alone in the ship's bar. Later, he meets her crippled American husband Oscar (Peter Coyote), who tells him their story. While living in Paris for several years trying to be a writer, he becomes obsessed with a woman he met by chance on a bus. He tracks her down and they start a steamy love affair. Soon, Oscar finds himself enslaved body and soul by her love, and continues to tell Nigel the details of this relationship in various stages over several visits to Oscar's cabin.

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Plot Keywords:

infidelity | extramarital affair | psycho thriller | lesbian kiss | sex game | 

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Taglines:

Some lovers never know when to stop...

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Genres:

Drama | Romance | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for the strong depiction of a perverse sexual relationship

Did You Know?

Trivia

This movie was based upon Pascal Bruckner's 1981 novel "Lunes de fiel" - a pun on "Lune de miel", the French word for "honeymoon". "Lunes de fiel" literally means "bile moons".

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Goofs

In the scene when Mimi cuts her hair for the first time and bakes a Turkey for Oscar, he is wearing the same turtle necked blue sweater that was ripped off with a razor blade during a previous sex game.

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Quotes

Oscar: Where have you been ?
Mimi: You bought the tickets you should know.

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Connections

Featured in At the Movies: Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult/Monkey Trouble/The Paper/Bitter Moon/Savage Nights (1994)

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Soundtracks

Denise Et Irene
Written by Louis Blach

User Reviews

Compelling, delightful film!

This film is utterly compelling - it will have you glued to the screen. It's about 2 hours and 15 minutes long, yet it never loses its grip. Although there are a few "funny" moments, you can never be sure whether they were intentional or not. The pacing is slow but wonderfully methodical. But what really makes this picture delightful is the level of the acting of the male stars. While the female leads are also wonderful, the cynical Coyote and, especially, the charmingly shy Grant (his performance here is underrated) provide two different ways for the viewer to enter the story and their interplay is offbeat and endlessly entertaining. This is methodical, first-rate filmmaking by Polanski.

Details

Country:

France UK

Language:

English French

Release Date:

18 March 1994 (USA)

Also Known As:

Bitter Moon

Filming Locations:

Paris Studios Cinéma, Billancourt, Hauts-de-Seine, France

Box Office

Budget:

$5,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$37,997, 20 March 1994

Gross USA:

$1,862,805

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$1,862,805

Company Credits

Production Co:

Canal+, Columbia Pictures, Les Films Alain Sarde

Technical Specs

Runtime:

139 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1