The Age of Innocence (1993)

A tale of nineteenth-century New York high society in which a young lawyer falls in love with a woman separated from her husband, while he is engaged to the woman's cousin.

Director:

Martin Scorsese

Writers:

Edith Wharton (novel), Jay Cocks (screenplay)

Stars:

Daniel Day-Lewis, Michelle Pfeiffer, Winona Ryder

Won 1 Oscar. Another 14 wins & 32 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Daniel Day-Lewis	...	Newland Archer
Michelle Pfeiffer	...	Ellen Olenska
Winona Ryder	...	May Welland
Linda Faye Farkas	...	Female Opera Singer
Michael Rees Davis	...	Male Opera Singer
Terry Cook	...	Male Opera Singer
Jon Garrison	...	Male Opera Singer
Richard E. Grant	...	Larry Lefferts
Alec McCowen	...	Sillerton Jackson
Geraldine Chaplin	...	Mrs. Welland
Mary Beth Hurt	...	Regina Beaufort
Stuart Wilson	...	Julius Beaufort
Howard Erskine	...	Beaufort Guest
John McLoughlin	...	Party Guest
Christopher Nilsson	...	Party Guest

Storyline

Society scion Newland Archer is engaged to May Welland, but his well-ordered life is upset when he meets May's unconventional cousin, the Countess Olenska. At first, Newland becomes a defender of the Countess, whose separation from her abusive husband makes her a social outcast in the restrictive high society of late-19th Century New York, but he finds in her a kindred spirit and they fall in love.

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Plot Keywords:

new york | countess | woman | lawyer | passion | 

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Taglines:

In a world of tradition. In an age of innocence. They dared to break the rules.

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG for thematic elements and some mild language

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Italian

Release Date:

1 October 1993 (USA)

Also Known As:

La edad de la inocencia

Filming Locations:

Villa Nuits, Westchester Village, Irvington, New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$30,000,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$32,200,000

Company Credits

Production Co:

Columbia Pictures Corporation,Cappa Production

Technical Specs

Runtime:

139 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Stereo SDDS (8 channels)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.39 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Robert Sean Leonard and Norman Lloyd previously appeared in Dead Poets Society (1989). However, they don't share scenes in the Scorsese movie.

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Goofs

The opera which is supposedly performed in the opening scene is Gounod's "Faust", written in French. However, what is actually sung is a scene from Boito's version of the same story, "Mefistofele", written in Italian. At the end of the scene, as we see the carriages outside the opera house, the music has reverted to Gounod's "Faust", sung in French.

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Quotes

Newland: You gave me my first glimpse of a real life. Then you asked me to go on with the false one. No one can endure that.
Ellen: I'm enduring it.

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Crazy Credits

The Columbia logo turns sepia to look like a 19th-century photograph.

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Connections

Referenced in Late Night with Seth Meyers: Sarah Silverman/David Alan Grier/Sheer Mag/Tim Alexander (2016)

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Soundtracks

Faust
(Opera)
Written by Charles Gounod

User Reviews

So many great comments

In a way I am disappointed after reading the comments because I thought I was alone in adoring this ravishing and masterful film, and I thought I would get to be the sole voice in the wind proudly proclaiming its brilliance.

Years ago, I ho-hummed my way through viewing it, and I was so unimpressed, I can't tell you today whether I saw it in a theater or rented it at home. It has been in rather heavy rotation on the movie channels for some reason of late, and I watched it again a few weeks ago.

It simply left me breathless. I must have watched it twelve times over the last few weeks, and am dying to buy the DVD if it ever comes out. Scorcese calls this his "most violent film", and after seeing it again, alone, watching intently, it struck me how completely right he was.

The comments before mine are mostly right on target...I am in awe of the filmmaking and can't say enough about the dramatic subtleties, the opulent production values and the overall magnificent way the entire project was handled. Even the normally atrocious Winona Ryder excelled in a role that was simply a tour-de-force for her...the vapid but yet not so vapid after all May Welland. A masterpiece. Please see it if you haven't already.