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

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.39 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The first Martin Scorsese film to have Dante Ferretti as the production designer.

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Goofs

In the Parisian scene, you can clearly see a 'zebra crossing' in the background.

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Quotes

Ellen Olenska: I should go were I'm invited or I should be too lonely.

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Crazy Credits

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

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Connections

Featured in Ebert Presents: At the Movies: Episode #2.19 (2011)

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Soundtracks

Quintet In B Flat Op 87, 3rd Movement
Written by Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy
Performed by Academy Chamber Ensemble courtesy of Philips Classics
By Arrangement with PolyGram Special Markets

User Reviews

Will eventually be seen as Scorsese's masterpiece

The greatest movie adaptations are usually made from novels of the second or third rank, the adaptations of the greatest novels-The Brothers Karamazov, War and Peace, Ullysses, are not very good, while Dodsworth,and The Magnificent Ambersons are ranked among the classics. This is yet another example.Scorsese surpasses his material to make a beautiful, bravura nmasterpiece. This is an expressionist film, in which we enter the soul of Newland Archer, all too proper gentleman and would bre free spirit, as he is torn between the allure of seeming non-conformity-the Countess Olenska, and the demand s of tradition and duty-May Welland.People who think its an atypical Scorsese film have never-and i repeat , NEVER paid careful attention to his films, or have only wateched them for the violence and the f-words.Scorsese has always been a tormented moralist, obsessed with loyalty, honor and tradition. This anmazingly rich, often witty film, grows on you with each repeat viewing