Firelight (1997)

In 1838, lovely governess Elisabeth agrees to bear a child of anonymous English landowner, and he will in return pay her father's debt. At birth she, as agreed, gives up the child. Seven ... See full summary »

Director:

William Nicholson

Writer:

William Nicholson

Stars:

Sophie Marceau, Stephen Dillane, Dominique Belcourt

2 wins & 2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Sophie Marceau	...	Elisabeth Laurier
Stephen Dillane	...	Charles Godwin
Dominique Belcourt	...	Louisa Godwin
Kevin Anderson	...	John Taylor
Lia Williams	...	Constance
Joss Ackland	...	Lord Clare
Sally Dexter	...	Molly Holland
Emma Amos	...	Ellen
Maggie McCarthy	...	Mrs. Jago
Wolf Kahler	...	Sussman
Annabel Giles	...	Amy Godwin
John Flanagan	...	Robert Ames
Valerie Minifie	...	Hannah
Diana Payan	...	Mrs. Maidment
John Hodgkinson	...	Carlo

Storyline

In 1838, lovely governess Elisabeth agrees to bear a child of anonymous English landowner, and he will in return pay her father's debt. At birth she, as agreed, gives up the child. Seven years later she is hired as governess to a girl on a remote Sussex estate. The father of the girl, Charles Godwin, turns out to be that anonymous landowner. So Elisabeth has to be her own daughter's governess, and she can't reveal the secret of her tie with little Louisa.

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Plot Keywords:

comatose woman | weeping | englishman | horse drawn carriage | kissing while having sex | 

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Taglines:

Passion has no limits

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Genres:

Romance | Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for sexuality and brief strong language

Did You Know?

Trivia

Though he had been in the film industry as a scriptwriter for many years, this was William Nicholson's first directed film.

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Goofs

At least two young men are shown in the South of England in the 1830s with long hair tied back in a queue, a style unknown in that time and place.

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Quotes

Elisabeth: [about the Lake House] What do you do out there?
Louisa: If you ever go out there, I'll kill you! I'll murder you!
Elisabeth: How?
Louisa: I'll stab you in the heart!
Elisabeth: Yes, that would do it.
Louisa: It would! You'd be dead.
Elisabeth: You'd have to bury me.
Louisa: I wouldn't. I'd just leave you there!
Elisabeth: I'd rot. I'd smell.
Louisa: Serve you right!

User Reviews

Seen it 5 times.

The artistry of this movie is not evident the first time you watch it because you notice nothing but the actors' brown eyes and the blue cold rooms of the mansion.

But watch it a few more times and you realize how balanced the story is, how themes of birth and death parallel heat and cold, love and hate.

The script is simple because silence and secrecy drive the plot. Compared to Jane Eyre, it is rather sparse, but so what?

I gave it a 10.

Details

Country:

UK USA

Language:

English French

Release Date:

4 September 1998 (USA)

Also Known As:

Firelight

Filming Locations:

Calvados, France

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$135,401, 7 September 1998

Gross USA:

$785,482

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$785,482

Company Credits

Production Co:

Carnival Film & Television, Hollywood Pictures, Wind Dancer Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

103 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1