The Serpent's Kiss (1997)

In England, during the 17th-century, a Dutch garden architect (Ewan McGregor, "Moulin Rouge!") is drawn into a web of passion and treachery after being hired by a wealthy merchant.

Director:

Philippe Rousselot

Writer:

Tim Rose Price (original screenplay)

Stars:

Ewan McGregor, Greta Scacchi, Pete Postlethwaite

1 nomination.

Cast

Credited cast:
Ewan McGregor	...	Meneer Chrome
Greta Scacchi	...	Juliana
Pete Postlethwaite	...	Thomas Smithers
Richard E. Grant	...	James Fitzmaurice
Carmen Chaplin	...	Thea / Anna
Donal McCann	...	Physician
Charley Boorman	...	Secretary
Gerard McSorley	...	Mr. Galmoy
Britta Smith	...	Mrs. Galmoy
Susan Fitzgerald	...	Mistress Clevely
Pat Laffan	...	Pritchard
Rúaidhrí Conroy	...	Physician's Assistant
Henry King	...	Lead Reaper
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
David Byrne	...	Garden Boy
Caimin Danaher	...	Garden Boy

Storyline

Young Dutch landscape architect Meneer Chrome comes to a remote English estate where Thomas Smithers lives with his wife, Juliana. Smithers is determined to leave as his legacy a fabulous garden, to be carved from a wild patch of land beside his home. Chrome receives written instructions from his unseen master via a secretary, and the master is Juliana's cousin, Fitzmaurice, who had romance with Juliana when they were young and plans to make Thomas bankrupt via setting up extravagant garden and to make Juliana come back to him.

---

Plot Keywords:

cousin cousin relationship | horticulturist | impostor | deception | gardner | 

---

Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

---

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for brief language

Did You Know?

Trivia

Ewan McGregor met his best friend Charley Boorman while making this movie.

---

Quotes

Thea: It's so undignified... lying on your back with your legs spread out.

---

Connections

References The Draughtsman's Contract (1982)

User Reviews

A little weird

The movie was pretty good. It was entertaining and kind of cool.

The great thing about is was that it was unpredictable. The plot is exciting. the story is complicated yet not to hard to follow. The movie manages to give you a feeling of the surroundings and the characters somehow get to you. Sometimes, however, you found yourself thinking that the very thing Phillipe tried to achieve was strangeness and inordinate... which somehow in the end really remains unachieved as the movie turns out to be pretty trite.

Anyway, Ewan McGregor does an excellent acting job. And the movie is worth seeing.

Details

Official Sites:

MGM

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

15 May 1997 (France)

Also Known As:

The Serpent's Kiss

Filming Locations:

Ireland

Box Office

Budget:

$13,000,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

J&M Entertainment, Jones-Brockman Productions, Rose Price Battsek Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

104 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1