The Virgin Suicides (1999)

A group of male friends become obsessed with five mysterious sisters who are sheltered by their strict, religious parents in suburban Detroit in the mid 1970s.

Director:

Sofia Coppola

Writers:

Jeffrey Eugenides (novel), Sofia Coppola

Stars:

Kirsten Dunst, Josh Hartnett, James Woods

3 wins & 14 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
James Woods	...	Mr. Lisbon
Kathleen Turner	...	Mrs. Lisbon
Kirsten Dunst	...	Lux Lisbon
Josh Hartnett	...	Trip Fontaine
Michael Paré	...	Adult Trip Fontaine (as Michael Pare)
Scott Glenn	...	Father Moody
Danny DeVito	...	Dr. Horniker
A.J. Cook	...	Mary Lisbon
Hanna Hall	...	Cecilia Lisbon
Leslie Hayman	...	Therese Lisbon
Chelse Swain	...	Bonnie Lisbon
Anthony DeSimone	...	Chase Buell (as Anthony Desimone)
Lee Kagan	...	David Barker
Robert Schwartzman	...	Paul Baldino
Noah Shebib	...	Parkie Denton

Storyline

A man about forty years of age tells the story from when he was a teenager in upscale suburban Detroit of his and three of his friends' fascination with the mysterious and doomed Lisbon sisters. In 1974, the sisters were seventeen year old Therese, sixteen year old Mary, fifteen year old Bonnie, fourteen year old Lux, and thirteen year old Cecilia. Their fascination still remains as they try to piece together the entire story. The sisters were mysteries if only because of having a strict and overprotective upbringing by their father, who taught math at the girls' private co-ed school, and overly devout Catholic mother, who largely dictated the household rules. The story focuses primarily on two incidents and the resulting situations on the girls' lives. The first was an action by Cecilia to deal with her emotions over her life. And the second was the relationship between Lux - the sister who pushed the boundaries of the household rules most overtly in doing what most teenagers want to...

---

Plot Keywords:

suicide | catholic | 1970s | teen suicide | overprotective parent | 

---

Taglines:

Beautiful, mysterious, haunting, invariably fatal. Just like life.

---

Genres:

Drama | Romance

---

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for strong thematic elements involving teens

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

19 May 2000 (USA)

Also Known As:

Sofia Coppola's the Virgin Suicides

Filming Locations:

28 Dunloe Road, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Box Office

Budget:

$6,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$235,122, 23 April 2000, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$4,859,475, 27 August 2000

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$5,503,148, 27 December 2000

Company Credits

Production Co:

American Zoetrope, Eternity Pictures, Muse Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

97 min 90 min (TV)

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Scott Glenn, Danny DeVito, and Kirsten Dunst had all previously appeared in films directed by Francis Ford Coppola: Apocalypse Now (1979), The Rainmaker (1997), and New York Stories (1989), respectively.

---

Goofs

The character "Jake Hill Conley" was originally called "Joe Hill Conley" in the book on which this film was based. During a scene of the girls' home incarceration, where Therese is reading on one of the beds, Mary is applying make-up to Bonnie, and Lux is sitting on the window seat, he is incorrectly referred to as "Joe Hill Conley" by the narrator.

---

Quotes

Mrs Lisbon: None of my daughters lacked for any love, there was plenty of love in our household. I never understood why.

---

Connections

References Melody (1971)

---

Soundtracks

Come Sail Away
Written by Dennis DeYoung (as Dennis De Young)
Performed by Styx
Courtesy of A&M Records, Inc.
Under License from Universal Music Special Markets
Published by Almo Music Corp. o/b/o Itself & Stygian Songs

User Reviews

Engaging and heartfelt - a MUST see!

"The Virgin Suicides" is a touching, artistic film which transforms you through various stages of grief to realize what you already knew all along - Suicide is pointless. The film focuses on the lives of five teenage sisters from the perspective of the teenage boys who adore them. It's warm, funny, and totally engaging…not to mention a soundtrack to die for! There are incredible moments of cinematography - images that burn like when mother Kathleen Turner insists that her daughter, Kirsten Dunst burn her rock albums, Kiss, Aerosmith….the overwhelming stench and smoke billows out the doorway behind her when Kathleen throws the rest in the trash…and without a flinch she re-enters the billowing doorway. Only a few rocky transitions between scenes catch you by surprise and pull you out of Sophia's incredible imagination and back to your theatre seat. With wonderful performances by Kathleen Turner, Kirsten Dunst, James Woods and the rest and powerful directing by Sophia Coppola…you're left wondering as any friend or parent would - "why?" "Didn't they know we loved them?"