The House of Mirth (2000)

A woman risks losing her chance of happiness with the only man she has ever loved.

Director:

Terence Davies

Writers:

Edith Wharton (novel), Terence Davies

Stars:

Gillian Anderson, Dan Aykroyd, Eleanor Bron

Nominated for 1 BAFTA Film Award. Another 6 wins & 28 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Gillian Anderson	...	Lily Bart
Dan Aykroyd	...	Augustus 'Gus' Trenor
Eleanor Bron	...	Mrs. Julia Peniston, Lily's Aunt
Terry Kinney	...	George Dorset
Anthony LaPaglia	...	Sim Rosedale (as Anthony Lapaglia)
Laura Linney	...	Bertha Dorset
Jodhi May	...	Grace Julia Stepney
Elizabeth McGovern	...	Mrs. Carry Fisher
Eric Stoltz	...	Lawrence Selden
Penny Downie	...	Judy Trenor
Pearce Quigley	...	Percy Gryce
Helen Coker	...	Evie Van Osburgh
Mary MacLeod	...	Mrs. Haffen (as Mary Macleod)
Paul Venables	...	Jack Stepney
Serena Gordon	...	Gwen Stepney

Storyline

Terence Davies' The House of Mirth is a tragic love story set against a background of wealth and social hypocrisy in turn of the century New York. Lily Bart is a ravishing socialite at the height of her success who quickly discovers the precariousness of her position when her beauty and charm start attracting unwelcome interest and jealousy. Torn between her heart and her head, Lily always seems to do the right thing at the wrong time. She seeks a wealthy husband and in trying to conform to social expectations, she misses her chance for real love with Lawrence Selden.

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Plot Keywords:

love | reputation | high society | money | period drama | 

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Taglines:

When a woman has the beauty men admire and women envy...it is wise to tread carefully.

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Genres:

Romance | Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG for thematic material

Did You Know?

Trivia

When Terence Davies cast Gillian Anderson, he was unaware that she was one of the biggest stars on the planet at the time, thanks to her starring role in The X-Files (1993). Davies had never seen an episode.

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Goofs

Set in early New York but a vintage car is seen about 25 minutes in and is right hand drive - not surprising when it was filmed in Scotland.

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Quotes

Lily Bart: You never speak to me.
Lawrence Selden: I'm never near you long enough.

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Crazy Credits

Thanks to the staff of Kelvingrove Museum, the Lord Provost and staff at Glasgow City Chambers, residents of Kersland Street, all the staff at the Arthouse Hotel, Glasgow, and the Earls of Wemyss and March and Lady Wemyss.

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Connections

References Some Like It Hot (1959)

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Soundtracks

String Quartet No. 2 in D
Composed by Aleksandr Borodin (as Alexander Porfiryevich Borodin)
Performed by Borodin Quartet (as Borodin String Quartet)
Courtesy of Firma Melodiya

User Reviews

A richly painted tapestry of early New York society, Anderson is terrific.

House of Mirth is a richly painted tapestry of a piece of early American Society all but unrecognizable to most Americans. It's a great story and great looking, but the real surprise in Terence Davies' adaptation of Edith Wharton's novel is how deftly Gillian Anderson among others manages to gracefully convey the stilted rigors of the period language. The film is largely about the traps and deceits verbal gamesmanship and class one-upsmanship. It is a deadly and vicious internal warfare that goes on with the upper class bourgeois in New York City in the early 20th century. The price one pays – particularly that a woman pays – for straying too far from the unwritten laws of that society can be severe. Lillie Bart's flaw is not really in her indiscretions, but in her inability to compromise at the right time. Her timing is fatally flawed. That the film is so relentlessly tragic, really takes the viewer by surprise, partly because Anderson gives her character such spunk and vivaciousness that you find yourself surprised by the endless bad luck that she brings on herself. Anderson's remarkable beauty, poise as an actress, facility with the dialogue, in my mind, bring her to a whole new level as an actress.

It is also wonderfully cinematic. There are rich colors and textures, beautifully framed scenes, marvellous costumes. Though steeped in tragedy and melodrama, you'll find yourself so swept away in this world that it will seem centuries and not merely decades removed from our time. Perhaps this is why the titles at the beginning and at the end are `New York 1914' – you need this reminder by the end.

With a host of good performances and a rich sense of place you will get emotionally and imaginatively swept up in this world. Just be prepared for the landing.

Details

Official Sites:

Classic FM Official U.S. site presented by Sony Pictures Classics

Country:

UK USA France Germany

Language:

English French German

Release Date:

13 October 2000 (UK)

Also Known As:

The House of Mirth

Filming Locations:

The Sixty Steps, Glasgow, Scotland

Box Office

Budget:

$10,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$48,770, 25 December 2000

Gross USA:

$3,043,284

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$5,164,404

Company Credits

Production Co:

Three Rivers Production, Granada Film Productions, Arts Council of England

Technical Specs

Runtime:

135 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1