The story of how the novel "Mrs. Dalloway" affects three generations of women, all of whom, in one way or another, have had to deal with suicide in their lives.The story of how the novel "Mrs. Dalloway" affects three generations of women, all of whom, in one way or another, have had to deal with suicide in their lives.The story of how the novel "Mrs. Dalloway" affects three generations of women, all of whom, in one way or another, have had to deal with suicide in their lives.
- Won 1 Oscar
- 43 wins & 126 nominations total
- Lottie Hope
- (as Lyndsay Marshal)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- Trivia"The Hours" was the original working title of Virginia Woolf's "Mrs. Dalloway".
- GoofsIn the Virginia Woolf segment, Leonard Woolf is shown setting type for their press, Hogarth Press. In fact, Leonard's hands shook so that he could not set type, and it was Virginia who did the typesetting. Virginia found setting type calming, and said that it shaped her feel for words on the page, influencing her approach to writing.
- Quotes
Clarissa Vaughn: I remember one morning getting up at dawn, there was such a sense of possibility. You know, that feeling? And I remember thinking to myself: So, this is the beginning of happiness. This is where it starts. And of course there will always be more. It never occurred to me it wasn't the beginning. It *was* happiness. It was the moment. Right then.
- ConnectionsFeatured in The 60th Annual Golden Globe Awards (2003)
- SoundtracksBeim Schlafengehen
from "Four Last Songs"
Music by Richard Strauss
Text by Hermann Hesse
Performed by Jessye Norman, Soprano, Gewandhausorchester Leipzig (as Gewandhaus Orchestra,
Leipzig)
Kurt Masur, Conductor
Courtesy of Decca Music Group Limited
Under license from Universal Music Enterprises
Nicole Kidman plays Virginia Woolf writing her famous novel Mrs Dalloway, Julienne Moore is Laura Brown, a 1950 s housewife reading Mrs Dalloway and Meryl Streep is Clarissa Vaughan, a modern-day version of Mrs Dalloway. These three women, in their separate timelines, affect each other's day as they grapple with the threat of suicide (in one form or another) and the ghosts of their past.
One moment in particular that makes my heart ache every time I watch it is when Clarissa (Streep) is preparing the "crab thing" for a party for her writer friend Richard (who is battling AIDS). Streep has a wonderful way of using her body language to express more than words ever could. Clarissa stands over the sink and tries to hold back tears. In that moment, we know all that she has lost, all that she yearns for, all that she regrets all that she has laboured and all that she can never change.
In case you are wondering, I don t think it is necessary to read Mrs Dalloway or the novel The Hours before watching this movie. Although I strongly recommend an attempt on these masterpieces of literature, this film is a beauty on its own.
Stand outs: Despite being a male character in a female-centred film, Richard (Ed Harris) is a linchpin in this story. Harris manages to balance stubborn martyrdom and crippled pride. Toni Collette also delivers a powerhouse scene as Laura's neighbour Kitty. Overall, stellar performances from the entire cast.
Details
Box office
- Budget
- $25,000,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $41,675,994
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $338,622
- Dec 29, 2002
- Gross worldwide
- $108,846,217
- Runtime1 hour 50 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.85 : 1
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