The Hours (2002)

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.

Director:

Stephen Daldry

Writers:

Michael Cunningham (novel), David Hare (screenplay)

Stars:

Meryl Streep, Nicole Kidman, Julianne Moore

Won 1 Oscar. Another 42 wins & 126 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Nicole Kidman	...	Virginia Woolf
Julianne Moore	...	Laura Brown
Meryl Streep	...	Clarissa Vaughan
Stephen Dillane	...	Leonard Woolf
Miranda Richardson	...	Vanessa Bell
George Loftus	...	Quentin Bell
Charley Ramm	...	Julian Bell
Sophie Wyburd	...	Angelica Bell
Lyndsey Marshal	...	Lottie Hope (as Lyndsay Marshal)
Linda Bassett	...	Nelly Boxall
Christian Coulson	...	Ralph Partridge
Michael Culkin	...	Doctor
John C. Reilly	...	Dan Brown
Jack Rovello	...	Richie
Toni Collette	...	Kitty

Storyline

In 1951, Laura Brown (Julianne Moore), a pregnant housewife, is planning a party for her husband, but she can't stop reading the novel "Mrs. Dalloway". Clarissa Vaughan (Meryl Streep), a modern woman living in present times is throwing a party for her friend Richard (Ed Harris), a famous author dying of A.I.D.S. These two stories are simultaneously linked to the work and life of Virginia Woolf (Nicole Kidman), who's writing the novel mentioned before.

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Plot Keywords:

depression | multiple storyline | mental illness | mental breakdown | borderline personality disorder | 

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Taglines:

The time to hide is over. The time to regret is gone. The time to live is now.

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for mature thematic elements, some disturbing images and brief language

Did You Know?

Trivia

Julianne Moore's timeline was bumped up from the novel's austere 1949 setting to the more optimistic and affluent 1951, as that better served to show Laura's powerless feeling of alienation.

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Goofs

In the last scene between Laura and Dan, when Dan is lying on the bed and talking to Laura in the bathroom, we see a pack of cigarettes and a light on the night table. In some shots the lighter is next to the pack and in others it's on top.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Virginia Woolf: [Narrating the letter] Dearest, I feel certain that I am going mad again. I feel I can't go through another one of these terrible times and I shant recover this time. I begin to hear voices and can't concentrate. So, I am doing what seems to be the best thing to do. You have given me the greatest possible happiness. You have been in every way all that anyone could be. I know that I am spoiling your life and without me you could work and you will, I know. You see I can't even write ...

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Connections

Referenced in My Phantom Children (2021)

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Soundtracks

Metamorphosis 2
by Philip Glass
Courtesy of Euphorbia Productions, New York, New York

User Reviews

As banal as Nicole Kidman may be (mostly)...

...she absolutely deserved the Oscar for her part in this. She somehow has a brilliant knack for playing sombre roles superbly and hamming excited and giddy roles right up! I loved Moulin Rouge, but hated her as Satine at her most excitable. I (worryingly) enjoyed the remake of The Stepford Wives, yet Nicole as the filling of the ham sandwich in all three manifestations of Joanna Eberhart (vamp, doting wife, robot) made me cringe with unease. But in The Hours came her glimmer and hope, and all my expectations were proved wrong. I expected Nicole Kidman at her most enthusiastic, I got someone who even outstripped the mighty Meryl (who was still marvellous, as usual). Was just a shame Julianne Moore didn't win anything either. But all in all: Splendid.

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Official site

Country:

USA UK France Canada Germany

Language:

English

Release Date:

14 February 2003 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Hours

Filming Locations:

Biltmore Hotel - 1200 Anastasia Avenue, Coral Gables, Florida, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$25,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$338,622, 29 December 2002

Gross USA:

$41,675,994

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$108,846,072

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Pictures, Miramax, Scott Rudin Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

110 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1