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Bright Young Things

  • 20032003
  • RR
  • 1h 42m
IMDb RATING
6.5/10
5.7K
YOUR RATING
James McAvoy, Simon McBurney, Emily Mortimer, Michael Sheen, and Stephen Campbell Moore in Bright Young Things (2003)
Theatrical Trailer from Think Film, Inc
Play trailer2:21
2 Videos
43 Photos
  • Comedy
  • Drama
  • War
An adaptation of Evelyn Waugh's novel "Vile Bodies", is a look into the lives of a young novelist, his would-be lover, and a host of young people who beautified London in the 1930s.An adaptation of Evelyn Waugh's novel "Vile Bodies", is a look into the lives of a young novelist, his would-be lover, and a host of young people who beautified London in the 1930s.An adaptation of Evelyn Waugh's novel "Vile Bodies", is a look into the lives of a young novelist, his would-be lover, and a host of young people who beautified London in the 1930s.
IMDb RATING
6.5/10
5.7K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Stephen Fry
  • Writers
    • Stephen Fry(screenplay)
    • Evelyn Waugh(novel "Vile Bodies")
  • Stars
    • Stephen Campbell Moore
    • Emily Mortimer
    • Dan Aykroyd
Top credits
  • Director
    • Stephen Fry
  • Writers
    • Stephen Fry(screenplay)
    • Evelyn Waugh(novel "Vile Bodies")
  • Stars
    • Stephen Campbell Moore
    • Emily Mortimer
    • Dan Aykroyd
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 69User reviews
    • 59Critic reviews
    • 64Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 10 nominations

    Videos2

    Bright Young Things
    Trailer 2:21
    Bright Young Things
    Bright Young Things
    Trailer 2:15
    Bright Young Things

    Photos43

    Dan Aykroyd and Stephen Campbell Moore in Bright Young Things (2003)
    Emily Mortimer and Stephen Campbell Moore in Bright Young Things (2003)
    Michael Sheen, Fenella Woolgar, and Stephen Campbell Moore in Bright Young Things (2003)
    Stockard Channing in Bright Young Things (2003)
    Emily Mortimer and Stephen Campbell Moore in Bright Young Things (2003)
    Emily Mortimer and Stephen Campbell Moore in Bright Young Things (2003)
    Dan Aykroyd in Bright Young Things (2003)
    Jim Broadbent and Stephen Campbell Moore in Bright Young Things (2003)
    Stephen Fry, Michael Sheen, and Fenella Woolgar in Bright Young Things (2003)
    Imelda Staunton in Bright Young Things (2003)
    Stephen Fry and Stephen Campbell Moore at an event for Bright Young Things (2003)
    Stephen Fry at an event for Bright Young Things (2003)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Stephen Campbell Moore
    Stephen Campbell Moore
    • Adamas Adam
    Emily Mortimer
    Emily Mortimer
    • Ninaas Nina
    Dan Aykroyd
    Dan Aykroyd
    • Lord Monomarkas Lord Monomark
    Simon McBurney
    Simon McBurney
    • Sneath (Photo-Rat)as Sneath (Photo-Rat)
    Michael Sheen
    Michael Sheen
    • Miles Maitlandas Miles Maitland
    James McAvoy
    James McAvoy
    • Simon Balcairnas Simon Balcairn
    Stockard Channing
    Stockard Channing
    • Mrs. Melrose Apeas Mrs. Melrose Ape
    Adrian Scarborough
    Adrian Scarborough
    • Customs Officeras Customs Officer
    Jim Carter
    Jim Carter
    • Chief Customs Officeras Chief Customs Officer
    Fenella Woolgar
    Fenella Woolgar
    • Agathaas Agatha
    Julia McKenzie
    Julia McKenzie
    • Lottie Crumpas Lottie Crump
    Bruno Lastra
    Bruno Lastra
    • Basilioas Basilio
    David Tennant
    David Tennant
    • Ginger Littlejohnas Ginger Littlejohn
    Jim Broadbent
    Jim Broadbent
    • The Drunken Majoras The Drunken Major
    John Franklyn-Robbins
    John Franklyn-Robbins
    • Judgeas Judge
    Simon Callow
    Simon Callow
    • King of Anatoliaas King of Anatolia
    Guy Henry
    Guy Henry
    • Archieas Archie
    Al Barclay
    • Vanburghas Vanburgh
    • (as Alex Barclay)
    • Director
      • Stephen Fry
    • Writers
      • Stephen Fry(screenplay)
      • Evelyn Waugh(novel "Vile Bodies")
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      As of August 2020, this is the only movie directed by Stephen Fry.
    • Goofs
      A gramophone record of Noel Coward's "Nina" is played in the section before World War II breaks out. Coward didn't record the song until 1945.
    • Quotes

      Ginger Littlejohn: What I'm about to say is that what I'm about to say may sound unpleasant, y'know, and all that, but look here, y'know, dammit. I mean, the better man has won. Not, um, that I'm saying that I'm the better man, I wouldn't say that for a moment, awful bad luck on you and all but still, when you come to think of it I mean look here, y'know. Dammit. Do you see what I mean?

    • Crazy credits
      The end credits list the actors one or two at a time, showing pictures of their characters in the film along with their names, which is called "end credits roll call," which can be simply added to "Keywords" section.
    • Connections
      Featured in Stephen Fry: Director Documentary (2003)
    • Soundtracks
      Sing Sing Sing
      Written by Louis Prima

      Performed by The Not So Bright Young Things

    User reviews69

    Review
    Top review
    Fenella Woolgar Steals the Film
    Actor Stephen Fry makes an impressive splash as a director with Bright Young Things, based on the Evelyn Waugh novel, Vile Bodies. The story centers on some struggling "bright young things" during the years before England entered World War II. Adam (Stephen Campbell Moore) and Nina (Emily Mortimer) play sometime-engaged young things at the center of a disparate group of eccentrics. They seem addicted to the London "social whirl" as well as cocaine. He's a struggling writer, and she needs a rich husband. He gets roped into taking a job as a gossip columnist because the former writer (James McAvoy) commits suicide and because his manuscript is confiscated when he enters Scotland. So the young things go to every party and write up tons of scandalous gossip for the rag, keep getting drunk and stoned, and keep pursuing money. Typical acid commentary from Waugh, and Fry does a good job balancing all the characters and sub-plots. Impressive cast as well with Peter O'Toole (very funny), Dan Aykroyd, Stockard Channing (hilariously named Mrs. Melrose Ape), Harriet Walter, Imelda Staunton, Simon Callow, Jim Broadbent, Julia McKemzie, John Mills, Jim Carter, Angela Thorne, Bill Paterson, Richard E. Grant, and Margaret Tyzack recognizable. Fry appears as a chauffeur.

    Moore and Mortimer are solid as young things, but Fenella Woolgar as Agatha is the standout. She's awesome in the part of the drugged out socialite who ends up in an asylum. Woolgar has several memorable scenes and droops about being "smashingly bored." Her race car scene is a scream. David Tennant is the repulsive Ginger, Michael Sheen is the queeny Miles, Lisa Dillon is the social wannabe, and Alec Newman is the very odd race driver.

    Only real complaint is that the ending is VERY long and drawn out. And even though a few loose ends are tied up, it seems padded and interminable. We didn't really need to see WW II battle scenes, and even if the ending worked in the novel it seems very phony in the film.
    helpful•18
    7
    • drednm
    • Jul 25, 2005

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • October 3, 2003 (United Kingdom)
    • Country of origin
      • United Kingdom
    • Official sites
      • Offical Site with synopsis, trailer, cast & crew
      • Revolution Films
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Сяюча молодь
    • Filming locations
      • Port of Tilbury, England, UK
    • Production companies
      • The Film Consortium
      • UK Film Council
      • Visionview Production
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $933,637
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $46,926
      • Aug 22, 2004
    • Gross worldwide
      • $2,905,499
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 42 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.35 : 1

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    James McAvoy, Simon McBurney, Emily Mortimer, Michael Sheen, and Stephen Campbell Moore in Bright Young Things (2003)
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