Carol (2015)

An aspiring photographer develops an intimate relationship with an older woman in 1950s New York.

Director:

Todd Haynes

Writers:

Phyllis Nagy (screenplay), Patricia Highsmith (novel)

Stars:

Cate Blanchett, Rooney Mara, Sarah Paulson

Nominated for 6 Oscars. Another 77 wins & 244 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Cate Blanchett	...	Carol Aird
Rooney Mara	...	Therese Belivet
Kyle Chandler	...	Harge Aird
Sarah Paulson	...	Abby Gerhard
Jake Lacy	...	Richard Semco
John Magaro	...	Dannie McElroy
Cory Michael Smith	...	Tommy Tucker
Kevin Crowley	...	Fred Haymes
Nik Pajic	...	Phil McElroy
Carrie Brownstein	...	Genevieve Cantrell
Trent Rowland	...	Jack Taft
Sadie Heim	...	Rindy Aird
Kk Heim	...	Rindy Aird (as Kennedy Heim)
Amy Warner	...	Jennifer Aird
Michael Haney	...	John Aird

Storyline

In an adaptation of Patricia Highsmith's seminal novel The Price of Salt, CAROL follows two women from very different backgrounds who find themselves in an unexpected love affair in 1950s New York. As conventional norms of the time challenge their undeniable attraction, an honest story emerges to reveal the resilience of the heart in the face of change. A young woman in her 20s, Therese Belivet (Rooney Mara), is a clerk working in a Manhattan department store and dreaming of a more fulfilling life when she meets Carol (Cate Blanchett), an alluring woman trapped in a loveless, convenient marriage. As an immediate connection sparks between them, the innocence of their first encounter dims and their connection deepens. While Carol breaks free from the confines of marriage, her husband (Kyle Chandler) begins to question her competence as a mother as her involvement with Therese and close relationship with her best friend Abby (Sarah Paulson) come to light.

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Plot Keywords:

lesbian | lesbian romance | road trip | child custody | photographer | 

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Taglines:

Some people change your life forever

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for a scene of sexuality/nudity and brief language

Did You Know?

Trivia

"Carol" was produced in association with Dirty Films Ltd., a London-based film production company co-owned by Cate Blanchett and husband Andrew Upton.

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Goofs

Carol gives Therese a Canon III 35mm range finder camera as a gift. Canon cameras were sold in the United States in 1952. Fact: in 1950, the C.R. Skinner Mfg. Company became the first factory-authorized U.S. importer of Canon cameras and the April 1950 issue of "Popular Photography" magazine featured an advertisement by Skinner on page 113 for the Canon II-B range finder camera -- this was five years before Canon opened its first company *office* in New York City in 1955.

(INCORRECT goof statement: The Canon camera gift was not readily available in the USA in 1952. Canon USA's website "Sixty Years of Canon in the Americas" states their first office opened in New York in 1955.)

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Quotes

Carol Aird: Don't be daft.

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Connections

Featured in WatchMojo: Top 10 Best Movies of 2015 (2016)

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Soundtracks

Kiss of Fire
Performed by Georgia Gibbs
Written by Lester Allen (as Allen)/Robert Hill (as Hill)
Published by Universal/MCA Music Ltd.
Courtesy of The Island Def Jam Music Group
Under license from Universal Music Operations Ltd.

User Reviews

This Thanksgiving, I'm grateful for Carol

Others have already mentioned the film's beauty, elegance, attention to period detail, acting etc. All amazing. As a gay man "of a certain age" I felt deep gratitude for the gift given by the artists who created this film. The direction is so subtle and effective, using the all the tools of film making to communicate information, meaning, and emotion.

Like Brokeback Mountain, this film turns cliché on its head and transcends the particulars of the protagonists' lives by illuminating more universal themes. It is a period/genre film that acts to balance well established tropes of its genre, a powerful corrective to SO MANY previous films that repeated the same old false, stereotypical, and often tragic images of gay lives. Beyond merely telling some real truth, Carol has so much to say about strength, resilience, and the possibility of finding joy in difficult circumstances. As such, it was deeply satisfying to this viewer.

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Official site

Country:

UK USA Australia

Language:

English

Release Date:

15 January 2016 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Price of Salt

Filming Locations:

Cincinnati, Ohio, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$11,800,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$253,510, 22 November 2015

Gross USA:

$12,711,491

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$40,272,135

Company Credits

Production Co:

The Weinstein Company, Film4, Number 9 Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

118 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1