Drowning by Numbers (1988)

User Rating:

6.8/10   

Director:

Peter Greenaway

Writer:

Peter Greenaway (written by)

Release Date:

June 1991 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

The great death game.

Plot:

Tired of her husband's philanderous ways, the mother of two daughters drowns her husband. With the reluctant help of the local coroner...

Plot Keywords:

Coroner | Murder | Number | Game | Counting

Awards:

3 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Joan Plowright	...	Cissie Colpitts 1
Juliet Stevenson	...	Cissie Colpitts 2
Joely Richardson	...	Cissie Colpitts 3
Bernard Hill	...	Madgett
Jason Edwards	...	Smut
Bryan Pringle	...	Jake
Trevor Cooper	...	Hardy
David Morrissey	...	Bellamy
John Rogan	...	Gregory
Paul Mooney	...	Teigan
Jane Gurnett	...	Nancy
Kenny Ireland	...	Jonah Bognor
Michael Percival	...	Moses Bognor
Joanna Dickens	...	Mrs. Hardy
Janine Duvitski	...	Marina Bellamy

Runtime:

118 min

Country:

UK | Netherlands

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

South Korea:18 | Argentina:16 | Australia:M | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Suffolk, England, UK

Company:

Film Four International

Trivia:

The painting in Madgett's room is that of Peter Bruegel's 'Children's Games (1560)'.

Quotes:

Smut: The object of this game is to dare to fall with a noose around your neck from a place sufficiently high enough off the ground, such that the fall will hang you. The object of the game is to punish those who have caused great unhappiness by their selfish actions. This is the best game of all, because the winner is also the loser, and the judge's decision is always final.

Movie Connections:

References Vertical Features Remake (1978)

Soundtrack:

2nd Movement of Mozart's Sinfonia Concertante for Violin, Viola and Orchestra K354

Another Greenaway/Vierny/Nyland masterpiece

I first saw this film many years ago when it was first released, after having seen all greenaway's BFI funded experimental films and the Draughtman's Contract et al. Some of the reviews here seem to compare this film with greenaway's later films, right up to the Pillow Book. I don't see this as relevant, a film maker will obviously evolve over a period of 20 years. This film was at the time, and still is, a thoughtful, beautifully photographed masterpiece. The cast are superb, the script is crisp, and although it generally is regarded as greenaway's most "user friendly" film, this is no bad thing. In short, a film to be enjoyed time after time. PLEASE WILL SOMEONE ARRANGE A DVD RELEASE SOON !!!!!!!!!!