The Comfort of Strangers (1990)

Director:

Paul Schrader

Writers:

Ian McEwan (novel)
Harold Pinter (screenplay)

Release Date:

April 1991 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

The appearance of innocence. The heat of desire...

Plot:

An English couple holiday in Venice to sort out their relationship. There is some friction and distance between them...

Plot Keywords:

Stranger | Restaurant | Wine | Ferry | Old Mirror

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Christopher Walken	...	Robert
Rupert Everett	...	Colin
Natasha Richardson	...	Mary
Helen Mirren	...	Caroline
Manfredi Aliquo	...	Concierge
David Ford	...	Waiter
Daniel Franco	...	Waiter
Rossana Canghiari	...	Hotel Maid
Fabrizio Castellani	...	Bar Manager
Mario Cotone	...	Detective
Giancarlo Previati	...	First Policeman
Antonio Serrano	...	Second Policeman

Directed by
Paul Schrader

Writing credits
Ian McEwan		(novel)
Harold Pinter		(screenplay)

Produced by
Mario Cotone	....	executive producer
Linda Reisman	....	associate producer
Angelo Rizzoli Jr.	....	producer
John Thompson	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Angelo Badalamenti

Cinematography by
Dante Spinotti

Film Editing by
Bill Pankow

Casting by
Mary Selway

Production Design by
Gianni Quaranta

Art Direction by
Luigi Marchione

Set Decoration by
Stefano Paltrinieri

Costume Design by
Giorgio Armani

Makeup Department
Laura Borselli	....	assistant makeup artist
Walter Cossu	....	makeup artist
Luciana Maria Costanzi	....	assistant hair stylist (as Maria Costanzi)
Stefano Fava	....	makeup artist
Paolo Franceschi	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Stefano Bolzoni	....	unit manager
Fabrizio Castellani	....	production supervisor
Adriano Di Lorenzo	....	production manager
Pietro Sassaroli	....	post-production manager
Alessandro Senaldi	....	unit manager: Venice

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Giacomo Lesina	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Alessandro Alberti	....	draughtsman
Luciano Bispuri	....	props
Francesco Cagnone	....	draughtsman
Franco Pizzonia	....	construction coordinator
Floriano Porzionato	....	props
Umberto Vandilli	....	scenic artist

Sound Department
Luca Anzellotti	....	sound effects editor
Luciano Anzellotti	....	sound effects
Massimo Anzellotti	....	sound effects
James Beshears	....	sound effects editor (as Jim Beshears)
Marko A. Costanzo	....	foley artist
Susan Sklar Friedman	....	assistant sound editor
Mark Goodermote	....	boom operator
Bruce Kitzmeyer	....	sound editor
Drew Kunin	....	sound mixer
Maurice Schell	....	supervising sound editor
Mel Zelniker	....	sound re-recording mixer

Camera and Electrical Department
Deborah Imogen Beer	....	still photographer (as Deborah Beer)
Sandro Bolli	....	head grip
Fabio De Meis	....	electrician
Felice Guzzi	....	electrician
Enrico Lucidi	....	camera operator
Alberico Novelli	....	chief lighting technician
Fabio Olmi	....	second assistant camera
Nicola Pecorini	....	Steadicam operator
Marco Sacerdoti	....	first assistant camera
Doriano Torriero	....	best boy
Franco Torriero	....	grip
Francesco Zaccaria	....	electrician

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Mariolina Bono	....	costume supervisor
Maria Giovanna Caselli	....	assistant costume supervisor

Editorial Department
Giancarlo Barberi	....	color timer
Sue Blainey	....	assistant editor
Kristina Boden	....	associate editor
Fabio Maiuri	....	assistant editor
Daniele Sordoni	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Thomas S. Drescher	....	music editor (as Thomas Drescher)

Other crew
Gabriella Di Santo	....	production coordinator
Luciano Gallina	....	crowd marshall: Venice
Rachel Griffiths	....	script supervisor
Andrea Nuzzolo	....	production secretary
Giorgio Padoan	....	location manager: Venice
Eugene Rizzo	....	unit publicist (as Gene Rizzo)

Production Companies

• Erre Produzioni
• Rank Organisation, The
• Reteitalia
• Sovereign Pictures

Distributors

• MGM Home Entertainment (2004) (Germany) (DVD)
• Paramount Pictures (1992) (USA) (VHS)
• Skouras Pictures (1991) (USA)

Special Effects

• Corridori G & A Cinematografica S.r.l.

Also Known As:

Cortesie per gli ospiti (Italy)

Runtime:

107 min

Country:

USA | Italy | UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Iceland:12 | Australia:M | Finland:K-16 | Germany:16 | South Korea:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

London, England, UK

Company:

Erre Produzioni

Quotes:

Caroline: Are you in love?
Mary: Well, I... I do love him, I suppose. Not quite like when we first met. I trust him, really. He's my closest friend. But, what do you mean by in-love?
Caroline: I mean that you'd do absolutely anything for the other person, and you'd let them do absolutely anything to you. Anything...
Mary: Anything?

Movie Connections:

References Don't Look Now (1973)

Soundtrack:

AMOREVOLE

Schrader gives probably the best movie-adaptation from one of our time's most witty and wicked writers.

McEwan's novel was placed in a not-better-defined hot town by the sea. Director Schrader decides to place the story in a cold and foggy Venice. Surprisingly, this choice sorts its aim, probably thanks to the pendant given by Walken's icing looks and Everett's cold English beauty. So, the atmosphere around the plot is completely different from the novel to the movie, but the perfect morbid reaction is the same. The unstoppable gain of sickness of the book is perfectly intact on screen. Schrader gives probably the best movie-adaptation from one of our time's most witty and wicked writers.