The Age of Innocence (1993)

User Rating:

7.1/10   

Director:

Martin Scorsese

Writers (WGA):

Edith Wharton (novel)
Jay Cocks (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

1 October 1993 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Tagline:

In a world of tradition. In an age of innocence. They dared to break the rules.

Plot:

Tale of 19th century New York high society in which a young lawyer falls in love with a woman separated from her husband, while he is engaged to the woman's cousin.

Plot Keywords:

New York | Love | Countess | 19th Century | Lawyer

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 10 wins & 14 nominations

Cast

Daniel Day-Lewis	...	Newland Archer
Michelle Pfeiffer	...	Ellen Olenska
Winona Ryder	...	May Welland
Alexis Smith	...	Louisa van der Luyden
Geraldine Chaplin	...	Mrs. Welland
Mary Beth Hurt	...	Regina Beaufort
Alec McCowen	...	Sillerton Jackson
Richard E. Grant	...	Larry Lefferts
Miriam Margolyes	...	Mrs. Mingott
Robert Sean Leonard	...	Ted Archer
Siân Phillips	...	Mrs. Archer
Jonathan Pryce	...	Rivière
Michael Gough	...	Henry van der Luyden
Joanne Woodward	...	Narrator (voice)
Stuart Wilson	...	Julius Beaufort

MPAA:

Rated PG for thematic elements and some mild language.

Runtime:

139 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Certification:

South Korea:12 | Brazil:Livre | Australia:M (TV rating) | Argentina:Atp | Australia:G | Chile:TE | Finland:S | Germany:6 | Iceland:L | Peru:PT | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:PG | Spain:T | Sweden:Btl | UK:U | USA:PG | Canada:PG (Ontario)

Filming Locations:

Albany, New York, USA

Company:

Cappa Production

Trivia:

Originally to be released in fall of 1992, but was held back by over a year to allow director Martin Scorsese more time to edit.

Goofs:

Factual errors: During the baptism of Newland's and May's child, the family priest blesses the child with "the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit" instead of "the Father, Son and the Holy Ghost". The usage of this phrase only came about after the revision of the Episcopalian prayer book in the 1920s.

Quotes:

Ellen Olenska: Is New York such a labyrinth? I thought it was all straight up and down like Fifth Avenue. All the cross streets numbered and big honest labels on everything.
Newland Archer: Everything is labeled, but everybody is not.
Ellen Olenska: Then I must count on you for warnings too.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Will & Grace: A Chorus Lie (#4.15)" (2002)

Soundtrack:

Emperor Waltz Op 437

Underrated masterpiece from the top director of our times.

For those who wonder what is Mr. Scorsese looking for in a film like "The Age of Innocence", (probably more suitable to a director such as James Ivory), the man himself gives the answer: "This film deals with the same matters that can be found in my work in the last 25 years. There is guilt, desire, obsessed passion and the weakness to satisfy that passion".

The story takes place in New York, around 1880. Newland Archer (Daniel Day-Lewis) must choose between his current fiancee May Welland (Winona Ryder) and her cousin who has just arrived from Poland and is recently divorced, Helen Ollenska (Michelle Pfeiffer). May is the symbol of a world he's familiar with, and Helen represents the world he's dreaming of.

Living in a conservative world full of compromises, Newland is as much trapped by his social circle as the Italian-American heroes of Mean Streets and GoodFellas. However, the Mafia here is called New York aristocracy and kills with words, with a gesture or with a look of contempt and rejection, instead of using guns. Scorsese fans who expect to see psychotic characters, violence or De Niro-style performances, will be disappointed. Everything in this movie is based on the observation and recording of the social behaviour codes, the unexpressed feelings and of things which are not not said but implied. Scorsese portrayed with absolute preciseness, almost paragraph to paragraph, Edith Wharton's classic novel. However, he managed to give the film his own unique personal view, proving his gigantic talent and that he's capable of creating masterpieces, whatever the heroes, the story or the genre of the film. Winona Ryder should definitely have won the Oscar for her wonderful performance, but Lewis and Pfeiffer are marvellous as well. What's left to say? The Age of Innocence is an un-excusably underrated all time classic.