The Winter Guest (1997)

Director:

Alan Rickman

Writers:

Sharman Macdonald (play)
Sharman Macdonald (screenplay)
(more)

Release Date:

24 December 1997 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

Come in from the cold.

Plot:

A recent widow who is determined to leave Scotland for Australia with her son gets an unexpected visit from her aging mother.

Plot Keywords:

Scotland | Beach | Obituary | Real Life Mother And Daughter Playing Mother And Daughter | Teenage Sex

Awards:

5 wins & 9 nominations

Cast

Phyllida Law	...	Elspeth
Emma Thompson	...	Frances
Sheila Reid	...	Lily
Sandra Voe	...	Chloe
Arlene Cockburn	...	Nita
Gary Hollywood	...	Alex
Sean Biggerstaff	...	Tom
Douglas Murphy	...	Sam
Tom Watson	...	Minister
Jan Shand	...	Café Proprietor
Sandy Neilson	...	Passer-by
Billy McElhaney	...	Bus Driver
Helen Devon	...	Woman in Tea Shop
Harry Welsh	...	Boy in Tea Shop
Christian Zanone	...	Young Man in Church
Ross Lewis	...	Jamie
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Alan Rickman	...	Man in street (uncredited)

Directed by
Alan Rickman

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Sharman Macdonald		play
Sharman Macdonald		screenplay
Alan Rickman		writer

Produced by
Steve Clark-Hall	....	producer
Ken Lipper	....	producer
Edward R. Pressman	....	producer
Alan J. Wands	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Michael Kamen

Cinematography by
Seamus McGarvey

Film Editing by
Scott Thomas

Casting by
Joyce Nettles

Production Design by
Robin Cameron Don

Art Direction by
Ben Scott

Costume Design by
Joan Bergin

Makeup Department
Miri Ben-Schlomo	....	makeup artist
Morag Ross	....	makeup department head

Production Management
Gregory G. Woertz	....	executive in charge of production (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Ben Howarth	....	assistant director
Christopher Newman	....	assistant director
Keith Young	....	assistant director

Art Department
Roy Bell	....	assistant to designer
Mat Bergel	....	stand-by props
John Booth	....	additional prop assistant
Bryan Boyne	....	stagehand
Tony Braden	....	plasterer laborer
Frank Cameron	....	carpenter
Tristan Carlisle-Kitz	....	additional prop assistant
Stewart Cunningham	....	dressing prop man
Paul Curren	....	painter
Sam Curren	....	painter
John Donnelly	....	stagehand
Gordon Fitzgerald	....	property master
Colin H. Fraser	....	construction manager
Derek Fraser	....	construction chargehand
Bobby Gee	....	painter
Paul Grange	....	plasterer
Mark Harrold	....	carpenter
Richard Hassall	....	carpenter
Will Hughes-Jones	....	art department assistant
Piero Jamieson	....	dressing prop man
Roger Jorgensen	....	draughtsman
Peter Knotts	....	carpenter
Dave Lawrence	....	stand-by rigger
Graham C. McGill	....	assistant to designer
Drew Meldon	....	chargehand rigger
Allison Nalder	....	assistant to designer
Jim Patrick	....	chargehand painter
Karl Probert	....	assistant art director
Neil Querns	....	carpenter
Mark Rimmell	....	property buyer
Mike Roberts	....	storeman
Alex Robertson	....	stand-by carpenter
Bob Rose	....	plasterer
Jeremy Rose	....	plasterer
Robert Ross	....	chargehand carpenter
Robert Ross	....	dressing prop man
Miguel Sapochnik	....	storyboard artist
Anna Selwood	....	stand-by props
Bill Thompson	....	plasterer laborer
John Woods	....	chargehand plasterer

Sound Department
Kevin Brazier	....	dubbing editor
Tony Cook	....	boom operator
Neil Davidge	....	sound mixer
Diane Greaves	....	foley artist
Stephen Griffiths	....	dubbing editor
Dave Humphries	....	dubbing mixer
Dave Jepkin	....	assistant sound engineer
Alastair Mason	....	sound trainee
Colin Nicolson	....	sound
Alan Sallabank	....	adr mixer
Lee Shephard	....	assistant sound engineer
Jason Swanscott	....	foley artist
Trevor Swanscott	....	foley mixer
Robert Thompson	....	assistant sound mixer

Special Effects by
John Cox	....	special effects technician
Dave Crownshaw	....	snow effects supervisor
Peter Haran	....	special effects technician
Tim Howell	....	special effects technician
John Mason	....	special effects technician
Mark E. Raymond	....	special effects technician

Visual Effects by
Blondel Aidoo	....	visual effects producer
Andy Atkins	....	supervising digital artist
Jerr Dunlap	....	3D digital artist
Russell Frazier	....	digital artist
Peter Graziano	....	digital artist
Dan Hamilton	....	visual effects editor
Heidy Hughes	....	digital artist
Jim Livolsi	....	visual effects facility producer
Howard Minkow	....	effects coordinator
TJ Morgan	....	senior digital artist
Matt Plec	....	SGI digital artist
Mathieu Reid	....	effects color timer
Robert Scifo	....	digital matte paintings
Janice Tso	....	supervising digital artist
Bobby Vignato	....	digital artist

Stunts
Michael Scott-Law	....	action sequence coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Paul Bates	....	generator operator
Julie Bills	....	camera trainee
Lewis Buchan	....	focus puller: second unit
Stuart Bunting	....	camera grip
Chris Burns	....	clapper loader: second unit
Matthew Butler	....	electrician
Clive Coote	....	still photographer
Neil Davidson	....	clapper loader: second unit
Nigel Finch	....	still photographer: photographs of Jamie
Baz Irvine	....	focus puller
Ivan Kyncl	....	still photographer: photographs of Jamie
Kristen McMahon	....	clapper loader
Jan Pester	....	Steadicam operator
Alastair Rae	....	Steadicam operator
Mark Ritchie	....	best boy
Steve Rundell	....	additional photographer
Garry Thomson	....	electrician
Lee Walters	....	gaffer
Simon Werry	....	aerial camera operator

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Ruth Cummings	....	wardrobe assistant
Gabriel O'Brien	....	wardrobe manager

Editorial Department
Chris Bannister	....	grader
Lucy Chapman	....	assistant film editor
Joe Fineman	....	post-production consultant
Mike Fraser	....	negative cutter
Sara King	....	executive in charge of post-production
Martin Morrison	....	assistant film editor
Gary Scott	....	assistant film editor

Music Department
James Seymour Brett	....	music co-producer
David Harrod	....	additional musician: piano
Stephen McLaughlin	....	music mixer
Stephen McLaughlin	....	music recordist
Michael Price	....	music co-producer

Transportation Department
Danny Blain	....	driver: wardrobe bus
Alan Doyle	....	driver: dressing props car
Frank Hudson	....	driver: stand-by props car
John McDowell	....	make-up bus driver
Dennis McElhaney	....	driver: winnebago
Arthur Morrison	....	transportation captain
Brian Morrison	....	driver: minibus
Terence Morrison	....	driver: construction bus
Conrad Phillips	....	driver: camera car
Bill Stevenson	....	unit driver
Clark Tracy	....	driver: greenroom truck

Other crew
Pete Beaver	....	tutor
Claire Best	....	production executive
Robert Bowman	....	caterer
Merry Brown	....	caterer
Alison Campbell	....	production coordinator
Janice Corson	....	stand-in
Guy Cowan	....	caterer
Robert Cowie	....	floor runner
Lou Crichton	....	continuity assistant
John D'Arcy	....	caterer
Ben Dickens	....	ice floe contractor
John S. Don	....	rocking horses
Flora Fleming	....	stand-in
Kelly Forgan	....	stand-in
Mike Fraser	....	rushes transfer
Dennis Gallagher	....	additional labourer
Linda Gamble	....	unit publicist
Frank Gannon	....	lipper development staff
Michael Gerrard	....	additional labourer
Pamela Godfrey	....	marketing supervisor
Martina Gormley	....	chaperone
Izzy Graham	....	caterer
Keith Handley	....	additional labourer
Andy Irvine	....	caterer
Emma James	....	production coordinator
Brian Kaczynski	....	location manager
Roger Kass	....	legal services
Lucy Marr	....	production runner
John McKain	....	assistant accountant
John McVeigh	....	caterer
Steven Michalski	....	additional labourer
Lee Miller	....	caterer
Seth Miller	....	assistant floor runner
Geraldine Murphy	....	unit nurse
Erin O'Rourke	....	development staff: Pressman
Pat Rambaut	....	script supervisor
Janet Riddoch	....	assistant location manager
Karen Robson	....	legal services
Michael Scott-Law	....	action sequence consultant
Michael Scott-Law	....	action sequence coordinator
Peggy Smith	....	lipper development staff
David Stewart	....	seagulls
Derek Townshend	....	insurance
Will Tyler	....	production accountant

Thanks
David Aukin	....	special thanks
Lindsay Duncan	....	special thanks
Graham Easton	....	special thanks
David Evans	....	special thanks
Thelma Holt	....	special thanks
Ileen Maisel	....	special thanks
John Ross Morland	....	special thanks
Anthony J. O'Donnell	....	special thanks
Lynn Pressman-Raymond	....	special thanks
Allon Reich	....	special thanks
Celia Stevenson	....	special thanks
Stan Thomas	....	special thanks
John Wark	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Capitol Films
• Channel Four Films
• Fine Line Features
• Pressman-Lipper Productions
• Scottish Arts Council Lottery Fund

Distributors

• Fine Line Features (1997) (USA) (theatrical)
• Image Entertainment (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• Image Entertainment (2007) (USA) (DVD)
• New Line Home Entertainment (2007) (USA) (DVD) (Included in a three-pack.)
• Diaphana Films (????) (France) (theatrical)
• Reco Distribuidora (????) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• TriPictures (????) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Vitória Filmes (????) (Portugal) (theatrical)
• Argentina Video Home (????) (Argentina) (VHS)

Special Effects

• D. Rez Hollywood (visual effects)
• Snow Business International (special effects)

Other Companies

• Christchurch Studios  end title song recorded at
• Creature Feature  seagulls
• Daniel Brazier Ltd.  sound recorded at
• Ecosse World Express  rushes transport
• Film Finance  completion bond
• G & H Film & Television Services  facilities vehicles
• Grip House North  grip equipment
• Guinness Mahon and Company  banking services
• Lee Lighting  lighting equipment
• Mike Fraser  sound transfer
• Mike Fraser  telecine rushes transfers
• Near North Entertainment  insurance
• Olswang, Lisbeth, Savill  legal services
• PDG Helicopters  helicopters
• Peerless Camera Company  opticals
• Real Food  catering
• Sapex Scripts  post-production script services
• TLS Vehicle Hire  unit transport

MPAA:

Rated R for language and brief sensuality.

Runtime:

108 min | Turkey:95 min (TV version)

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Iceland:L | Netherlands:AL | USA:TV-MA (cable rating) | Argentina:13 | Chile:14 | Finland:S | France:U | Hungary:14 | Norway:A | Portugal:M/12 | Spain:T | Sweden:7 | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | UK:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Elie, Fife, Scotland, UK

Company:

Capitol Films

Quotes:

[first lines]
Alex: Are you all right?
Frances: Don't keep asking.

Movie Connections:

References Now, Voyager (1942)

Soundtrack:

Take Me With You

Beautiful Film by Alan Rickman

When you break it down, life comes in stages; not just stages of development, but stages that can last for a moment, an hour, a day-- or indefinitely. And they come unbidden and unannounced, like an uninvited guest that drops by and burrows into your very soul to ferret out the deepest hopes, dreams, needs and desires which-- consciously or subconsciously-- are a part of everyone who draws a breath upon the planet. In spring, that guest may bring the joy of rebirth and life; in winter, it may bring a reflection of need and confusion, a feeling of loneliness and loss, the desperation of uncertainty or even despair, all born in that seemingly endless moment of searching and seeking out that elusive and intangible something that lies ahead, just out of reach. The winter guest you can neither refuse nor turn away that is desolation of spirit; a visitor to whom we are introduced in `The Winter Guest,' directed by Alan Rickman.

It's an especially cold February in a small village on the coast of Scotland; even the ocean is frozen for as far as the eye can see. And in the harsh wind that blows in from that frozen sea, we find Frances (Emma Thompson), a woman who has lost her husband, and visited by the winter of indecision is held fast in her confusion, unable to move on with her life. There to help her find the warmth of spring is Elspeth (Phyllida Law), her mother, who needs Frances as much as Frances needs her, though neither can find a way to break through the chill that has engulfed their souls. Then there is Alex (Gary Hollywood), Frances's son, still in school, but on the brink of maturity awaiting on the other side of his own winter, a taste of which he samples in the form of Nita (Arlene Cockburn), a local girl who takes a fancy to him.

Before it's through, the winter guest will visit others, as well; those in every stage of life. At one end of the spectrum are Lily and Chloe (Sheila Reid and Sandra Voe), elderly friends who seem to stave off the inevitable by attending funerals. At the other end are Sam and Tom (Douglas Murphy and Sean Biggerstaff), boys on the cusp of adolescence, who during their visit will learn that being of a like age does not put them at the same stage of life. And as the story unfolds, in each relationship a different stage of life is revealed and examined, and we see the effects of this winter guest on each.

Written by Rickman and Sharman Macdonald (adapted from Macdonald's play), this film is a study in contrasts, a pensive portraiture of life; sparse and reflective, Rickman captures in it the human condition at it's most fragile, and therein finds beauty. He uses the original music (written and performed by Michael Kamen) sparingly, opting instead for the sound of the wind, the cry of the gulls overhead or just a backdrop of silence to underscore the dialogue and the drama of the story, all to great effectiveness. By so doing, he allows the drama to speak for itself, to play out thoughtfully and in such a way that the audience is drawn in and included, very reminiscent of Ingmar Bergman's style, though perhaps a bit more wistful at times. And Rickman allows so many wonderfully telling moments in this film: The young boy, Tom, looking out at the vast frozen ocean that seemingly extends on and on forever, as if he is looking out upon his own life, which even now is extending on ahead of him, forever; or Frances, looking out upon that same ocean, a frozen sea reaching out into the unknown, even as her own life is moving on toward an unknown destination; Sam, the same age as Tom, yet younger, watching from the shore, not yet ready and therefore unable to follow as Tom ventures out into the mists that cover the frozen waters. And there's more: Alex and Nita embracing their passion; Chloe, falling and grabbing hold of a railing for support, then finally reaching out to Lily; Elspeth and Tom, sitting together on a rock and sharing a moment at the shore; Frances taking Elspeth by the arm and helping her. All moments that are profound in their simplicity, and all wonderfully presented by Rickman, with not only the eye, but the heart, of a true artist.

Phyllida Law gives an especially engaging performance as Elspeth, as does Voe as Chloe; and Biggerstaff and Murphy are a delight to watch as Tom and Sam. But the lovely Emma Thompson steals the show as Frances, with a superb, introspective and reserved performance that is entirely captivating. She successfully conveys that deepest yearning that so readily identifies the winter into which Frances has entered in her soul, and her scenes with Law (her real life mother) are a subtle expression of reality, and a joy to behold. But again, it's the prolonged moments of silence--created and staged so well by Rickman-- that are beguiling, and say so much about who Frances really is. it's such a treat to find a film in which the director is wise enough and so willing to allow enough time for his performer to do what she does best-- as Rickman did with Thompson here-- the positive impact of which is certainly evident in the depth of Thompson's portrayal of Frances.

The supporting cast includes Tom Watson (Minister) and Alan Rickman (Man in the Street). Rickman found beauty in the bleak, frozen landscape of that small, Scottish village, then translated it so well into a representation of those troubling and disorienting transitional periods that can visit us at any given stage of our lives. And, combined with his artistic eye and insight into human nature, it makes `The Winter Guest' a film to be embraced and cherished. It's an experience you'll long remember. 9/10.