IMDb > Quills (2000)
Quills
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Quills (2000) -- In a Napoleonic era insane asylum, an inmate, the irrepressible Marquis De Sade, fights a battle of wills against a tyrannically prudish doctor.
Quills (2000) -- hv post
Quills (2000) -- Trailerfan.com - Trailer (Flash)
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Overview

User Rating:
7.3/10   20,705 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Up 8% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Philip Kaufman
Writers (WGA):
Doug Wright (play)
Doug Wright (screenplay)
Contact:
View company contact information for Quills on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
15 December 2000 (USA) more
Genre:
Drama | History | Romance more
Tagline:
There are no bad words... only bad deeds. more
Plot:
In a Napoleonic era insane asylum, an inmate, the irrepressible Marquis De Sade, fights a battle of wills against a tyrannically prudish doctor. full summary | add synopsis
Awards:
Nominated for 3 Oscars. Another 14 wins & 33 nominations more
User Comments:
Philip Kaufmann has produced yet another amazing piece of work more (295 total)

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Geoffrey Rush ... The Marquis de Sade

Kate Winslet ... Madeleine 'Maddy' LeClerc

Joaquin Phoenix ... The Abbe du Coulmier

Michael Caine ... Dr. Royer-Collard
Billie Whitelaw ... Madame LeClerc

Patrick Malahide ... Delbené

Amelia Warner ... Simone
Jane Menelaus ... Renee Pelagie

Stephen Moyer ... Prouix, the Architect
Tony Pritchard ... Valcour
Michael Jenn ... Cleante
Danny Babington ... Pitou
George Yiasoumi ... Dauphin

Stephen Marcus ... Bouchon
Elizabeth Berrington ... Charlotte
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Additional Details

Also Known As:
Quills - Macht der Besessenheit (Germany)
more
MPAA:
Rated R for strong sexual content including dialogue, violence and language.
Runtime:
124 min
Country:
USA | Germany | UK
Language:
English
Color:
Color
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Dolby Digital
Filming Locations:
London, England, UK more

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
Geoffrey Rush's real-life wife, Jane Menelaus, plays de Sade's wife. more
Goofs:
Anachronisms: When Simone is buying her copy of "Justine", the date visible on the cover is MDCCCCVII: 1907. more
Quotes:
Renee Pelagie: Can I impart to you his cruellest trick.
Dr. Royer-Collard: Of course.
Renee Pelagie: Once, long ago in the folly of youth, he made me love him.
more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in Quills: Creating Charenton (2001) (V) more
Soundtrack:
Au clair de la lune more

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
25 out of 35 people found the following comment useful.
Philip Kaufmann has produced yet another amazing piece of work, 14 May 2001
10/10
Author: zetes from Saint Paul, MN

Quills is one of the best films of 2000, in my reckoning, second best only to You Can Count on Me. It is one of the most brilliantly directed, acted, produced, and written films I've seen in a very long time. There is not a (major) character in this film that is not very complex, and the issues at stake are utterly important.

Perhaps the greatest success of the film is how well it works on commenting both on its own time and situations and our own world today. The issues of free speech, creativity, dementia, corporal punishment, religion, sexuality and especially politics are woven into the film in amazing ways. Yes, politics, for it works as an allegory to the recent presidential scandals.

There are two flaws, one major, one semi-major. The semi-major one involves the epilogue. It is not bad, but it is unnecessary. Perhaps the best way to describe it is superfluous and predictable. The major flaw would destroy any lesser film. Here, it is hardly noticable. Still, if one contemplates it, there is no getting around it. There is never a believable reason why Madeleine should be so helpful to the Marquis de Sade. They present a tiny one, but it is not good enough.

Still, with its successes elsewhere, these flaws do not weaken this film. Without them, it would have been perfect. With them, well, just because it is flawed, doesn't mean it isn't a masterpiece. 10/10

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Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Quills (2000)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
what books have you read? Lucky_Starr
Madeleine was 13, De Sade was 70 stickyickeyooeygooey
Final words of the film? HarrietZ
Question about Maddy and her ... SPOILERS breinhardt-1
How Old.. AmadeusGirl
scene with Joaquin and Rush coldplaying_pyro06
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