Trivia for
Quills (2000) More at IMDbPro »

• The genuine model head cast from the real Marie Antoinette (and on loan from Madame Tussaud's wax museum in London) is in the basket of aristocratic victims.
  
  
• During the play presented by the inmates of Charenton, a mask can be seen in the backstage area. Made of leather and fitted with goggles and a birdlike beak, this mask is identical to the one worn by Robert Downey Jr.'s character in Restoration (1995).
  
  
• The tune that the Marquis de Sade keeps humming throughout the film is the French children's song "Au Clair de la Lune", the second line of which becomes increasingly relevant - roughly translated, it is "lend me your quill so I can write a word".
  
  
• Geoffrey Rush's real-life wife, Jane Menelaus, plays de Sade's wife.
  
  
• Special plastic/pleather shoes had to be made for Joaquin Phoenix. As a strict vegan, he refused to wear leather.
  
  
• Geoffrey Rush directed the play that the asylum residents put on.
  
  
• The works of de Sade read out in the film were actually written by Doug Wright.
  
  
• Every single line from the script that was cut made it into the film either written on de Sade's clothing, the bed sheets or in his prison cell at the end.
  
  
• The prop department asked for details of de Sade's diet so that they could get the consistency of mixture of the "ink" in the final scene.
  
  
• The actors playing the inmates all had their characters diagnosed with genuine mental illnesses by a psychiatrist.
  
  
• The real Abbe de Coulmier was a four-foot-tall hunchback.
  
  
• Though the events in the film are based on reality, they have definitely been 'tarted up' as the opening disclaimer says. In real life, the Marquis' second wife, Marie-Constance Quesnet, was living with him at Charenton, along with their daughter. He did carry on an affair with Madeleine Leclerc (Kate Winslet's character), although Madeleine was thirteen at the time. And contrary to Geoffrey Rush's physical appearance, the real Marquis was, by this point in his life, extremely obese.
  
  
• The pale pink gown with cerise ruffle along the neckline worn by an extra attending the play performed by the inmates at Charenton is the same gown worn by Victoria Hamilton (Mrs.Forster) to the Bennet's farewell dinner for the militia in "Pride and Prejudice" (1995), and by a guest at the Crown Ball in Emma (1996) (TV), by a ball guest in Mansfield Park (1999), by a guest at the London ball where Lady Caroline Lamb dances the waltz in Byron (2003) (TV), and by a guest at the London Ball in "Sense & Sensibility" (2008).
  
  
• The green velvet Spencer vest Elizabeth Berrington (Charlotte) wears while showing the book to the doctor is the same costume Sally Hawkins (Anne Elliot) wears to the concert at the Bath Assembly Rooms in Persuasion (2007) (TV), and Kate Winslet (Marianne Dashwood) wears walking in the rain at Cleveland in Sense and Sensibility (1995).
  
  
• The teal blue goddess gown Pauline McLynn (Mademoiselle Clairwill) wears to see the play is the same costume Juliet Stevenson (Mrs. Elton) wears to dinner at Hartfield in Emma (1996).
  
  
• The orange gown with green underskirt worn by Bridget McConnell (Madame Bougival) at the theatre is the same costume worn by Anna Chancellor (Caroline Bingley) when she asks Elizabeth to "take a turn about the room" at Netherfield in "Pride and Prejudice" (1995).
  
  
• The dark purple velvet and silk gown worn by the theatre guest seated next to deSade's wife is the same costume worn by Harriet Walter (Fanny Dashwood) to dinner at Norland Park in Sense and Sensibility (1995), and by Jane How (Lady Holland) at the London party in Byron (2003) (TV).
  
  
• The rose lace-covered evening gown worn by a guest at the play is the same costume Imelda Staunton (Mrs. Palmer) wears playing cards at Barton Park in Sense and Sensibility (1995).
  
  
• The white gown with silver trimmings worn by a guest at the play is the same costume worn by Norma Streader (Lady Lucas) to the Christmas party at the Philips' in "Pride and Prejudice" (1995), by a guest at Fanny's ball in Mansfield Park (1999), and by a guest at a London ball in Byron (2003) (TV).
  
  

• SPOILER: The rosary that appears in the film, which de Sade uses to commit suicide, is made out of light and dark chocolate.
  
  

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