The House of Mirth (2000)

User Rating:

6.8/10   

Director:

Terence Davies

Writers:

Edith Wharton (novel)
Terence Davies (written by)

Release Date:

27 October 2000 (Ireland)

Genre:

Romance | Drama

Tagline:

When a woman has the beauty men admire and women envy...it is wise to tread carefully.

Plot:

A woman risks losing her chance of happiness with the only man she has ever loved.

Plot Keywords:

Lawyer | Suicide | Letter | Debt | Secretary

Awards:

5 wins & 13 nominations

Cast

Gillian Anderson	...	Lily Bart
Dan Aykroyd	...	Augustus 'Gus' Trenor
Eleanor Bron	...	Mrs. Julia Peniston, Lily's Aunt
Terry Kinney	...	George Dorset
Anthony LaPaglia	...	Sim Rosedale (as Anthony Lapaglia)
Laura Linney	...	Bertha Dorset
Jodhi May	...	Grace Julia Stepney
Elizabeth McGovern	...	Mrs. Carry Fisher
Eric Stoltz	...	Lawrence Selden
Penny Downie	...	Judy Trenor
Pearce Quigley	...	Percy Gryce
Helen Coker	...	Evie Van Osburgh
Mary MacLeod	...	Mrs. Haffen (as Mary Macleod)
Paul Venables	...	Jack Stepney
Serena Gordon	...	Gwen Stepney
Lorelei King	...	Mrs. Hatch
Linda Marlowe	...	Madame Regina
Anne Marie Timoney	...	Miss Haines
Clare Higgins	...	Mrs. Bry
Ralph Riach	...	Lord Hubert Dacy
Brian Pettifer	...	Mr. Bry
Philippe De Grossouvre	...	Ned Silverton
Trevor Martin	...	Jennings, the Butler
David Ashton	...	Lawyer
Lesley Harcourt	...	Mattie Gormer
Mark Dymond	...	Paul Morpeth
Pamela Dwyer	...	Edith Fisher
Kate Wooldridge	...	Parlour Maid
Graham Crammond	...	Clerk
Roy Sampson	...	Dorset Butler
Alyxis Daly	...	Landlady
Joanne Bett	...	1st Millinery Girl
Mary Goonan	...	2nd Millinery Girl
Gowan Calder	...	3rd Millinery Girl
Morag Siller	...	4th Millinery Girl

Directed by
Terence Davies

Writing credits
Edith Wharton		(novel "The House of Mirth")
Terence Davies		(written by)

Produced by
Pippa Cross	....	executive producer
Bob Last	....	executive producer
Olivia Stewart	....	producer
Alan J. Wands	....	co-producer

Cinematography by
Remi Adefarasin		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Michael Parker

Casting by
Kerry Barden
Billy Hopkins
Suzanne Smith

Production Design by
Don Taylor

Art Direction by
Diane Dancklefsen

Set Decoration by
John Bush

Costume Design by
Monica Howe

Makeup Department
Paul Huntley	....	wig maker
Renate Leuschner	....	wig maker (as Renata)
Eva Marieges Moore	....	hair stylist: Gillian Anderson
Eva Marieges Moore	....	makeup artist: Gillian Anderson
Dianne Millar	....	hair stylist
Dianne Millar	....	makeup artist
Christine Powers	....	hair stylist (as Chrissie Powers)
Christine Powers	....	makeup artist (as Chrissie Powers)
Jan Harrison Shell	....	hair designer
Jan Harrison Shell	....	makeup designer
Meg Speirs	....	hair stylist (as Meg Spiers)
Meg Speirs	....	makeup artist (as Meg Spiers)

Production Management
Wendy Broom	....	production manager
Tony Hood	....	unit manager
Sarah Lee	....	post-production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
William Booker	....	second assistant director
Sarah Lee	....	second unit director
Nanna Mailand-Hansen	....	third assistant director
Guy Travers	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Alan Bailey	....	property master
Phil Bowen	....	carpenter
Frank Cameron	....	carpenter
Ursula Cleary	....	assistant art director
Sam Curran Jr.	....	painter
Paul Curren	....	chargehand painter
Sam Curren	....	painter (as Sam Curran Snr.)
John Donnelly	....	carpenter
Billy Edwards	....	stand-by props
Dave Fisher	....	chargehand stand-by props
Bobby Gee	....	stand-by painter
Alec Graham	....	carpenter
Jo Graysmark	....	location art director
Charles Green	....	plasterer
Richard Hassall	....	stand-by carpenter
Christopher Higson	....	chargehand carpenter (as Chris Higson)
John Knight	....	dressing props
Peter Knotts	....	carpenter
William Maxwell	....	stagehand
Nick Mollo	....	storeman
Tim Monroe	....	assistant art director
Barry Nelson	....	construction stand-by
Alex Robertson	....	carpenter
Paul Rogerson	....	laborer
Danny Sumsion	....	construction manager
Gregor Telfer	....	dressing props
Joe Willmott	....	carpenter: second unit (as Joseph Wilmott)
Billy Wilson	....	stand-by rigger
Colin Woodbridge	....	carpenter

Sound Department
Tony Cook	....	boom operator
Paul Hamblin	....	sound re-recording mixer
Stewart Henderson	....	dialogue editor
Stuart Hilliker	....	assistant dubbing mixer
Catherine Hodgson	....	supervising sound editor
Louis Kramer	....	sound recordist
Richard Lewis	....	assistant sound re-recording mixer
Sandy Miller	....	cable person
Michael Redfern	....	foley editor
Ted Swanscott	....	adr mixer
Ted Swanscott	....	foley mixer
Nick Watson	....	sound consultant: Dolby
Paul Hamblin	....	production sound mixer (uncredited)
Steve Hancock	....	studio sound technician (uncredited)
Stewart Henderson	....	adr editor (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Perry Costello	....	rigging supplier
Ricky Farns	....	special effects: second unit
Stuart Murdoch	....	special effects supervisor (as Stuart Murdock)
Daniel Wright	....	special effects assistant

Visual Effects by
Steve Cutmore	....	digital compositor: Peerless Camera
John Paul Docherty	....	visual effects supervisor: Peerless Camera
Tim Ollive	....	computer animator: Peerless Camera
Susi Roper	....	visual effects producer: Peerless Camera
Mark Spevick	....	digital compositor: Peerless Camera (as Mark Spevik)
John Swinnerton	....	digital compositor: Peerless Camera
Marc Twinam-Cauchi	....	computer animator: Peerless Camera
Pat Wong	....	digital compositor: Peerless Camera

Camera and Electrical Department
John Arnold	....	key grip
Harry Bowers	....	clapper loader
Jaap Buitendijk	....	still photographer
Stuart Bunting	....	additional grip
Ian Franklin	....	best boy
Alex Howe	....	focus puller: second unit
Joanne Lee	....	assistant camera: second unit
Charlie Macher	....	rigger: second unit
Steve Macher	....	rigger: second unit
Gordon McMillan	....	assistant camera
Gordon McMillan	....	video assistant
Mark Milsome	....	focus puller
Mark Milsome	....	focus puller: second unit
Barrie More	....	rigging gaffer
Peter Muncey	....	grip: second unit
Paul Murphy	....	generator operator
Chris Plevin	....	photographer: second unit
Freddie Polombo	....	generator operator
Esther Sellem	....	assistant camera: second unit
Robin Stone	....	grip: second unit
Brian Sullivan	....	electrician
Ian Townsend	....	grip: second unit
Jimmy Wilson	....	gaffer

Casting Department
Mark Bennett	....	casting assistant (as Marc Bennett)
Deborah Maxwell Dion	....	casting assistant
Julia Duff	....	additional casting
Gemma Hancock	....	casting assistant (as Jemma Hancock)
Jennifer McNamara	....	casting assistant

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Kate Burnett	....	wardrobe assistant
Ann Taylor Cowan	....	wardrobe supervisor
Tom Hornsby	....	wardrobe assistant
Anna Lau	....	crowd wardrobe coordinator
Adrian Ratley	....	wardrobe assistant
Guy Speranza	....	wardrobe assistant
Jackie Thomas	....	wardrobe assistant

Editorial Department
Martin Brinkler	....	additional editor
Steve Farman	....	negative cutter
Celia Haining	....	first assistant editor
Lea Morement	....	second assistant editor
Anita M. Patel	....	post-production coordinator
Dan Roberts	....	lightworks assistant
Michael Solinger	....	post-production consultant

Music Department
Nigel Acott	....	music recording engineer
Heather Bownass	....	music supervisor
Terry Davies	....	conductor
Isobel Griffiths	....	music contractor
Adrian Johnston	....	musical director
Adrian Johnston	....	music adaptor (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Andy Bell	....	unit driver
Jas Brown	....	unit driver
Tommy Bryce	....	unit driver
Jimmy Coutts	....	facilities driver
Jeff Derby	....	transportation captain
Robert Etherson	....	driver: camera car
Graham Gordon	....	driver: props
William Laidler	....	unit driver
Neil McMahon	....	unit driver
Charlie Morris	....	facilities driver
Bill Stevenson	....	unit driver
Vick Todd	....	driver: props (as Vic Todd)
Scott Weir	....	unit driver
Keith West	....	driver: props

Other crew
Brian Adams	....	additional crew
Nicky Agnew	....	caterer: Thistle Catering
Anne Maria Antzac	....	additional crew
Lucy Aronica	....	assistant to producer
Candice Banks	....	additional crew
Heather Bownass	....	assistant to executive producer
Mark Brennan	....	additional crew
Mhairi Brennan	....	assistant to producer
Valerie Bresso	....	location manager: second unit
Neil Cairns	....	assistant production accountant
Kim Roper Caldbeck	....	trainee location assistant
John Cameron	....	additional crew
Billy Campbell	....	additional crew
Fraser Campbell	....	additional crew
Lorna Carmichael	....	additional crew
Brian Carrington	....	additional crew
Steve Casey	....	additional crew
Carol Chambers	....	additional crew
Victoria Christensen	....	crowd coordinator
Denise Coombes	....	additional crew
Louise Coulter	....	production accountant
Luke Coulter	....	accounts trainee
Gloria Delmonte	....	additional crew
Brendan Diver	....	caterer: Thistle Catering (as Brendan Divers)
Alan Doyle	....	additional crew
Polly Duncan	....	additional crew
Lloret Dunn	....	location scout
Sonya Dunwoodge	....	production secretary
Kate Elliot-Muir	....	additional crew (as Kate Elliot Muir)
John Ferguson	....	additional crew
Claire Finlay	....	additional crew
Jacky Fitt	....	assistant to executive producer
Graham Gardener	....	additional crew
Diana Gehriger	....	assistant: Gillian Anderson
Robert Gillan	....	additional crew
Gary Grey	....	additional crew
Tarn Harper	....	post-production accountant
Roddy Hogg	....	additional crew
Tony Hood	....	location manager: second unit
Penny Hunt	....	additional crew
Jessica Hurles-Laws	....	production runner (as Jessica Hurles)
Steve Hutton	....	stand-in
Debbie Kaye	....	horses and carriages
Johanna Kenyon	....	crowd coordinator
Dennis Knotts	....	additional crew
Joanne Lee	....	runner: second unit
Sarah Lee	....	location manager
Sarah Lee	....	second unit supervisor
Delia Letham	....	additional crew
Ella MacLean	....	continuity trainee
Duncan McAllister	....	additional crew
Charles Mcdonald	....	publicist: McDonald & Rutter (as Charles McDonald)
Mark McGuiness	....	additional crew
Mandy McKay	....	production coordinator
Lou McLoughlan	....	additional crew
James Miller	....	additional crew
Sonia Moore	....	additional crew
Catherine Muir	....	additional crew
David Murray	....	additional crew
Rosalind Nashashibi	....	stand-in
Glen O'Brien	....	additional crew
Gerry Ogden	....	additional crew
Danny Oji	....	additional crew
Karen Osterburgh	....	additional crew
Martin Palmer	....	additional crew
John Parks	....	additional crew
Chris Paton	....	unit publicist: McDonald & Rutter
Roger Phillips	....	title designer
Samantha Print	....	additional crew
Alex Purbrick	....	assistant to director
Pat Rambaut	....	script supervisor
Derrick Ritchie	....	additional crew
Patsy Rodenburg	....	voice coach
David Roy	....	additional crew
Paul Roy	....	additional crew
Esther Sellem	....	runner: second unit
Steve Senior	....	additional crew
Brian Shemmings	....	health and safety: H & S Advisory Services
Dave Sherwyn	....	additional crew
Catherine Shirley	....	additional crew
Paul Shirley	....	additional crew
James Shovlen	....	additional crew
Kenny Skey	....	caterer: Thistle Catering
Paul Smythe	....	floor runner (as Paul Smyth)
Elaine Stewart	....	additional crew
Stef Swiatek	....	unit nurse
Beverley Syme	....	assistant location manager (as Bev Syme)
George Tarbuck	....	additional crew
William Tracey	....	additional crew
Thomas Urquart	....	caterer: Thistle Catering
John Watt	....	additional crew
Julia Wilson Dickson	....	dialect coach (as Julia Wilson Dixon)
Andy Younger	....	additional crew

Thanks
David Alwin	....	thanks
Kerry Barden	....	thanks
Hercules Bellville	....	thanks (as Hercules Belville)
Laurie Borg	....	thanks
Helen Boyes	....	thanks
Nigel Britten	....	thanks
Leonard Crooks	....	thanks (as Lenny Crooks)
Graham Easton	....	thanks
Connie Freiburg	....	thanks
Karen Friedman	....	thanks
Neil Harris	....	thanks
Norma Heyman	....	thanks
Lorraine Jarvie	....	thanks: Arthouse Hotel, Glasgow
Terry Lansbury	....	thanks
Peter Levine	....	thanks
Lilene Mansell	....	thanks
Cate Marvin	....	thanks
Scott Meek	....	thanks
Kevin O'Shea	....	thanks
Lady Palmer	....	thanks: Manderston House
Lord Palmer	....	thanks: Manderston House
Vanessa Pereira	....	thanks
Kenny Skey	....	thanks: Arthouse Hotel, Glasgow
Julian Slomon	....	thanks
Sue Bruce Smith	....	thanks
Lady Wemyss	....	thanks: Gosford House
Jenny Wilkes	....	thanks

Production Companies

• Arts Council of England (as The Arts Council of England)
• Diaphana Films (as Diaphana Sarl)
• FilmFour
• Granada Film Productions (as Grenada Film Limited)
• Kinowelt Filmproduktion (as Kinowelt Median AG)
• National Lottery (as National Lottery Fund)
• Progres Film Distribution
• Scottish Arts Council, The
• Showtime Networks
• The Glasgow Film Fund (as Glasgow Film Fund)
• Three Rivers Production

Distributors

• Columbia TriStar Egmont Film Distributors (2001) (Finland) (theatrical)
• RCV Film Distribution (2001) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Films Pty. Ltd.
• Columbia TriStar Films
• Diaphana Films (France)
• FilmFour
• RCV Film Distribution (Benelux)
• RCV Home Entertainment (200?) (Netherlands) (video)
• Sociedad General de Derechos Audiovisuales (SOGEDASA) (Spain)
• Sony Pictures Classics

Special Effects

• Peerless Camera Company (visual effects) (as Peerless Camera Co., London)

Other Companies

• AON/Albert G. Ruben Insurance Services  insurance (as AON/Albert G. Ruben)
• ARRI Lighting Rental  lighting equipment
• ARRI Media  camera equipment provided by
• Aeroshoot Film Services  facilities vehicles
• Angel Recording Studios  music recorded and mixed at
• Angels & Bermans  costumes (as Angels & Bermans)
• Brehon & Co. Solicitors  solicitors: Arts Council of England and Scottish Arts Council (as Brehon & Co.)
• Cosprop  costumes (as Cosprop)
• De Lane Lea Sound Centre  sound facilities (as De Lane Lea)
• Feasible Films  epk services
• Film Finances  completion guaranty
• Frameline Productions Ltd.  titles
• Glasgow City Council  thanks
• Glasgow Film Office  developed with the support of (as The Glasgow Film Office)
• Glasgow Film Theatre  thanks
• Grip House North  camera cranes
• H&S Advisory Services  health and safety (as H & S Advisory Services)
• KanZaman  production services: French
• McDonald and Rutter  publicity
• Midnight Transfer  telecine services
• Motorhouse  period cars (as Motorhouse Hire)
• National Film Trustee Company  world revenues collected and distributed by (as National Film Trustee Company Limited)
• National Lottery  supported by (as The National Lottery)
• Olswang  solicitors: Grenada
• Pinewood Stills  stills processing
• Professional Negative Cutting  negative cutters
• Programme MEDIA de la Communauté Européenne  developed with the support of
• Royal Bank of Scotland  thanks (as The Royal Bank of Scotland)
• SJ Berwin  legal services
• Sapex Scripts  post-production scripts (as Sapex Scripts London)
• Strathclyde Police  thanks
• Syncspeed Post Prod  sound transfers and synching
• The Chateau Marmont  thanks (as Chateaux Marmont L.A.)
• The City of Glasgow Council  financing: Glasgow Film Fund
• The Glasgow Development Agency  financing: Glasgow Film Fund
• Theatre Royal  thanks (as Theatre Royal Glasgow)
• Thistle Catering  catering
• Wigs Specialties  wigmaker (as Wig Specialties)

Also Known As:

Chez les heureux du monde (France)
Haus Bellomont (Germany)

MPAA:

Rated PG for thematic material.

Runtime:

140 min

Country:

UK | France | Germany | USA

Language:

English | French

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Iceland:L | South Korea:12 | Argentina:Atp | Australia:PG | Finland:S | France:U | Netherlands:AL | Norway:A | Spain:13 | Sweden:7 | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | UK:PG | USA:PG | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Glasgow, Strathclyde, Scotland, UK

Company:

Arts Council of England

Trivia:

Director Terence Davies whenever possible used actual period dresses--some so fragile with age that they ripped off of the actresses during scenes--and period corsets, which caused some of the actresses great pain but made them understand better the constraints put on women of the period.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: The film, which takes place during 1905-07, depicts several characters attending a performance of the opera "Cosi fan tutte" -- but that opera was first performed in New York in 1922.

Quotes:

[to Lawrence]
Lily Bart: Love me. But don't tell me so.

Movie Connections:

Version of The House of Mirth (1981) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Cosi Fan Tutte: Overture

Film Masterpiece Rewards Repeated Viewings

Anyone with years of experience making or watching film will recognize virtuoso work by Terence Davies, his cast and crew here. This admittedly languorous film rates ten out of ten for me and ranks close to Fanny and Alexander for its emotional control and depth. Get the DVD! With $8.7 million Terence Davies did what Scorsese could only impersonate with Age of Innocence, and which Merchant and Ivory haven't done for a long time. Davies has created the suffocating, cosseted and unforgiving social milieu of New York and Tuxedo Park circa 1905-07. The sets, the sense of place, the stunning cinematography of Remi Adefarasin (Elizabeth), and most of all Gillian Anderson's virtuoso performance combine with Davies' excruciatingly seductive pacing and scoring cues to track in loving detail the missed opportunities and downfall of Lily Bart. Every line Wharton used to describe Lily's inner life is there in Anderson's face and in Davies screenplay and direction. If the film feels stiff to younger viewers, it's because it's deadly accurate socially. That gilded society WAS stiff, unforgiving and precoccupied with keeping out the nouveau riche. Anyone who has tried to gain entry to a social register or the DAR might have a easy time understanding the upper class world of New York in 1905.

I must commend Davies for the risky choices he made in casting Eric Stoltz as Lawrence Selden and Dan Ackroyd as Gus Trenor. Ackroyd's boisterous girth works here because Gus Trenor is both gatekeeper and gatecrasher of this social circle. He and his wife are major forces in deciding who's in and out. Ackroyd is not the deepest actor, but neither is Gus Trenor deep. In fact he's to great degree, a backslapping facade. Despite his wealth and high standing, Trenor is pragmatic and doesn't turn his nose down at courting filthy-rich newcomers desiring social elevation - men like Sim Rosedale (Anthony LaPaglia) - if it means Trenor makes a buck. And yes, Eric Stoltz is not a "convincing" choice for a romantic lead, yet he's perfect for the role of Lawrence Seldon, since Seldon balks repeatedly at being Lily's leading man anyway. The sexual charge and arch, ambivalent fencing between Lily and Lawrence is intensified by something indescribable that happens between Stoltz and Anderson in every scene played between them. I can't figure out why it works, except that these two fine actors "found each other". Stoltz's tenor crispness - his not quite boy, not quite man-ness - adds to his character's elusiveness, cowardice and vulnerability. Finally, Laura Linney is devastating as Lily's reptilian nemesis, Bertha Dorset. For me, she evokes some of Glenn Close's lethal devilishness and charm. It is Lily's sense of propriety, her fine upbringing, that makes her incapable of finishing off Bertha in when she can, and should.

Davies' laser accurate sense of place and character sets House of Mirth apart. He's successfully created the last years of Wharton's treacherous gilded world, when carriages were what fine people still rode and automobiles were considered vulgar. Davies' production designer, art director and set decorator have created sumptuous yet stifling enviroments where Davies and his players can move us back one hundred years into a time we can only imagine and smell when we tour a Vanderbilt Mansion. And he did it without Titanic's budget. It's clear from his commentary that Davies had to repeatedly make do and it sounds like this production was a struggle. All I can say is, limitation is sometimes a fortunate mother. I hope Davies, now 57, will soon be up and running with a new film. I'm suprised to see no new project listed yet. If I were a producer, I'd pounce. This director has the magic. And excuuuse me...! No new projects listed yet for Gillian Anderson?

A short note to the Snatch fans that have dissed this film here: I loved Snatch too, loved it, but where's your freakin' RANGE kiddies? SNATCH and HOUSE OF MIRTH were my TWO FAVORITE films of 2001. Tell ya what. Go back to your videogames and Hollywood spectacles and only comment on classic adult film when you've spent a few more years watching much of the worlds great film literature. If HOM is too slow for you, let your hormones rage for a few more years and come back when you're ready to pay attention to human, not cartoon, reality. Meanwhile, don't drop your smirking, restless, impatient and limited verbiage on films like this one.