The Scarlet Letter (1995)

Director:

Roland Joffé

Writers (WGA):

Nathaniel Hawthorne (novel)
Douglas Day Stewart (screenplay)

Release Date:

13 October 1995 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Tagline:

When intimacy is forbidden and passion is a sin, love is the most defiant crime of all.

Plot:

In 1666 in the Massachusetts Bay colony, Puritans and Algonquian have an uneasy truce. Hester arrives from England...

Plot Keywords:

New England | Adultery | Jail | Massachusetts | Quaker

Awards:

1 win & 9 nominations

Cast

Demi Moore	...	Hester Prynne
Gary Oldman	...	Rev. Arthur Dimmesdale
Robert Duvall	...	Roger Chillingworth
Lisa Andoh	...	Mituba (as Lisa Joliffe-Andoh)
Edward Hardwicke	...	Gov. John Bellingham
Robert Prosky	...	Horace Stonehall
Roy Dotrice	...	Rev. Thomas Cheever
Joan Plowright	...	Harriet Hibbons
Malcolm Storry	...	Maj. Dunsmuir
James Bearden	...	Goodman Mortimer (as Jim Bearden)
Larissa Laskin	...	Goody Mortimer
Amy Wright	...	Goody Gotwick
George Aguilar	...	Johnny Sassamon
Tim Woodward	...	Brewster Stonehall
Joan Gregson	...	Elizabeth Cheever
Dana Ivey	...	Meredith Stonehall
Diane Salinger	...	Margaret Bellingham
Jocelyn Cunningham	...	Mary Rollings
Sheldon Peters Wolfchild	...	Moskeegee
Eric Schweig	...	Metacomet
Kristin Fairlie	...	Faith Stonehall
Sarah Campbell	...	Prudence Stonehall
Judd Jones	...	Mr. Bobbin
Anthony Paton	...	Town Beadle
Marguerite McNeil	...	Widow Wormser
Kennetch Charlette	...	Tarrantine Chief
Deborah Tennant	...	Quaker Lady
Kateri Walker	...	Female Sachem
Shaun R. Clarke	...	Militia Guardsman
Jay Carmichael	...	Militia Guardsman
Jason Parkhill	...	First Guardsman
Jeremy Keddy	...	Drummer Boy
Nicholas Rice	...	The Clerk
Len Doncheff	...	Trader
Ashley Nolan	...	Goody Hunter
Stephen Aderneck	...	Speaking Native
Evelyn Francis	...	Algonquin Native
Gary Joseph	...	Native Rider
Stephen Micalchunk	...	Passenger #1
Jeremy Akerman	...	Middle Aged Passenger
Scout LaRue Willis	...	Young Pearl
Tallulah Belle Willis	...	Infant Pearl
Jodhi May	...	Pearl (voice)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
David Kehoe	...	Extra (uncredited)

Directed by
Roland Joffé

Writing credits (WGA)
Nathaniel Hawthorne		(novel "The Scarlet Letter")
Douglas Day Stewart		(screenplay)

Produced by
Robert F. Colesberry	....	co-producer (as Robert Colesberry)
Jonathan Cornick	....	associate producer
Dodi Fayed	....	executive producer
Roland Joffé	....	producer
Tova Laiter	....	executive producer
Andrew G. Vajna	....	producer

Original Music by
John Barry

Cinematography by
Alex Thomson

Film Editing by
Thom Noble

Casting by
Elisabeth Leustig

Production Design by
Roy Walker

Art Direction by
Tony Woollard

Set Decoration by
Rosalind Shingleton

Costume Design by
Gabriella Pescucci

Makeup Department
Serge Morache	....	assistant hair stylist
Linda Steeves	....	makeup artist
Elizabeth Kuchurean	....	makeup artist (uncredited)
Jennifer Bower O'Halloran	....	hair stylist (uncredited)
Francesca Paris	....	hair stylist (uncredited)
Fabrizio Sforza	....	makeup department head (uncredited)

Production Management
John M. Eckert	....	unit production manager
John Wilbur	....	unit manager
Michael R. Sloan	....	post-production supervisor (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Stephen Bélanger	....	third assistant director (as Stephen H. Belanger)
Simon Board	....	third assistant director
Craig Cameron	....	third assistant director
John E. Gallagher	....	second assistant director
Buddy Joe Hooker	....	second unit director
Dennis Maguire	....	first assistant director
Lars P. Winther	....	second assistant director (as Lars Winther)
Jonathan Wright	....	third assistant director

Art Department
Daniel R. Bradette	....	assistant property master
Rob Eshelby	....	property builder
John Mackenzie	....	construction supervisor
Rocco Matteo	....	set designer
Joseph Musso	....	storyboard artist (as Joe Musso)
Michael Nemirsky	....	art director: Campbell River
John Porter	....	construction supervisor
Gordon Routledge	....	construction supervisor
Graham Sumner	....	property master
Alan Taylor	....	construction coordinator
Gordon White	....	set designer
Gary Allen Ferguson	....	property builder (uncredited)
Mark Laing	....	set designer (uncredited)

Sound Department
James Ashwill	....	foley mixer
Christopher Assells	....	sound effects editor
Bob Beher	....	foley editor
Mark Berger	....	supervising re-recording mixer
John T. Cucci	....	foley artist
Dino Dimuro	....	sound effects editor
Rickley W. Dumm	....	assistant sound editor
Dan Hegeman	....	foley editor
Philip A. Hess	....	foley editor
Thomas Hidderley	....	production sound mixer
Holly Huckins	....	adr supervisor
Craig S. Jaeger	....	foley editor
Dave McMoyler	....	supervising sound editor
Dan O'Connell	....	foley artist
Bruce Richardson	....	foley supervisor
Ed Simon	....	foley recordist
Reynald Trudel	....	boom operator
Philip Rogers	....	sound recordist (uncredited)
Jon Title	....	sound effects editor (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Gary Kleinsteuber	....	special effects technician
Kaz Kobielski	....	special effects
Arthur Langevin	....	special effects assistant
Pierre L'Heureux	....	special effects technician
Tim Lidstone	....	special effects key
Martin Malivoire	....	special effects
Terry Sonderhoff	....	special effects technician
Dan Cervin	....	special effects technician (uncredited)
Dean Stewart	....	special effects technician (uncredited)

Stunts
Michael Lee Baron	....	stunt double: Mr. Oldman
Guy Bews	....	stunts
Eric Bryson	....	stunts
Donna Big Canoe	....	stunts
Jeffrey J. Dashnaw	....	stunt coordinator
John Dodds	....	stunts
Tamara Duguay	....	stunts
Jim Finkbeiner	....	stunts
Ben Gauthier	....	stunts
François Gauthier	....	stunts (as Frank Gauthier)
Corry Glass	....	stunts
Jason Glass	....	stunts
Tom Glass	....	stunts
Alex Green	....	stunts
Joy Hooper	....	stunt double: Ms. Jolliff
David Jacox	....	stunts
Cinda-Lin James	....	stunt double: Demi Moore
Jamie Jones	....	stunts
Brennan Lazare	....	stunts
Billy Linders	....	stunts
Mike Mitchell	....	stunts
Lester Norton	....	stunts
Sue Parker	....	stunts (as Suzy Parker)
Fred Perron	....	stunts
Alison Reid	....	stunts
Paul Rutledge	....	stunts
Greg Schlosser	....	stunts
John Scott	....	stunts
Warren A. Stevens	....	stunt double: Mr. Duvall (as Warren Stevens)
John Stoneham Jr.	....	stunts
Brent Woolsey	....	stunt coordinator
Warren A. Stevens	....	stunt coordinator (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Nico Bally	....	dolly grip: "b" camera unit
Scott Brooke	....	dolly grip: second unit
Scott Brooke	....	key grip: second unit
Eddie Collins	....	camera operator (as Edward Collins)
Robert Daprato	....	key grip
Bryan Forde	....	gaffer
Robert Rice	....	best boy grip
Takashi Seida	....	still photographer
Paul Spaven	....	best boy
Stefan Stankowski	....	camera operator
Richard Allen	....	gaffer: second unit (uncredited)
Greg Haddow	....	electrician (uncredited)
Maynard Harris	....	grip (uncredited)
Gary Hutchings	....	dolly grip: "a" camera (uncredited)
Michael Kohne	....	key rigging grip (uncredited)
Guy R. LeBlanc	....	rigging gaffer (uncredited)
Paul Mitcheltree	....	focus puller: "c" camera (uncredited)
Eamonn O'Keeffe	....	focus puller (uncredited)
Ted Overton	....	second assistant camera: "b" camera (uncredited)
Ross Sangster	....	electrician (uncredited)
Brad Whitlock	....	focus puller: "b" camera (uncredited)

Casting Department
Brendan Donnison	....	voice casting
Priscilla John	....	casting: UK

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Mario Davignon	....	costume supervisor
Aieisha Li	....	set costumer
Roberta Palmer	....	wardrobe assistant (uncredited)
Carlo Poggioli	....	assistant costume designer (uncredited)
Alberto Spiazzi	....	assistant costume designer (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Luis Colina	....	first assistant editor
Mo Henry	....	negative cutter
Margaret Liu	....	apprentice editor
Chris Peppe	....	assistant editor
Dawn M. Stoliar	....	second assistant editor
Ben Bulatao	....	editor intern (uncredited)
David Orr	....	color timer (uncredited)

Music Department
Bob Badami	....	supervising music editor
John Barry	....	conductor
Cliff Kohlweck	....	music editor
John Kurlander	....	score mixer
Nic Raine	....	orchestrator
Happy Walters	....	music supervisor
Peter Buffett	....	composer: additional music (uncredited)
Patrick Russ	....	orchestrator (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Fred Ionson	....	transportation coordinator
Rob Eshelby	....	driver (uncredited)
Dave Marwick	....	driver: honeywagon (uncredited)

Other crew
Brian Backman	....	office production assistant
Wenden K. Baldwin	....	title designer
Lori Greenberg	....	production coordinator
Richard Hughes	....	wrangler
Captain Jeff Johnson	....	marine coordinator
Gary Myles	....	wrangler
Alda Neves	....	production coordinator
Jerry Phillips	....	wrangler
Lee Phillips	....	head wrangler
Pat Rambaut	....	script supervisor
Howard Rothschild	....	unit location manager
David Roy	....	wrangler
Kim Smith	....	boat wrangler
Brad Wilson	....	assistant: Robert Duvall
Deborah Wuliger	....	publicist
Lori Ann Bellefontaine	....	cast wrangler (uncredited)
Terry Collis	....	production executive (uncredited)
Natalie Fokes	....	assistant accountant (uncredited)
Alan Jacques	....	projectionist (uncredited)
Tim Monich	....	dialect coach (uncredited)
Phil Silver	....	post-production accountant (uncredited)
Emily Stankovich	....	executive assistant to director (uncredited)
James P. Warren	....	animal trainer (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Allied Stars Ltd.
• Cinergi Pictures Entertainment
• Hollywood Pictures
• Lightmotive
• Moving Pictures

Distributors

• Buena Vista Pictures (1995) (USA) (theatrical)
• Constantin Film (1996) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Abril Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
• Filmes Lusomundo (Portugal)
• Gativideo (Argentina) (video)
• Highlight Video (2006) (Germany) (DVD)
• Hollywood Pictures Home Video (USA) (DVD)
• Kinowelt Home Entertainment (2005) (Germany) (DVD)
• Laurenfilm (Spain)
• VCL Communications (1999) (Germany) (DVD)
• VCL Communications (Germany) (video)

Other Companies

• Joe Dunton & Company  camera equipment provided by
• Movietech  camera equipment provided by
• Saul Zaentz Film Center  sound re-recording

MPAA:

Rated R for violence and sexuality.

Runtime:

135 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

USA:R (certificate #34090) | South Korea:18 | Philippines:R-18 | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Finland:K-14 | Germany:12 (f) (bw) | Iceland:16 | Portugal:M/16 | Singapore:M18 | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | UK:15

Filming Locations:

Oyster River, British Columbia, Canada

Company:

Allied Stars Ltd.

Trivia:

After its critical mauling and disastrous box office performance in the States, this was released in British cinemas without being screened for critics, the first time such a thing had happened for a major release in the UK.

Quotes:

Hester Prynne: I have dreamed of speaking my heart, I have prayed for it even as I have dreaded it. Was I alive before I laid eyes on thee?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Simpsons: Virtual Springfield (1997) (VG)

Soundtrack:

Agnus Dei

Hysterical

VERY stupid adaptation of Nathaniel Hawthorne's classic. For one thing Demi Moore is totally miscast in the title role. I have nothing against her--she can be good in the right roles...but casting her as a Puritan was just stupid. Gary Oldman looks like he doesn't know what the hell he's doing in this and Robert Duvall sadly embarasses himself.

I (unfortunately) saw it in a theatre back in 1995 (Yup--I PAID to see this movie!). There were a bunch of English school teachers in attendance. They started laughing during the opening credits which says the movie is "based on characters created by Hawthorne" and didn't let up during the entire movie. Actually their comments were more enjoyable than the movie itself. And they REALLY howled at the end which was totally different from the book! Also, at 135 minutes, it's WAY too long.

Really...who thought this was a good idea? Why take a classic book and screw it over completely? Thankfully, this seems to be forgotten--it should stay that way. Don't bother.