The Wings of the Dove (1997)

Director:

Iain Softley

Writers:

Henry James (novel)
Hossein Amini (screenplay)

Release Date:

7 November 1997 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Tagline:

A couple with everything but money. An heiress with everything but love. A temptation no one could resist.

Plot:

An impoverished woman who has been forced to choose between a privileged life with her wealthy aunt and her journalist lover, befriends an American heiress. When she discovers the heiress is attracted to her own lover and is dying, she sees a chance to have both the privileged life she cannot give up and the lover she cannot live without.

Plot Keywords:

Animal In Title | Aristocrat | Class Differences | 1910s | Lyrical

Awards:

Nominated for 4 Oscars. Another 16 wins & 17 nominations

Cast

Helena Bonham Carter	...	Kate Croy
Linus Roache	...	Merton Densher
Alison Elliott	...	Millie Theale
Charlotte Rampling	...	Aunt Maude
Elizabeth McGovern	...	Susan 'Susie' Stringham
Michael Gambon	...	Lionel Croy, Kate's Father
Alex Jennings	...	Lord Mark
Ben Miles	...	First Journalist
Philip Wright	...	Second Journalist
Alexander John	...	Butler
Shirley Chantrell	...	Opium Den Lady
Diana Kent	...	Merton's Party Companion
Georgio Serafini	...	Eugenio
Rachele Crisafulli	...	Concierge

MPAA:

Rated R for sexuality.

Runtime:

102 min

Country:

USA | UK

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour (Rankcolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Singapore:M18 (re-rating) | Canada:14A (Ontario) | Singapore:R(A) | Iceland:L | Belgium:KT | Finland:K-12 | France:U | Germany:6 | Japan:R | Mexico:B | Portugal:M/12 | South Korea:18 | Spain:13 | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | UK:15 | USA:R (certificate #35341)

Filming Locations:

Brompton Cemetery, Fulham Road, West Brompton, London, England, UK

Company:

Miramax Films

Goofs:

Errors in geography: The tile pattern on the Underground stations the train passes through at the beginning of the film are identical in pattern and color for each station. Each station on the Piccadilly line had it's own tile pattern and color scheme so that the illiterate could still recognize their station without needing to read the station name.

Quotes:

Kate Croy: These wretched aristocrats can't even heat their houses.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Venice Report (1997) (TV)

Great film!

This is one of my favorite films of the 90's. Great cast, fantastic screenplay, simply an incredible telling of a compelling story. The movie moves along in organic fashion, never feeling contrived or manipulative (probably because the story comes from a good novelist). The characters are well developed and make the choices you believe these characters would make. Helena Bonham Carter, Linus Roach and Allison Elliot are all excellent, and Charlotte Rampling is always good. I also like the contrast set up with the dreary English settings vs. the romantic and elegant Venetion scenes. I think this movie is vastly underrated and should be seen by any serious film fan.