The Age of Innocence

United States

1993

139 Min

Color

2.35:1

English

Currently 3.7/5 Stars.
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SCR Jay Cocks, Martin Scorsese, Edith Wharton

CAST Daniel Day-Lewis, Michelle Pfeiffer, Winona Ryder, Alexis Smith, Geraldine Chaplin, Mary Beth Hurt, Alec McCowen, Richard E. Grant, Miriam Margolyes, Robert Sean Leonard, Siân Phillips, Jonathan Pryce, Michael Gough, Joanne Woodward, Stuart Wilson, Carolyn Farina, Tracey Ellis, Thomas Gibson, Claire Bloom

MUSIC Elmer Bernstein

Venice (Out of Competition): Elvira Notari Prize

Synopsis

Martin Scorsese, one of the great directors of our time, directs Oscar®-winner Daniel Day-Lewis (1989 Best Actor, My Left Foot), Michelle Pfeiffer and Winona Ryder in a brilliant adaptation of Edith Wharton’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel. A ravishing romance about three wealthy New Yorkers caught in a tragic love triangle, the ironically-titled story chronicles the grandeur and hypocrisy of high society in the 1870s. At the center of the film is Newland Archer (Day-Lewis), an upstanding attorney who secretly longs for a more passionate life. Engaged to the lovely but ordinary socialite May Welland (Ryder), Newland resigns himself to a life of quiet complacency. But when May’s unconventional cousin returns to New York amid social and sexual scandal, Newland risks everything for a chance at true love. The Age of Innocence is a spellbinding portrait of hidden romance and regret.

Director

Martin Scorsese

Martin Scorsese was born in New York City and soon developed a passion for cinema and a particular admiration for neo-realist cinema which inspired him and influenced his view or portrayal of his Sicilian heritage. After graduating from NYU Film School in 1966 and making a number of shorts, he shot his first feature-length film Who’s That Knocking at My Door (1968) with fellow student, actor Harvey Keitel, and editor Thelma Schoonmaker both of whom were to become long-term collaborators. Mean Streets followed in 1973 and provided the benchmarks for the ‘Scorsese style’. After Scorsese directed Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore, the trio was reunited for the dark journey of Travis Bickle in Taxi Driver. After New York, New York Scorsese released Raging Bull. The acclaimed biography of middleweight fighter Jake LaMotta was followed by exploration of fans as pariah in The King of Comedy, dark-comic dreams in After Hours and pool sharks in The Color of Money. Scorsese outraged some religious… read more

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Alder Adler

11Jan12

An accomplished costume drama lacking the vital force that makes a good movie great. Wharton's excellent novel is a quick read--it's a shame the film is overlong. Pfeiffer and Day-Lewis inhabit their roles as Modern heroine and antiquated hero. Scorsese, for his part, does capture that NY pre-War, Gilded Age feel. Bernstein's score is a highlight, but the title sequence by Bass feels dated. Also, nix that Enya. Yuck!

Rakeem

2Dec11

A worthy companion to any of Martin Scorsese's better-known films, "The Age of Innocence" is absolutely one of his best. The emotional violence inflicted upon these characters is enough to stack up to any of the bloody showdowns presented in "Taxi Driver," "Goodfellas," or "The Departed" just to name a few.

Robert Regan

5Sep11

One of the very few adaptations of a great novel that is also a great film. It gets better all the time.

Neil Bahadur likes this

Robert Regan

12Sep11

Neil, you and I may disagree about our rankings of Scorsese films, but we see eye to eye on this one!
Neil Bahadur

10Nov11

Which ones do you disagree on? Just curious.
Robert Regan

10Nov11

Well, Neil, the real point is not ratings of individual films, but the fact that we both love this man and his work. I will try, though, to give you some idea of where these films fit into my world. On your list, I have still yet to see Bad and Shine a Light, but speaking of music, I am very fond of No Direction Home, The Blues, and The Last Waltz. If, god forbid, he were not able or allowed to make feature films, his non-fiction frequently reaches the power and stylistic verve of his fiction. Letter to Elia is for me one of the great personal essay films. Most of his films I could very gladly watch again right now. The few that I have probably seen enough (at least twice) are King of Comedy, NY,NY, Bringing Out the Dead, After Hours, and Boxcar Bertha. Those that I consider absolutely masterful and can't get enough of are The Age of Innocence, Goodfellas, The Last Temptation of Christ, and Taxi Driver. I also find his four recent films with DiCaprio to be thrilling experiences, though far from flawless, especially The Aviator and Gangs. Well, my friend, now you've done it! I have to scrap my current viewing plans in order to revisit some of these great Scorseses. Thanks for encouraging this brief reckoning. Bob
Neil Bahadur

12Nov11

Haha! I've actually yet to see A Letter to Elia, but I'm looking forward to it, Have you seen his George Harrison Documentary? I think it's probably the best of his music films.
Robert Regan

13Nov11

No, haven't seen the Harrison yet. Last time I looked, Elia was available on the PBS site. It's a remarkable film about Kazan AND Scorsese.