The Bostonians (film)

The Bostonians is an American historical drama from the year 1984. It is a film adaptation of the 1881 novel of the same name published in The Bostonians by Henry James.

Action

Olive Chancellor lives in 1875 in Boston and is an ardent advocate of the women's movement. It rejects every male from, refuses to accept the marriage and wants nothing more than a matriarchy. Only she can not stand up for their own rights unfortunately. It is a reclusive woman who can talk bad in front of large crowds. However, one day she meets the young beautiful Verena Tarrant know that organizes with her father Dr. Tarrant séances and has great rhetorical talent. Olive approaches Verena, asking for their friendship and uses its own assets to win Verena for the women's movement. They paid her father a small fortune, so it disappears for one year from the scene so that they themselves can build up to Verena frontwoman. She estimates it is not easy to be surrounded by men. Finally, they want all supposedly only sabotage and forced into marriage.

One of these men is a native of Mississippi and is now practicing in New York City lawyer Basil Ransome. The distant cousin does not think much of the superiority of women. He appreciates the freedom and equality of every human being, but also the needs of men and women helping each other tie. As he has himself fallen in love with the beautiful Verena, he tried to approach her. But the competition is great. Powerful families want to marry their unmarried sons with the beautiful, educated and alert Verena. Olive has to fend off all those advances, and fears even to lose their Verena. Their envy and jealousy downright determined their actions. As the annoying cousin is really inconvenient.

Basil is looking to the estate of Mrs. Birdseye, on which the women's movement withdrew to prepare for the upcoming lecture tour. Basil may continue to live three to four weeks. Here, Verena come and he is very close. Suddenly she seems to go between the women's movement and their passion for Basil and be torn. The Olive feels that clearly drives the. In order not to let them fall even deeper into misery, Verena Basil asks them to let her go. You 've chosen a career as a feminist. Olive is so pleased to understand Basil that he would never see them again. Basil travels from angry and concerned for the first lecture a ticket to speak with Verena personally can. But Verena is gripped by such a fright that they do not dare to go on stage. You will not. Only when she sees Basil, she gives him to understand that they are safe with him and feels safe. She loves him. The lecture tour was not for them. Rather, Olive now goes to the stage to stand up for the rights of women, and discovers that she can do it but.

Criticism

The renowned film critic Roger Ebert said that it would constitute " a much better, smarter and more subtle " film, which describe the " tragedy of a woman who does not know what she wants," as it was with the Europeans.

Said Janet Maslin of The New York Times that Redgrave " was born to play Olive Chancellor ". It is downright " scary how much it resembles the fictional character. " Furthermore, it was " a pleasant surprise, as it is convincing Christopher Reeve Basil represents. " In addition to the " sunny dreamy look " of the film Maslin praised that the " moral ambiguity of the novel " would be retained in the film and the rest of the cast.

The lexicon of the International film said: " Exquisite images depict the intricate human entanglements in a network of puritanical thinking, enthusiasm for life skills " and fashionable contemporary trends, but because he only half-heartedly breaks the neat surface, it remains largely uninvolved despite subtle staging art "..

Background

The film opened on July 20, 1984 in American cinema and was able to import a little more than 1 million U.S. dollars. In Germany he started on 12 July 1985 in the cinemas and was first aired on October 3, 1988 in ARD. Since 20 September 2005, he is available as a German -language DVD.

Christoper Reeve deserved mid-1980s per film about 1 million U.S. dollars. Nevertheless, he said to a level of $ 100,000.

The role of Olive Chancellor was already offered in Spring 1981 Redgrave. She refused because she did not like both the story and the character. As understudy then came Glenn Close in question. She called for several changes in the script and wanted to turn the movie Cool Hand Luke parallel. Since Closes further demands and claims the producers were too much and Redgrave changed her mind to the final screenplay, finally decided to close against and for Redgrave.

Awards (selection)

  • Best Actress: Nominated for Vanessa Redgrave
  • Best Costume Design: Jenny Beavan and nomination for John Bright
  • Best Actress - Drama: Nomination for Vanessa Redgrave
  • Best Costume Design: Jenny Beavan and nomination for John Bright
  • Best Actress: Vanessa Redgrave
  • Best Actress: Nominated for Vanessa Redgrave
  • Best Actress: Nominated for Vanessa Redgrave
237557
de