The House of Mirth (2000)
81%RT Audience Score: 72%
Awards & Nominations: 6 wins & 29 nominations total
Terence Davies’ adaptation of Edith Wharton’s novel, The House of Mirth, is a masterful work of art that breathes new life into the costume drama genre. Davies’ ability to map out the emotions of his characters through his mise-en-scene is uncanny, and he expertly exposes the most venal of impulses behind the stiff-spined pomp and circumstance of turn-of-the-century New York society. The film’s literate and literary nature is serious without being humorless, and Lily’s downfall is a tragic event that plays out with great pathos. In short, The House of Mirth is a meticulously made and graceful film that surpasses even Scorsese’s Age of Innocence in its adaptation of Wharton’s work.
The House of Mirth is a movie adaptation of Edith Wharton’s novel that has been praised by critics for its meticulous and graceful style. The film is serious without being humorless, and it shows the harsh, unforgiving, and duplicitous face of society in turn-of-the-century New York. Lily’s downfall is portrayed with great pathos, and the characters’ emotions are mapped out via the mise-en-scene. The movie breathes fresh air through the wax museum corridors of the costume drama, finding behind all that stiff-spined pomp and circumstance the most venal of impulses. Overall, The House of Mirth is a must-watch for anyone who loves literary adaptations and wants to see a great cast in action.
Production Company(ies)
Block 2 Pictures, Jet Tone Production Orly Films,
Distributor
Sony Pictures Classics
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
The Sixty Steps, Glasgow, Scotland
MPAA / Certificate
Rated PG for thematic material
Year of Release
2000
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:Dolby Digital
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Aspect ratio:2.35 : 1
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Runtime:2h 23m
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Language(s):English, French, German
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Country of origin:United States
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Sep 23, 2000 Original
Release Date (Streaming): May 29, 2001
Genre(s)
History/Drama
Keyword(s)
starring Gillian Anderson, Eric Stoltz, Dan Aykroyd, Eleanor Bron, Terry Kinney, Anthony LaPaglia, Laura Linney, directed by Terence Davies, written by Terence Davies, produced by Olivia Stewart, History, Drama, PG, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Nell Minow, Ed Gonzalez, Geoff Pevere, Desmond Ryan, Sara Wildberger, Jay Boyar, A.S Hamrah, PJ Nabarro, Emanuel Levy, Mark Halverson, Lily Bart, Lawrence Selden, Gus Trenor, Mrs Peniston, George Dorset, Sim Rosedale, scandal, socialite, period piece, social cruelty, love, jealousy, wealthy husband, conform, real love, falsely accused, affair, rejected by society, friends, thematic material, English, Sony Pictures Classics, Dolby Stereo, Dolby Digital, Dolby A, Surround, Dolby SR, Flat (1.85:1)
Worldwide gross: $5,164,404
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $8,957,224
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,002
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 976,796
US/Canada gross: $3,043,284
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $5,278,320
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,790
US/Canada opening weekend: $48,770
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $84,587
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,003
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $10,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $17,344,158
Production budget ranking: 1,440
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $9,339,829
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): -$17,726,763
ROI to date (est.): -66%
ROI ranking: 1,788
Eric Stoltz – Lawrence Selden
Dan Aykroyd – Gus Trenor
Eleanor Bron – Mrs. Peniston
Terry Kinney – George Dorset
Anthony LaPaglia – Sim Rosedale
Olivia Stewart – Producer
Terence Davies – Director and Writer
Director(s)
Terence Davies
Writer(s)
Terence Davies
Producer(s)
Olivia Stewart
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
6 wins & 29 nominations total
Academy Awards
All Critics (100) | Top Critics (38) | Fresh (82) | Rotten (18)
A very worthwhile adaptation of Wharton’s novel.
December 28, 2010 | Rating: 4/5
Nell Minow
Common Sense Media
TOP CRITIC
Besides his remarkable ability to render a profound sense of past in all his films, Davies can uncannily map out the emotions of his characters via his mise-en-scene.
August 1, 2003 | Rating: 4/4
Ed Gonzalez
Slant Magazine
TOP CRITIC
Davies breathes fresh air through the wax museum corridors of the costume drama by finding behind all that stiff-spined pomp and circumstance the most venal of impulses.
April 6, 2001
Geoff Pevere
Toronto Star
TOP CRITIC
This is very much Anderson’s film.
April 6, 2001
Desmond Ryan
Philadelphia Inquirer
TOP CRITIC
It has such an eerie contemporary resonance that you nearly forget about the horses and corsets and lamplight.
April 6, 2001
Sara Wildberger
Miami Herald
TOP CRITIC
Both literate and literary, it is serious without being humorless.
March 16, 2001
Jay Boyar
Orlando Sentinel
TOP CRITIC
Society in turn-of-the-century New York shows its harsh, unforgiving, duplicitous face in frozen looks from Anthony LaPaglia, Dan Aykroyd, and Laura Linney,
September 16, 2020
A.S. Hamrah
The Baffler
Lily’s downfall plays out as an event of great pathos, because the act of dethroning her occurs without the characters and Davies’ own diegesis voicing it at every stage.
December 15, 2018 | Rating: 4/5
PJ Nabarro
One Room With A View
Meticulously made with graceful style, Terence Davies’ adaptation of Wharton is superior to Scorsese’s Age of Innocence, the author’s other famous novel.
August 18, 2012 | Rating: B+
Emanuel Levy
EmanuelLevy.Com
August 17, 2012 | Rating: B
Emanuel Levy
EmanuelLevy.Com
August 7, 2008 | Rating: 2/5
Mark Halverson
Sacramento News & Review
Anderson gives an astounding performance, trading in Scully’s skepticism for Lily’s all-too-fragile confidence.
October 21, 2006 | Rating: 3.5/4
Betsy Bozdech
DVDJournal.com…
Plot
Terence Davies’ The House of Mirth is a tragic love story set against a background of wealth and social hypocrisy in turn of the century New York. Lily Bart is a ravishing socialite at the height of her success who quickly discovers the precariousness of her position when her beauty and charm start attracting unwelcome interest and jealousy. Torn between her heart and her head, Lily always seems to do the right thing at the wrong time. She seeks a wealthy husband and in trying to conform to social expectations, she misses her chance for real love with Lawrence Selden.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Gillian Anderson’s performance as Lily Bart is “awe-inspiring,” according to one audience review.
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