The Portrait of a Lady (1996) - Turner Classic Movies

Brief Synopsis

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The tale of a young woman, Isabel Archer, who challenges the confines of her sheltered existence on the hermetically closed American expatriate circuit in late 19th century Europe. Hungry to experience the world, Isabel rejects a lucrative marriage proposal, stunning both her suitor and the relative

Cast & Crew

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Jane Campion

Nicole Kidman

John Malkovich

Barbara Hershey

Madame Serena Merle

Mary-louise Parker

Henrietta Stackpole

Martin Donovan

Film Details

Also Known As

Portrait of A Lady, Porträtt av en dam, Retrato de una dama

MPAA Rating

Genre

Adaptation

Drama

Period

Romance

Release Date

1996

Production Company

Angel Studios; Atlab-Gold Coast, Australia; Cinesicurta; Cinesite Europe, Ltd.; Cosprop; Eastman Kodak; Great Northern/ Reiff & Associates; Great Northern/ Reiff & Associates (Ny); International Film Guarantors; Location Facilities; Location Facilities Ltd; Ministero Dei Beni e Delle Attivita Culturali e del Turismo (MiBACT); Panavision, Ltd.; Peerless Camera Company; Polygram Filmed Entertainment; Pompei, Rome & Paris; Rhh/ Albert G Ruben & Company; Set Meals; Smecky Studios; Snow Business International, Ltd.; Spectrum Films; Technicolor

Distribution Company

Gramercy Pictures; 20th Century Fox International; Ascot Elite Entertainment Group; Constantin Film Development, Inc.; Filmcompagniet; Gramercy Pictures; Haskolabio; Polygram Filmed Entertainment; Polygram Video; SF Studios; United International Pictures

Location

England, United Kingdom; Cinecitta Studios, Rome, Italy

Technical Specs

Duration

2h 24m

Synopsis

The tale of a young woman, Isabel Archer, who challenges the confines of her sheltered existence on the hermetically closed American expatriate circuit in late 19th century Europe. Hungry to experience the world, Isabel rejects a lucrative marriage proposal, stunning both her suitor and the relatives with whom she is staying in England. However, an admiring male cousin, Ralph Touchett, secretly lends his support to Isabel's daring pursuit by convincing his dying father to leave her a generous share of his fortune. Yet Isabel's large inheritance does not bring her the freedom she so desires. Her headstrong innocence proves no match against the evil manipulations of a duplicitous friend, Madame Merle, who leads Isabel into an unfortunate marriage to a self-serving and devious dilettante, Gilbert Osmond. Isabel suffers gravely as a result of her disastrous choice, but after the dark truth behind Madame Merle and Osmond's web of deception and betrayal is revealed, she awakens to a curious freedom.

Directors

Jane Campion

Colin Englert

2nd Unit Director (2nd Unit)

Cast

Nicole Kidman

John Malkovich

Barbara Hershey

Madame Serena Merle

Mary-louise Parker

Henrietta Stackpole

Martin Donovan

Shelley Winters

Richard E. Grant

Shelley Duvall

Countess Gemini

Christian Bale

Viggo Mortensen

Caspar Goodwood

Valentina Cervi

John Gielgud

Roger Ashton-griffiths

Catherine Zago

Mother Superior

Alessandra Vanzi

Katie Campbell

Miss Molyneux No 1

Katherine Anne Porter

Miss Molyneux No 2

Eddy Seager

Strongman'S Spruiker

Pat Roach

Emanuele Carucci Viterbi

Roccanera Butler

Francesca Bartellini

Achille Brunini

Jean-yves Thibaudet

Crew

Grant Adams

Video Assist Operator

Alessandro Alberti

Assistant Art Director (Italian Crew)

Gerardo Alberto

Production Assistant (Italian Crew)

Elio Altamura

Stefano Antenucci

Unit Driver (Italian Crew)

Martin Astle

Assistant Engineer

Gian Nicola Bacci

Production Assistant (Italian Crew)

Alexis R Bachofen

Production Assistant

Sergio Ballo

Wardrobe Liaison (Italian Crew)

Margie Balter

Piano Instructor

Francesco Barbieri

Production Assistant (Italian Crew)

Maurizio Basile

Set Standby Costume Assistant (Italian Crew)

John Behan

Susan Bello Pugliese

Simona Benzakein

Maria Graciela Bernal

Production Coordinator (Italian Crew)

Daniel Berquiny

Animals Supplier (Italy)

Fabrizio Bianchi

Production Assistant (Italian Crew)

Massimo Biondi

Driver (Italian Crew)

John Birkenshaw

Agostino Bivi

Arnaldo Bivi

Stuart Blico

Sam Bloor

Electrician (Italian Crew)

Hermano Boccanera

Production Assistant (Italian Crew)

Martin Body

Leanda Bowden-smith

Production Buyer

Simone Bramucci

Driver (Italian Crew)

John Bright

Costumes (Cosprop)

John Bright

Beryl Brown

Assistant Production Accountant

Andrea Buchetti

Driver (Italian Crew)

Luigi Buldrini

Driver (Italian Crew)

Judi Bunn

Production Coordinator

Warren Burt

Fabio Cafolla

Best Boy (Italian Crew)

Stephen Calloway

Etiquette Advisor

John G Campbell

Jane Campion

Michael Campion

Assistant (To Publicist)

Renzo Cantini

Assistant Crowd Marshall (Italian Crew)

Rosaria Caracciolo

Minors Casting (Italian Crew)

Vittorio Carta

Darryl Carter

Standby Carpenter

Jack Carter

Construction Manager

Peter Casey

Generator Operator

Bruno Cesari

Set Decorator (Italian Crew)

Jan Chapman

Script Consultant

Beth Charkham

United Kingdom Casting

Paul Cheeseman

Dressing Propsman

Claudio Chelucci

Driver (Italian Crew)

Martin Childs

Supervising Art Director

Wendy Chuck

Costume Designer'S Assistant

Nicola Ciccarella

Driver (Italian Crew)

Nicholas Clark

Art Department Assistant

Tim Clawson

Executive In Charge Of Production

Dino Colasanti

Unit Driver (Italian Crew)

Lorenzo Colonna

Production Assistant (Italian Crew)

Tristam Cones

Victoria Connell

Nuala Conway

Hair & Make-Up Assistant

Matthew Cook

Dressing Propsman

Stanley Cook

Jenny Cooper

Vincenzo Corcioni

Driver (Italian Crew)

Ida Corti

2nd Assistant Director (Italian Crew)

Julian Court

2nd Unit Cameraman (2nd Unit)

James Cousins

Gethin Creagh

Sound Re-Recording Mixer

Marco Critiani

2nd Unit Camera Operator (2nd Unit)

Angelo D'offizi

Carpenter (Italian Crew)

Lynn-maree Danzey

Script Supervisor

Sir Francis Dashwood

Special Thanks (West Wycombe Park)

Nick Daubeny

Location Manager

Stefano Deleonibus

Office Security/Unit Driver (Italian Crew)

Alexis Dellage-toriel

Assistant Publicist

Giuseppe Deluca

Dressing Propman (Italian Crew)

Luca Desantis

Robert Deschane

Maura Devito

Driver (Italian Crew)

Marco Di Francesco

Marco Di Francesco

Driver (Italian Crew)

Lorenzo Dominici

Standby Rigging Grip (Italian Crew)

Brendan Donnison

Adr Voice Casting

Rosemary Dority

Production Supervisor

Andrea Doven

Assistant (To Nicole Kidman)

Ditch Doy

Digital Effects (Peerless Camera Co/London)

Stuart Dryburgh

Dp/Cinematographer

Stuart Dryburgh

Director Of Photography

Judy Ducker

Production Buyer

Richard Dunmore

Juraj Durovic

Musician Contractor

Trevor Dyer

Paddy Eason

Digital Effects (Peerless Camera Co/London)

Ron Eastman

Harvey Edginton

Special Thanks (Greenwich Film Commission)

Kate Ellis

Simon Emanuel

Assistant Director

Cesare Emidi

Grip (Italian Crew)

Simon Emmanuel

3rd Assistant Director

Colin Englert

Consultant Researcher

Paul Ensby

Ronald Fallen

Carpenter/Painter

Sergio Farina

Set Security (Italy)

Agostino Ferrini

Unit Driver (Italian Crew)

Eugenia Fiumi

Floor Runner (Italian Crew)

David Flynn

Alfonso Fortunati

Piero Frescobaldi

3rd Assistant Director (Italian Crew)

Magdalen Gaffney

Hair & Make-Up Design

Emily Giles

Production Assistant

Elaine Gilks

Accounts Assistant

Peter Glossop

Tom Glossop

Sound Assistant

Tony Goff

Nigel Goldsack

Unit Production Manager

Steve Golin

Andy Good

Gerry Gore

Additional Transportation

Bronwen Gower

Assistant Sound Editor

Mario Graziosi

Driver (Italian Crew)

Antonio Grieco

Driver (Italian Crew)

Isobel Griffiths

Musician Contractor

Robert Groves

Les Hall

Mike Hamilton

Bob Harper

Viccy Harper

Marriott Harrison

Joel Hatch

Production Supervisor

Brian Hathaway

Transportation Coordinator

John Hedges

Supervising Carpenter

Chas Hewitt

Tony Hewitt

Caroline Hill

Elizabeth Himelstein

William Hinshelwood

Ellen Hofstadter-shapiro

Accounting Supervisor

Jan Holzner

Assistant Engineer

Keith Horsley

Richard Hoult

Assistant Director (2nd Unit)

Kent Houston

Visual Effects Supervisor (Peerless Camera Co/London)

Michael Hradisky

Assistant Engineer

David Hughes

Best Boy Rigging Crew

Frank Hughes

Dave Humphries

Tommy Hunt

Mark Hutton

Generator Operator

Elaine J Huzzar

Casting Associate (United Kingdom)

Adriano Iannilli

Driver (Italian Crew)

Vittorio Imperia

Dressing Propman (Italian Crew)

Henry James

Source Material (From Novel)

Veronika Jenet

Veronika Jenet

Fabio Jephcott

Assistant Director (2nd Unit)

Ruth Prawer Jhabvala

Giles Johnson

Location Production Manager (Italian Crew)

Dave Jones

Laura Jones

Richard Jones

Tim Jordan

Don Jowsey

Robert Katz

Debbie Kaye

Bradley Kendrick

Sound Assistant

Heidi Kenessey

Assistant Film Editor

Barbara Kilar

Wojciech Kilar

Wojciech Kilar

Peter Swords King

Glenn Kiser

Executive In Charge Of Post-Production

Amanda Knight

Stephan Konicek

Music Conductor

Andrew Kotatko

Music Consultant

Barbara Kreisler

Marcello Lanza

Assistant Accountant (Italian Crew)

Enrico Latella

Production Assistant (Italian Crew)

Mary Jane Lavacca

Casting Assistant (United Kingdom)

Meera Lawrence

Jodi Leesley

Assistant (To Nicole Kidman)

Carla Zacchia Legall

Cashier (Italian Crew)

Ute Leonhardt

Associate Producer

Tony Leport

Leslie Lewis

Executive (For Polygram Soundtracks)

Fabrizio Libertini

Driver (Italian Crew)

Bob Lilley

Ken Lintott

Rick Lisle

Assistant Sound Editor

Claire Lithfield

Brian Lock

Music Adapter (For Screen) "Impromptu In A Flat Major D899 Op 90 No 4" "Impromptu In G Flat Major D899 Op 90 No 3" "Sting Quartet In D Minor D810 ("Death & The Maiden") (Andante Con Moto)" "Kunstler - Leben Waltz Op 316" "'Die Fledermaus' Quadrille Op 363" "Overture To 'Die Fledermaus' Op 362)

Peter Long

Linda Lorenzetti

Paula Lourie

Assistant Sound Editor

Chris Lovegrove

Motion Control (Peerless Camera Co/London)

Lee Lighting Ltd

Lighting Equipment Provider

Simon Lucas

Constante Maialetti

Fabio Mancini

Assistant Location Manager (Italian Crew)

Colin Manning

Paolo Maresciulo

Carpenter (Italian Crew)

Film Details

Also Known As

Portrait of A Lady, Porträtt av en dam, Retrato de una dama

MPAA Rating

Genre

Adaptation

Drama

Period

Romance

Release Date

1996

Production Company

Angel Studios; Atlab-Gold Coast, Australia; Cinesicurta; Cinesite Europe, Ltd.; Cosprop; Eastman Kodak; Great Northern/ Reiff & Associates; Great Northern/ Reiff & Associates (Ny); International Film Guarantors; Location Facilities; Location Facilities Ltd; Ministero Dei Beni e Delle Attivita Culturali e del Turismo (MiBACT); Panavision, Ltd.; Peerless Camera Company; Polygram Filmed Entertainment; Pompei, Rome & Paris; Rhh/ Albert G Ruben & Company; Set Meals; Smecky Studios; Snow Business International, Ltd.; Spectrum Films; Technicolor

Distribution Company

Gramercy Pictures; 20th Century Fox International; Ascot Elite Entertainment Group; Constantin Film Development, Inc.; Filmcompagniet; Gramercy Pictures; Haskolabio; Polygram Filmed Entertainment; Polygram Video; SF Studios; United International Pictures

Location

England, United Kingdom; Cinecitta Studios, Rome, Italy

Technical Specs

Duration

2h 24m

Award Nominations

Best Costume Design

1996

Best Supporting Actress

1996

Barbara Hershey

Quotes

Trivia

Miscellaneous Notes

Barbara Hershey received the 1996 award for Best Supporting Actress from the Los Angeles Film Critics Association. In addition, Janet Patterson was voted co-winner, along with Brian Morris for "Evita" (USA/1996), of the 1996 award for Best Production Design.

Barbara Hershey received the 1996 award for Best Supporting Actress from the National Society of Film Critics. In addition, Martin Donovan was co-winner, along with Tony Shalhoub, of the Best Supporting Actor award. Shalhoub was cited for his performance in "Big Night" (USA/1996).

Winner of the 1997 Best Costume award by the L.A Film Critics.

Released in United States 1996

Released in United States December 27, 1996

Released in United States on Video May 26, 1997

Released in United States Winter December 24, 1996

Wide Release in United States January 17, 1997

Shown at Venice Film Festival (out of competition) August 29 - September 7, 1996.

Broadcast in USA over Sundance Channel as part of program "She Said Cinema" May 1-31, 1999.

Began shooting August 9, 1995.

Completed shooting November 25, 1995.

Released in United States 1996 (Shown at Venice Film Festival (out of competition) August 29 - September 7, 1996.)

Wide Release in United States January 17, 1997

Released in United States on Video May 26, 1997

Released in United States Winter December 24, 1996

Released in United States December 27, 1996 (New York City)

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