The Age of Innocence (1993)
May 3rd, 2007 by Ashley
…the young girl who knew nothing and expected everything, looked back at him like a stranger through May Welland’s familiar features…
I’m sure that I’ve watched it before. But it got to be more than 10 years ago. Thus, I had little recollection of what it’s about and I believe even if I did recall, the feelings I experienced are definitely different now and then. I wouldn’t be moved the way I’m moved today 10 years ago.
The Age of Innocence is based on Edith Wharton’s perhaps best-known novel of the same name which won her a Pulitzer Prize and made her the first woman to win this, and it’s directed by Martin Scorsese, better known for his violent works, such as Taxi Driver and Raging Bull. It’s said that Edith Wharton won the Pulitzer for her vivid and faithful depiction of 19th century New York city upper class. I mentioned in previous post that I couldn’t stand her dragging detailed description which seemed vain and redundant, (basically, not the type of writing I appreciate) but I can see its value of helping us have an understanding of 19th century New York upper class. In the movie, the narrator used a documentory tone to take us through the setting, elaborate the resemblance of items and lead us to the world of intricate and implicit society order. But aside from her exhaustive description, she offers a dry and percise observation of whatever’s going in people’s heads. Those unspoken words which drive the society…
There were certain things that had to be done, and if done at all, done handsomely and thoroughly; and one of these in the old New York code, was the tribal rally around a kinswoman about to be eliminated from the tribe.
Surprise of this movie: Richard E. Grant (Percy Blakeney in The Scarlet Pimpernel) played Larry Lefferts, Robert Sean Leonard (Dr. James Wilson in House) played Ted Archer.