The Age Of Innocence (1993)

The Age Of Innocence - 1993

Next we have 1993's "The Age Of Innocence", starring Daniel Day-Lewis, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Winona Ryder.  A woman comes back to New York society after separating from a foreign husband.  Her arrival throws society into a quandry about what to do about her.  She awakens passions in a man who's engaged to her cousin, and the two of them challenge the norms of what society should be.

The film's excellent supporting cast includes Miriam Margolyes, Geraldine Chaplin, Michael Gough, Alexis Smith, Richard E. Grant, Alec McGowen, Mary Beth Hurt, Stuart Wilson, Jonathan Pryce, June Squibb, Thomas Gibson, and Joanne Woodward.

The film opens at the New York opera, and all of New York society is present.  Everyone who is anyone is there.  People aren't so much looking at the performance as they are each other.

Suddenly, all eyes turn to the Mingott box.  A rustle of activity attracts the attention of members of the audience.

The arrival of Countess Ellen Olenska (Pfeiffer) causes whispers among the crowd.  She's just separated from her husband and returned to New York.  Archer Newland (Day-Lewis) is engaged to her cousin May (Ryder).  He hears the whispers and feels badly about how Ellen is being treated.

He goes to the box and gets May to acquaint him with Ellen.  He tells May that he wants to announce their engagement at the ball following the opera.

She agrees and the engagement is announced.  Archer says he wanted to announce it to divert attention from Ellen and protect her from the gossips of society.

The next day they visit May's grandmother, Mrs. Mingott, who's delighted with the news.  Mrs. Mingott is the "dowager empress" of New York society and is either related to or knows everybody included in it.

She's kept her own ideas on her home, and has installed herself on the ground floor.  "The burden of her flesh had long since made it impossible for her to go up and down stairs.  So, with characteristic independence, she had established herself on the ground floor of her house.  From the sitting room, there was an unexpected vista of her bedroom.  Her visitors were startled and fascinated by the foreignness of this arrangement, which recalled scenes in French fiction.  This was how women with lovers lived in the wicked old societies.  But if Mrs. Mingott had wanted a lover, the intrepid woman would've had him, too."

To reintroduce Ellen to New York, Mrs. Mingott plans a large, formal dinner.  Invitations are sent out and preparations are made.  However, no one will come, preferring to keep their distance from the scandal-laden Countess.

Having taken a special liking to Ellen, Archer decides there is only one thing to do.  He pleads her case before the van der Luydens, the creme and pinnacle of New York society.  They agree to include Ellen among their guests at a dinner they are hosting for a cousin.

The dinner is a success, and Ellen is received by the van der Luydens.  She converses easily with their guests at the lavish banquet.

After dinner, Ellen finds a moment to talk with Newland.  During the course of their conversation, they find they have the same ideas.  He secretly despises the way of life they lead.  She feels the same, not really having much respect for all the tradition.  "It seems stupid to have discovered America only to make it a copy of another country," she says.  Before parting, she tells him to meet her the next day.  He meets her, but is disheartened to see she is late because of a carriage ride with Julius Beaufort, no stranger to scandal himself.  Still, he is completely captivated by her.

Following their meeting, Newland sends Ellen a bouquet of yellow roses, but does not attach a card.  He later tells May that he sent them to Ellen, and May says that Ellen never even mentioned them, though she did mention other bouquets she received.  Newland tells May he wants to be married very soon, but she says not to rush the wedding.  Later, Newland is approached by the director of his law firm.  He says the family wishes him to talk to Ellen and advise her against divorce.

He reluctantly agrees to do so.  When he arrives at her house for a meeting, he finds her once again entertaining Julius Beaufort, and is crestfallen.  She wants a divorce, and he advises against it.  She wants to know what kind of harm could come to her reputation in New York.  He tells her perhaps in New York more harm than anywhere.  "Our legislation favors divorce, but our social customs don't," he says.  She, sadly, decides against divorce in favor of the status quo.

When May and her family go to St. Augustine for the winter, Ellen retreats to the country.  Newland follows her there.  "I knew you'd come," she says.  "That shows you wanted me to," he replies.  He is again disheartened when he finds that Julius Beaufort has also followed Ellen, and he decides to go to St. Augustine to be with May and try and convince her to speed up the wedding.

May wants to know why he wants to advance the wedding.  "Is there someone else?" she asks.  She tells him she's felt a difference in him since their engagement was announced.  May says that if there's someone else he's released to be with her.  He says there is no one but her.

Back in New York, Newland goes to see Mrs. Mingott, who advises him that Ellen's husband wants her back at any price.  "I'd rather see her dead," says Newland.  "Would you really?" asks Mrs. Mingott.  "We must remember marriage is marriage, and Ellen is still a wife."  Ellen then walks into the room.  They start spending more and more time together.  Although, the specter of Julius Beaufort is always present, flowers he sent, notes, etc.

When he sees her at her house, he tells her that May wants a longer engagement to give him time to see if there's anyone else.  Ellen tells him he's made it impossible by telling her not to get a divorce.  She did it to spare the family scandal.  They share a kiss.  Ellen tells him that she knows how much he's done to help her since her arrival.  Announcing his engagement at the Beaufort ball to divert talk, assisting in her welcome by having the van der Luydens have her to dinner, etc.  Just then, a telegram comes from May saying that the wedding will take place within a month.

The wedding takes place, and Ellen sends her regrets, but not before sending them an exquisite piece of old lace.  May and Newland honeymooned at the cottage where he had met Ellen when May was in St. Augustine.  Ellen said "it was the only house in America where she could imagine being happy."

A year and a half later, May and Newland are visiting Mrs. Mingott in Newport and haven't seen Ellen since before their wedding.  Mrs. Mingott tells Newland to go and find Ellen, who is also visiting.  Ellen is down at the pier.  Newland gives himself a prescribed amount of time in which to meet her, but he turns away before she notices him and walks back to the house.

Newland finds a way to meet Ellen.  This time in Boston.  She's there alone.  She was there to meet her husband's representative, but still refused to go back to him.  He begs her to spend the day with him.  She hesitates, but accepts.

During their conversation, Newland tells her that she gave him his first glimpse of a real life, and then she told him to carry on with a false one.  She tells him she won't go back to her husband, not as long as they both can stand it.  They part company.

Later, we learn that Julius Beaufort's business has failed, and all who've invested with him have lost their money, the Countess Olenska included.  Julius's wife, a niece of Mrs. Mingott, goes to her and asks for her to back Julius.  She refuses, and the excitement the scene causes results in a stroke.  It's minor, but it forces the family to gather around her.

Ellen arrives after Mrs. Mingott sent for her, and Newland picks her up in the carriage in order to be alone with her.  After several tender moments, Ellen tells him to look at things realistically.  Newland gets upset and leaves the carriage.  Later on, Newland meets Ellen and tells her he must see her alone, and makes a date to meet her at the art museum in the park.  At the museum, they agree to consummate their affair the day after next.  He sends her a key to his home.

In the interim, May tells Newland that she's had a long talk with Ellen.  One night she gives Newland a note that Ellen sent her.  It explains that she's returning to Europe and her husband very soon.  Newland is visibly shaken.  The news comes just as Newland is about to tell May about Ellen and himself.  He doesn't, though.

Newland and May give their first dinner as a married couple, a farewell dinner for Ellen.  A married couple's first dinner is considered very important in New York society, and the van der Luydens have stayed especially for it.  Newland is especially sad that night.  The key which he sent Ellen had been returned to him by mail unopened.

During the course of the evening, Newland comes to realize that all of New York society believes him to be Ellen's lover, and he believes his wife shares that opinion.  Ellen leaves his house and his life after saying goodnight.

Later in the evening, May comes to talk things over with Newland.  She tells him she is with child.  She found out for sure that very morning, but she told Ellen two weeks ago.  She didn't know then, but she told Ellen she did.  Intending earlier to take an extended trip abroad, Newland resigns himself to staying in New York with May.

The years go by.  Newland and May have three children, and watch them grow, marry, and have families of their own.  May eventually dies of an infectious pneumonia after nursing their youngest son through it.  One day, Newland's son Ted calls him up and says he has business in Europe and wants Newland to accompany him.

In Paris, his son Ted tells him that Countess Olenska is expecting them later that afternoon.  His fiancee made him swear to call on her.  Newland is shocked.  Ted later tells him that May knew all about his love for Ellen.  The film's narrator says "It seemed to take an iron band from his heart to know that, after all, someone had guessed and pitied.  And that it should’ve been his wife moved him inexpressibly."

Outside Ellen's apartment, Newland realizes he doesn't need to go up.  He sends his son on ahead and sits, remembering the past.  The film ends as he gets up and walks away.

Cast rundown:

   Daniel Day-Lewis...............................Newland Archer

   Michelle Pfeiffer..................................Countess Ellen Olenska

   Winona Ryder....................................May Welland

   Miriam Margolyes...............................Mrs. Catherine Mingott

   Geraldine Chaplin...............................Mrs. Augusta Welland

   Michael Gough...................................Henry van der Luyden

   Alexis Smith......................................Louisa van der Luyden

   Richard E. Grant................................Larry Lefferts

   Alec McCowen...................................Sillerton Jackson

   Mary Beth Hurt..................................Regina Beaufort

   Stuart Wilson....................................Julius Beaufort

   Jonathan Pryce..................................Riviere

   June Squibb......................................Mingott Maid

   Thomas Gibson..................................Stage Actor

   Joanne Woodward..............................The Narrator

And that's all for The Age of Innocence.  It's an absolutely beautiful movie.  Winona Ryder won a Golden Globe for her performance, and the film was nominated for 5 Academy Awards, winning one for Best Costume Design.

There's also a director's cameo in the film.  Martin Scorsese appears as the photographer for Newland and May's wedding pictures.

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