''The House of Mirth'' is a 1981 American
television film
A television film, alternatively known as a television movie, made-for-TV film/movie or TV film/movie, is a feature-length film that is produced and originally distributed by or to a television network, in contrast to theatrical films made for ...
directed by Adrian Hall. It is based on
Edith Wharton
Edith Wharton (; born Edith Newbold Jones; January 24, 1862 – August 11, 1937) was an American novelist, short story writer, and interior designer. Wharton drew upon her insider's knowledge of the upper-class New York "aristocracy" to portray ...
's 1905
novel of the same name. It stars
Geraldine Chaplin
Geraldine Leigh Chaplin (born July 31, 1944) is an American actress. She is the daughter of Charlie Chaplin, the first of eight children with his fourth wife, Oona O'Neill. After beginnings in dance and modeling, she turned her attention to act ...
as the protagonist, Lily Bart. The film was part-funded by the
National Endowment for the Humanities
The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) is an independent federal agency of the U.S. government, established by thNational Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities Act of 1965(), dedicated to supporting research, education, preserv ...
.
[ It was broadcast on PBS' '']Great Performances
''Great Performances'' is a television anthology series dedicated to the performing arts; the banner has been used to televise theatrical performances such as plays, musicals, opera, ballet, concerts, as well as occasional documentaries. It is pr ...
'' on 2 November 1981.
Plot
Despite being born to an important family, Lily Bart is an impoverished young woman who struggles to maintain any form of lifestyle that resembles that of her rich society friends. As she approaches 30, the chances of being rescued by a rich husband are fading. She entrusts what little money she has in a man that promises to make her great gains on the stock market. However the money he gives back to her turn out to be his own and not the profit of her investments. The man believes he can buy Lily but she refuses his advances, opting to keep her honour. The place she as part of an exclusive social milieu is threatened by malicious gossip. Her financial life also remains fraught with difficulty as she struggles to adapt to a working life.[Rosenfeld, Megan. ''Fun 'House' ''. The Washington Post. 2 November 1981]
Cast
* Geraldine Chaplin
Geraldine Leigh Chaplin (born July 31, 1944) is an American actress. She is the daughter of Charlie Chaplin, the first of eight children with his fourth wife, Oona O'Neill. After beginnings in dance and modeling, she turned her attention to act ...
as Lily Bart
* William Atherton
William Atherton Knight (born July 30, 1947) is an American actor, best known for portraying Richard Thornburg in '' Die Hard'' and its sequel and Walter Peck in ''Ghostbusters''.
Early life
Atherton was born in Orange, Connecticut, the son ...
as Lawrence Selden
* Lois Smith
Lois Arlene Smith (née Humbert; born November 3, 1930) is an American character actress whose career spans eight decades. She made her film debut in the 1955 drama film '' East of Eden'', and later played supporting roles in a number of movies ...
as Bertha Dorset
* Elizabeth Franz
Elizabeth Franz (born Betty Jean Frankovich) is an American stage and television actress.
Life and career
Franz was born Betty Jean Frankovich in Akron, Ohio, the daughter of a factory worker.
She won a Tony Award for her role as Linda Lom ...
as Grace Stepney
* Amy Van Nostrand
Amy Van Nostrand (born April 11, 1953) is an American actress. She has appeared on Broadway in '' The Hothouse'' by Harold Pinter; off-Broadway, she appeared in Pearl Theatre's ''Dance With Me''.
Early years
Van Nostrand was born in Providence ...
as Gwen Van Osburgh
Reception
Megan Rosenfeld of ''The Washington Post
''The Washington Post'' (also known as the ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'') is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C. It is the most widely circulated newspaper within the Washington metropolitan area and has a large nati ...
'' praised the casting, "For once, Geraldine Chaplin's basically expressionless face serves her well, and her performance is perhaps one of her best. For once she goes beyond the insipid, catching the confused -- and surprised -- torment of a young woman who can neither succeed within the restraints of her society nor use courage or imagination to escape from it. William Atherton is mostly handsome as her friend and fellow dilettante, Lawrence Selden. Lois Smith is wonderfully decadent as the treacherous Bertha Dorset." Rosenfeld also praised Hall for directing the film with "careful attention to period detail" and that he "proceeds subtly but surely down the path of Lily's misfortune." Rosenfeld was also positive about the costume and production design.[
]
References
External links
*
American television films
Films based on American novels
Films based on works by Edith Wharton
1981 films
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