The Age of Innocence

I saw "The Aviator" a couple of days ago and while I still have Howard Hughes flying through my brain I felt the need to see again another Scorsese. I have all of his films in my collection. I closed my eyes and picked one, just like that, at random. "The Age Of Innocence" This is what happens with great artists, you can always re visit them and you'll come out of the experience with something new, something valuable. Transported by the sublime voice of Joanne Woodward I took the trip again to discover that everything in this extraordinary universe that Martin Scorsese, based on Edith Wharton work, is not what it appears. Conventions out of the window, breaking every imaginable rule. Just as the characters get off their trucks, swimming against the tide of the times. Scorsese breaks cinematic rules with such artistry that we're allow to inspect, re live and enjoy a story as old as the world from a completely new perspective. Is as if Luchino Visconti had suddenly woken up with a new contemporary sight to look back with. Daniel Day Lewis is so marvelous that the pain of his predicament becomes more than visual, becomes visceral. For Michelle Pfeiffer and Winona Ryder this was the zenith of their careers. They are sensational. The casting, as usual in a Scorsese film, is superb even in the smallest roles. Glimpses of Sian Phillips, Alexis Smith and Geraldine Chaplin add to the pleasures, making this overwhelming banquet of a film one of the most rewarding film experiences I've ever had.

Martin Scorsese's beautifully done "The Age of Innocence" almost reaches excellence on a grand scale by having stunning performances and creating real intrigue with a story that could have been slow and dull. It is late 19th Century New York and attorney Daniel Day-Lewis is about to wed socialite Winona Ryder (Oscar-nominated). Naturally their lives of privilege and the finer things in life make them a quietly happy couple. However their lives are changed when Day-Lewis is asked to defend Ryder's cousin (Michelle Pfeiffer), a woman trying to divorce herself from an abusive marriage to a man that never loved her. The socialites within Ryder's circle frown upon Pfeiffer, treating her no better than a common stranger (that is putting it mildly at best). Day-Lewis takes a liking to Pfeiffer and he develops admiration and sympathy for the emotionally tortured woman. A mutual love and romance may blossom, but what complications will this create for the duo? "The Age of Innocence" is a strong film that dominates because of Scorsese's outstanding direction. Much like "The Last Temptation of Christ", Scorsese tackles something totally different from what he had previously worked on. The film is a fine accomplishment that is a successful venture overall. It nearly reaches total excellence, but a few minor problems with pacing hurt the production admittedly. Still one of Scorsese's best works. 4.5 out of 5 stars.

In a way I am disappointed after reading the comments because I thought I was alone in adoring this ravishing and masterful film, and I thought I would get to be the sole voice in the wind proudly proclaiming its brilliance.

Years ago, I ho-hummed my way through viewing it, and I was so unimpressed, I can't tell you today whether I saw it in a theater or rented it at home. It has been in rather heavy rotation on the movie channels for some reason of late, and I watched it again a few weeks ago.

It simply left me breathless. I must have watched it twelve times over the last few weeks, and am dying to buy the DVD if it ever comes out. Scorcese calls this his "most violent film", and after seeing it again, alone, watching intently, it struck me how completely right he was.

The comments before mine are mostly right on target...I am in awe of the filmmaking and can't say enough about the dramatic subtleties, the opulent production values and the overall magnificent way the entire project was handled. Even the normally atrocious Winona Ryder excelled in a role that was simply a tour-de-force for her...the vapid but yet not so vapid after all May Welland. A masterpiece. Please see it if you haven't already.

For those who wonder what is Mr. Scorsese looking for in a film like "The Age of Innocence", (probably more suitable to a director such as James Ivory), the man himself gives the answer: "This film deals with the same matters that can be found in my work in the last 25 years. There is guilt, desire, obsessed passion and the weakness to satisfy that passion".

The story takes place in New York, around 1880. Newland Archer (Daniel Day-Lewis) must choose between his current fiancee May Welland (Winona Ryder) and her cousin who has just arrived from Poland and is recently divorced, Helen Ollenska (Michelle Pfeiffer). May is the symbol of a world he's familiar with, and Helen represents the world he's dreaming of.

Living in a conservative world full of compromises, Newland is as much trapped by his social circle as the Italian-American heroes of Mean Streets and GoodFellas. However, the Mafia here is called New York aristocracy and kills with words, with a gesture or with a look of contempt and rejection, instead of using guns. Scorsese fans who expect to see psychotic characters, violence or De Niro-style performances, will be disappointed. Everything in this movie is based on the observation and recording of the social behaviour codes, the unexpressed feelings and of things which are not not said but implied. Scorsese portrayed with absolute preciseness, almost paragraph to paragraph, Edith Wharton's classic novel. However, he managed to give the film his own unique personal view, proving his gigantic talent and that he's capable of creating masterpieces, whatever the heroes, the story or the genre of the film. Winona Ryder should definitely have won the Oscar for her wonderful performance, but Lewis and Pfeiffer are marvellous as well. What's left to say? The Age of Innocence is an un-excusably underrated all time classic.

The world that Edith Wharton grew up within the 19th century and the one Martin Scorsese did in the 20th century are so vastly different. About all they have in common is it's New York City. But each has a strict code of behavior and violation can bring ruin and disgrace or worse.

In the tight little world of the New York upper crust gossip flows freely, but you dare not let your life in that new thing called the tabloid press of Mr. Hearst and Mr. Pulitzer Discretion is the key.

Daniel Day Lewis is your typical society blade of the time who is about to make a good match in Winona Ryder. But he meets up with a cousin of her's Michelle Pheiffer over from Europe. She's married but separated from a profligate scion of old European nobility. Then as now old names marry new money to keep up a lifestyle. It's the bargain you made and by the rules you stick with it.

But Pheiffer is an exciting and liberated woman for the time and she fascinates Lewis. The big question is will he ive in to temptation. In Edith Wharton's world you don't.

The Age Of Innocence is one opulent film as befits the time and place it's set in. Winona Ryder got a Best Supporting Actress nomination and it got a flock of other nominations in technical categories bringing home the statue for Costume Design. It's an eyeful to look at, but Edith Wharton's story and characters never get lost in the splendor.

And it proves a good story is always the bedrock of a good movie.