It’s New York City in the 1870 s, a society ruled by expectations and propriety, where a hint of immorality can bring scandal and ruin. This is an America every bit as Victorian as her contemporary England. Into this world arrives Countess Ellen Olen ska (Michelle Pfeiffer), a woman who has spent much of her life in Europe and is now escaping from a disastrous marriage. Her initial adult meeting with Newland Archer (Daniel Day-Lewis) is sedate – he is engaged to her cousin May (Winona Ryder) – but there is a subtle fire smouldering from the first glance. From that point on, Archer’s dilemma becomes painfully clear – proceed with what society deems proper and marry the rather vapid May, or allow his heart and passions to carry him far from the realm of what is conventionally acceptable. Martin Scorsese has made a reputation from making movies that show a profound perceptiveness of human nature through their images of toughness and violence.
On the surface, one would be hard-pressed to find a story more unlike Raging Bull or Goodfellas than The Age of Innocence, which seems better suited to a Merchant-Ivory production. However, Scorsese has placed his indelible stamp on this picture, not only through the camerawork, but in the potent tension that builds between the main characters. For while blood has often been Scorsese’s method, the characters, and what exists between and within them, have always been his ends. The Age of Innocence is a sumptuous motion picture, a feast for the senses. The colors are vivid, from the red and yellow of roses to the flashes of crimson and white that transition scenes. The powerful score moves along with the story, in perfect counterpoint to the visuals – never intrusive, but always effective.
The Essay on Matin Scorsese
... has to go into the witness protection program (Scorsese 43). Martin Scorsese has always done something different to distinguish himself ... Scorsese's favorite actor, Robert DeNiro. Both had commercial success. Scorsese also directed Age Of Innocents and Kundun, which was ... feelings and emotions with subtlety and intensity is perfect. Scorsese accomplishes this so brilliantly that it often becomes a ...
The scenes of artfully-prepared meals are enough to make mouths water, and it’s almost possible to smell the pungent aroma of cigars. In these elements of the film, Scorsese was ably assisted by contributions from composer Elmer Bernstein and cinematographer Michael Ball haus. The set design and costumes are flawless, and the audience is legitimately transported to the nineteenth-century (through the help of Troy, NY, where the principal filming was done, and the Philadelphia Academy of Music, which doubled as a New York opera house).
This is not some mere token attempt to conjure up images of times past; Scorsese has put so much effort into the illusion that those who didn’t know better would be willing to swear that he had discovered a time capsule. Adapting from the 1921 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Edith Wharton (who also wrote Ethan Frome, a similar story of love and loss, which reached American screens earlier this year), Scorsese and Jay Cocks have successfully incorporated the conflict of emotion against societal pressures which lies at the heart of The Age of Innocence. Those watching the movie will understand that it is no easy task to resurrect a code of behavior long dead and buried.
Daniel Day-Lewis never fails to impress, even when he appears in a poor film. For the most part, however, he has chosen good roles, and his presence in a movie often lifts the production to another level. Would The Last of the Mohicans have been as stunning without him? Would My Left Foot have been as poignant? Here, Day-Lewis immerses himself in the character of Newland Archer, and it’s no great stretch for the audience to accept him. I have never subscribed to the widely-held belief that Michelle Pfeiffer is a ravishing beauty.
In fact, in The Age of Innocence, she looks rather plain (an impression that, in my opinion, heightened the impact of the story).
Ellen is exotic, certainly, but beautiful? Nevertheless, there is no denying the stirring, heartfelt passion of Pfeiffer’s performance. Outstripping anything she has done in the past, the role of Ellen can be considered a pinnacle. Winona Ryder isn’t as impressive as Day-Lewis or Pfeiffer, but her talents are put to better use here than in Bram Stoker’s Dracula. There’s no wringing of hands, no tears, and — most thankfully of all — no instances of going over-the-top.
The Term Paper on An Analysis of New York City in Martin Scorsese’s
Among the stellar names in the film directing profession in the world, Martin Scorsese’s is most likely near or at the very top of the list—as bright as the city he has chosen to showcase in most of his career pieces. Using New York City as his backdrop, Scorsese has created landmark films that explore the intricacies of specific human qualities, tightly connected to themes of identity, religion, ...
Ryder’s May is quiet, demure, and easily relegated to the background — just as she should be.
