Enchanted April (1991 film)

Enchanted April is a 1991 British film directed by Mike Newell.[3] The screenplay by Peter Barnes was adapted from Elizabeth von Arnim's 1922 novel The Enchanted April.[4] It stars Miranda Richardson, Josie Lawrence, Polly Walker, and Joan Plowright, with Alfred Molina, Michael Kitchen, and Jim Broadbent in supporting roles.[5]

Enchanted April
Directed byMike Newell
Written byPeter Barnes
Based onThe Enchanted April
by Elizabeth von Arnim
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyRex Maidment
Edited byDick Allen
Music byRichard Rodney Bennett
Production
company
Distributed byCurzon Films[1]
Miramax[2]
Release date
  • 6 November 1991 (1991-11-06) (United Kingdom)
Running time
95 minutes
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish
Box office$13,200,170

Plot

Elizabeth von Arnim's novel tells of four dissimilar women in 1920s England who leave their rainy, grey environments to go on holiday in Italy. Mrs. Arbuthnot and Mrs. Wilkins, who belong to the same ladies' club, but have never spoken, become acquainted after reading a newspaper advertisement for a small medieval castle on the shores of the Mediterranean to be let furnished for the month of April. They find some common ground as both are struggling to make the best of unhappy marriages. Having decided to seek other ladies to help share expenses, they reluctantly take on the elegant but peevish elderly Mrs. Fisher, and the stunning, aloof, and very wealthy Lady Caroline Dester. The four women come together at the castle and, after many unexpected twists and turns, find rejuvenation in the tranquil beauty of their surroundings, rediscovering hope and love.

Cast

Production

The film was shot on location at Castello Brown in Portofino, Italy, the castle where the author of the book had stayed in the 1920s.[6] The score by Richard Rodney Bennett, featuring flute and oboe themes, evokes the film's mood and accentuates the story's yearning and nostalgia.[7]

Reception

The film premiered as the opening night gala of the London Film Festival on 6 November 1991.[8] It gained a positive reaction from critics and holds an 85% rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 33 reviews. The consensus summarizes: "Mike Newell's adaptation of Elizabeth von Arnim's novel moves at a more generous pace than the 1935 version, allowing excellent performances from Miranda Richardson and Joan Plowright to flourish."[9]

Awards and nominations
Award Category Nominee(s) Result
Academy Awards[10] Best Supporting Actress Joan Plowright Nominated
Best Screenplay – Based on Material Previously Produced or Published Peter Barnes Nominated
Best Costume Design Sheena Napier Nominated
Cleveland International Film Festival Best Film Mike Newell Won
Golden Globe Awards[11] Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy Nominated
Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy Miranda Richardson Won
Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture Joan Plowright Won
Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards[12] Best Supporting Actress Miranda Richardson Runner-up
National Society of Film Critics Awards[13] Best Supporting Actress 2nd Place
New York Film Critics Circle Awards[14] Best Supporting Actress Won
Shanghai International Film Festival Best Feature Film Mike Newell Nominated
USC Scripter Awards[15] Peter Barnes (screenwriter);
Elizabeth von Arnim (author)		 Nominated
Writers Guild of America Awards[16] Best Screenplay – Based on Material Previously Produced or Published Peter Barnes Nominated

See also

An earlier adaptation of the book was released by RKO Radio Pictures in 1935, with the same name Enchanted April.

References
  1. "Enchanted April (1991)". BBFC. Retrieved 3 April 2021.
  2. "The Stats" (PDF). British Film Institute. Retrieved 19 January 2023.
  3. "BBC - Enchanted April - BBC Films". www.bbc.co.uk.
  4. Corliss, Richard (3 August 1992). "A Month in The Country" – via content.time.com.
  5. "Enchanted April (1992)". BFI. Archived from the original on 18 May 2017.
  6. Maslin, Janet (31 July 1992). "Review/Film; In Italy, A Lourdes For the Soul" – via NYTimes.com.
  7. "Chandos Records Classical Music CDs and MP3 Downloads OnLine". Chandos Records. Retrieved 1 September 2017.
  8. Robinson, Brian (22 August 2016). "Every BFI London Film Festival opening night film". BFI. Retrieved 20 January 2020.
  9. "Enchanted April (1992)". www.rottentomatoes.com.
  10. "The 65th Academy Awards (1993) Nominees and Winners". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). Archived from the original on 9 November 2014. Retrieved 22 October 2011.
  11. "Enchanted April – Golden Globes". HFPA. Retrieved 5 July 2021.
  12. "The Annual 18th Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards". Los Angeles Film Critics Association. Retrieved 24 August 2021.
  13. "Past Awards". National Society of Film Critics. Retrieved 5 July 2021.
  14. "1992 New York Film Critics Circle Awards". Mubi. Retrieved 5 July 2021.
  15. "Past Scripter Awards". USC Scripter Award. Retrieved 8 November 2021.
  16. "Awards Winners". wga.org. Writers Guild of America. Archived from the original on 5 December 2012. Retrieved 6 June 2010.
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