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Enchanted April (1991 film)
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Wikipedia article
'Enchanted April' is a British 1991 film directed by Mike Newell. The screenplay by Peter Barnes was adapted from Elizabeth von Arnim's 1922 novel 'The Enchanted April'. It stars Miranda Richardson, Josie Lawrence, Polly Walker, and Joan Plowright, with Alfred Molina, Michael Kitchen, and Jim Broadbent in supporting roles.
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 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
* Josie Lawrence as Lottie Wilkins
* Miranda Richardson as Rose Arbuthnot
* Polly Walker as Caroline Dester
* Joan Plowright as Mrs. Fisher
* Alfred Molina as Mellersh Wilkins
* Jim Broadbent as Frederick Arbuthnot
* Michael Kitchen as George Briggs
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. The score by Richard Rodney Bennett, featuring flute and oboe themes, evokes the film's mood and accentuates the story's sentimentality and nostalgia.
Reception
The film premiered as the opening night gala of the London Film Festival on 6 November 1991. It gained a positive reaction from critics and holds an 84% rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 31 reviews.
Awards and nominations
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
|-
! Award
! Category
! Nominee(s)
! Result
|-
| rowspan="3"| Academy Awards
| Best Supporting Actress
| Joan Plowright
|
|-
| Best Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published
| Peter Barnes
|
|-
| Best Costume Design
| Sheena Napier
|
|-
| Cleveland International Film Festival
| Best Film
| Mike Newell
|
|-
| rowspan="3"| Golden Globe Awards
| colspan="2"| Best Motion Picture Musical or Comedy
|
|-
| Best Actress in a Motion Picture Musical or Comedy
| Miranda Richardson
|
|-
| Best Supporting Actress Motion Picture
| Joan Plowright
|
|-
| Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards
| Best Supporting Actress
| rowspan="3"| Miranda Richardson
|
|-
| National Society of Film Critics Awards
| Best Supporting Actress
|
|-
| New York Film Critics Circle Awards
| Best Supporting Actress
|
|-
| Shanghai International Film Festival
| Best Feature Film
| Mike Newell
|
|-
| colspan="2"| USC Scripter Awards
| Peter Barnes ;
Elizabeth von Arnim
|
|-
| Writers Guild of America Awards
| Best Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published
| Peter Barnes
|
|}
See also
An earlier adaptation of the book was released by RKO Radio Pictures in 1935, with the same name 'Enchanted April'.
References
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