Scorcese Triumphs With Age of Innocence
By Todd Ritter
Martin Scorcese has always been
an adqrt director, whether filming the mean
streets of Manhattan or the brutality of a
boxing ring. ITis work hits hard. It’s visceral,
violent, maniacally in-your-face. In other
words, Scorcese is anything but subtle. That's
why it was a shock to leam that he, the director
of such volcanic films like Raging Bull and
Goodfellas , would be directing the film ver
sion of The Age oflnnocence , Edith Wharton’s
very genteel, very refined novel about life in
1870 s New York.
Newland Archer (Daniel Day-
Lewis) is engaged to wed May Welland
(Winona Ryder) the socially acceptable mem
ber of a prominent New York family. But
heads turn and tongues wag when May’s
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cousin, the scandalous Ellen Olcnska (Mich
elle Pfeiffer), arrives from Europe, where she
has just left her husband. As Newland, a
respected lawyer, helps Ellen with her per
sonal affairs, they begin to fall into a passion
ate, but hopeless, romance. Of course, back in
the 1870 s high society, as helpful narration by
Joanne Woodward points out, no one could
dare have such emotions, let alone express
them. So Newland and Ellen have a choice
-reveal their true feelings and face society’s
scorn or live under the stifling mores set by
that same society.
Over a year and a half was spent on
research, making sure that everything, from
the paintings in the hails to the cutlery in the
kitchens, was expressly right. Scorcese packs
the screen with lush detail. The drawing
rooms are cluttered with paintings, the ball
rooms bustling with swirling dancers, the
bedrooms layered with silk, feathers, rutiles
and lace. It seems as if the upper class, op
pressed at everything else, can only express
themselves through their decor.
Winona Ryder, in a surprisingly
unsympathetic role, is in fine form as May. A
plethora of character actors (Robert Sean
Ixjonard, Mary Beth Hurt, Miriam Margolycs)
fill out their supporting roles well. But it is
Pfeiffer and Day-Lewis who excel. Theirwords
are delivered simply, almost in a monotone,
but their expressions, a blink of the eyes, a
trembling of the hands, reveal a passion ach
ing to break free. (A perfect example of this is
the scene where Newland tells Ellen he can't
endure being repressed anymore after feeling
such happiness. Ellen's reply, "I'm enduring
it" perfectly sums up a lifetime of repression
and societal scorn.)
The movie definitely belongs to
Scorcese. Instead of his usual techniques,
agonizing closc-ups, quick-as-lightening ed
iting, for a more subtle approach. Instead of
reality, he goes for beauty, creating scenes
that could pass for the paintings hanging in
the Welland's hallway. He obviously enjoyed
making the movie, and the audience enjoys
watching it.
With The Age of Innocence,
Scorcese has grown as a artist. He has taken
a step into new, breathtaking territory. Hope
fully he will continue along this path of movie
making and take the audience along with him.
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