The Misadventures of Margaret (1998)

Director:

Brian Skeet

Writers:

Cathleen Schine (novel)
Brian Skeet (writer)

Release Date:

23 December 1998 (France)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance

Plot:

A timid, insecure popular author (Parker Posey) with an overly-attentive professor husband (Jeremy Northam) decide to write an erotic novel...

Plot Keywords:

Psychoanalysis | Acting Musician | Adultery | Alarm Clock | Bathroom Scene

Cast

Parker Posey	...	Margaret Nathan
Jeremy Northam	...	Edward Nathan
Craig Chester	...	Richard Lane
Elizabeth McGovern	...	Till Turner
Brooke Shields	...	Lily
Corbin Bernsen	...	Art Turner
Justine Waddell	...	Young Girl
Patrick Bruel	...	Martin
Stéphane Freiss	...	The Philosopher
Amy Phillips	...	Sarah From Brighton
Alexis Denisof	...	Dr. Lipi
Sylvie Testud	...	Young Nun
Al Mackenzie	...	Richard's Boyfriend
Kerry Shale	...	Librarian
Jeff Harding	...	Man at Party

Also Known As:

Folies de Margaret, Les (France)

Runtime:

105 min | Germany:85 min (25 fps) (TV version) | Germany:89 min | USA:80 min (TV version)

Country:

France | UK | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Certification:

Iceland:L | France:U | Germany:12 | Singapore:R(A)

Filming Locations:

Ealing Studios, Ealing, London, England, UK

Company:

Canal+

Trivia:

The original soundtrack was fully composed by Saint Etienne, the distributor's wanted a more typical sound. So many of Saint Etienne's tracks are cut or barely audible.

Quotes:

Edward Nathan: Save some insanity for menopause!

Movie Connections:

References Theodora Goes Wild (1936)

Soundtrack:

The More I See You

At last, I can stand to watch a movie my mom likes, too!

My mom and I were going through the channels, and were about to resort to our well-worn video collection when we stumbled upon a nameless film with a young woman yelling at a man. My first impression was "Hey, that's Parker Posey!", and so began our little adventure viewing (most of) The Misadventures of Margaret. I've seen a few "chick flicks" in my time, although most leave me cold. When I use the too common term, I'm talking about anything that involves two of the three: 1) a love-centered plot line, 2) a woman striving for harmony with her inner self, 3) accurate, almost overly-done period piece costumes. A slight warning to those who aren't inclined to give this film a fair shot: it has all three in abundance.

However, the film also has some of the best acting I've seen out of Ms. Posey, great characters along with the title one (especially Elisabeth McGovern as Margaret's sister, and a disturbing pseudo-cameo by Alexis Denisof, who I'd only ever seen as Wesley on Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel. It's almost disturbing to see him play a sex symbol--not that I minded!), and some of the most entertaining women-centered writing I've heard in *any* flick (chick or otherwise) in a very long time. Women-centered in that it manages to make the characters sound like modern women without turning them into cynical harpies or caricatures of the feminist movement (or, worse, icons of a "better" set of values, when a woman's heart is only as full as her husband's stomach.) I'm starting to think that Mystic Pizza is going to have to share my title for Best Girlie Film. ;)