Release Date: 10 September 1995 in Canada (Toronto International Film Festival)
Rated: Rated R for strong sexuality and graphic nudity.
Runtime: 116
Genres: Drama, Romance
Director: Philip Haas
Cast: Mark Rylance, Kristin Scott Thomas, Patsy Kensit, Jeremy Kemp, Douglas Henshall, Annette Badland
If infidelity, deception and incest are taboo behaviors for today’s people, they were dire behaviors for Victorians. The mere hint of impropriety and scandal could ruin a family in nineteenth-century England. Angels & Insects, directed by Philip Haas, is based on the novel by Booker Prize-winning author A.S. Byatt and stars Kristen Scott Thomas (The English Patient), Patsy Kensit (Lethal Weapon 2) and Mark Rylance (Intimacy).
Biologist William Adamson returns from the Amazon in need of funds and position. A landowning benefactor with similar interest in studying insects takes in Adamson who falls in love with the beautiful daughter of the family played by Kensit. They marry and Adamson begins his new role as son-in-law and husband. He is befriended by the governess of the household played by Thomas who appears to be harboring secret knowledge about the familial world in which they both reside.
As the dark drama unfolds, scandal of horrific proportion greets the biologist. This film, though highly intellectual—the hallmark trait of all Byatt’s work—pairs the behaviors of humans and insects reflecting both the strange similarities and odd differences. As family secrets wash over the cast and biologist and governess discover shared bonds, this film comes to its shattering conclusions. Hints abound in the early details of the film so be certain to watch and listen closely.
Bright with marvelous cinematography and riveting portrayals from its actors, Angels & Insects is not for the faint of heart, but for any film watcher who enjoys period history and a strong plot line. Be sure to send the kids to bed before playing this film which contains extremely mature subject matter and nudity. People who enjoyed films like Gosford Park or Elizabeth are likely to enjoy this film too.
