Search - The Wings of the Dove on DVD

MPAA Rating: R Content Advisory: Nudity, Not For Children, Sexual Situations Movie Release: 1997 DVD Release: 09/14/1999 Format: DVD - Enhanced Wide Screen Letterbox for 16x9 TV - Closed Captioned SwapaDVD Credits: 1 Number of Discs: 1 Run Time: 1 hrs 42 mins Studio: Miramax Members Wishing: 20 Genres: Drama, Romance, Romantic Drama, Period Film

Based on the 1902 Henry James novel of the same name, The Wings of the Dove is set in 1910. After the death of her mother, Kate Croy (Helena Bonham Carter) has become a ward of her wealthy Aunt Maude (Charlotte Rampling), who is paying her dissipated father (Michael Gambon) to stay out of Kate's life. Maude wants Kate not to repeat Kate's mother's mistake and marry someone who is a commoner, and Maude arranges a meeting between Kate and Lord Mark (Alex Jennings), a high-class gentleman who can escort her to the right places. But Kate is more interested in Merton Densher (Linus Roache), a penniless journalist. A beautiful but terminally ill American heiress, Millie Theale (Alison Elliott), arrives on the scene and befriends Kate. Kate notices Millie's obvious affection for the handsome Merton, and she arranges an elaborate scheme to hook up the two of them so that Merton can collect Millie's money after her death. But because of her own jealousy, Kate repeatedly sabotages her own arrangement. ~ Michael Betzold, All Movie Guide

Helena Bonham Carter - Kate Croy
Linus Roache - Merton Densher
Alison Elliott - Millie Theale
Elizabeth McGovern - Susan
Charlotte Rampling - Aunt Maud

Iain Softley's adaptation of Henry James' Wings of the Dove comes to DVD with a widescreen transfer that preserves the original theatrical aspect ratio of 2.35:1. The English soundtrack is rendered in Dolby Digital Surround. There are no subtitles, but the soundtrack is closed captioned. Supplemental materials include a making-of featurette and a theatrical trailer. This is a decent disc from Disney/Buena Vista, but one could hope that such a beautiful film would have been given an anamorphic transfer. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide