Quills
Quills is a 2000 historical drama film directed by Philip Kaufman and adapted from the Obie award-winning 1995 play by Doug Wright, who also wrote the original screenplay. Inspired by Marquis de Sade, the film re-imagines the last years of the Marquis's incarceration in the insane asylum at Charenton. It stars Geoffrey Rush as de Sade, Kate Winslet as laundress Madeleine "Maddie" LeClerc, Joaquin Phoenix as the Abbé de Coulmier, and Michael Caine as Dr. Royer-Collard.
Plot
In Paris, the encarcerated Marquis de Sade is confined to the asylum at Charenton, overseen by the Abbé du Coulmier. The Marquis has been publishing his work through laundress Madeleine "Maddy" LeClerc, who smuggles manuscripts through an anonymous horseman to a publisher. The Marquis' latest work, Justine, is published on the black market to great success. Emperor Napoléon I Bonaparte orders all copies burned and the author shot, but his advisor, Delbené, suggest another idea: send Dr. Royer-Collard to silence the Marquis. Meanwhile, the Abbé teaches Madeleine to read and write.
Awards
More details
| author | Doug Wright |
|---|---|
| award | National Board of Review Award for Best Film National Board of Review: Top Ten Films |
| contentLocation | France |
| director | Philip Kaufman |
| editor | Peter Boyle |
| events | Marquis de Sade |
| genre | drama historical thriller |
| keywords | abbé de coulmier abbé du coulmier antoine-athanase royer-collard black market blind mother break out capture clothe confine decorate end hasty marriage help justine last rites napoleon napoléon i bonaparte print shop publish royer-collard the misfortunes of virtue wedding night |
| musicBy | Stephen Warbeck |
| nomination | Academy Award for Best Actor Academy Award for Best Costume Design Academy Award for Best Production Design |
| producer | Julia Chasman Nick Wechsler Peter Kaufman |
| productionCompany | Industry Entertainment Walrus & Associates |
| publisher | Fox Searchlight Pictures |
| recordedAt | London Pinewood Studios |
| theme | biographical drama erotic thriller independent |