Customer Reviews

The Scarlet Letter (134 Minutes. Widescreen. Original English. English Subtitle. Demi Moore, Gary Oldman, Robert Duvall, Lisa Joliffe-Andoh)

5 star:		(34)
4 star:		(23)
3 star:		(14)
2 star:		(9)
1 star:		(40)

 

 

Fans of Joffe's "The Scarlet Letter" plead with people to disregard the book and take the movie on its own merits. This is absurd reasoning, as a remake of any sort invites comparisons by its very nature. It is particularly pointless in this case, because even if there had been no novel to compare it with, "The Scarlet Letter" would still have been an embarassing flop.

Although obstensibly set in a 17th century Puritan community, the movie makes no attempt whatsoever to establish time and place through characterization or action. Demi Moore's character is a free thinking, independant woman who befriends her pagan neighbors (who act like stereotypical hippies) and politely ignores the scorn of the town elders. In other words, she's a cool 90's chick. Gary Oldman is a strong yet sensitive type with a goatee, respectful to women and the local native tribes. He's a cool 90's dude. Granted there have been independant thinkers in every age, but this degree of anachronism makes about as much sense as a caveman invenitng a computer out of rocks and hides.

Since Demi and Gary are both free-thinkers in a repressive (i.e. uncool) society, you just know they're going to get together as soon as Demi's husband dies. When she ends up pregnant though, and her husband turns out to be alive, she just accepts the situation and moves on with self-assured smugness. Of course, her uncool neighbors can't accept this situation, but no matter how much they condemn her, it only makes Demi's resolve stronger. For his part, Gary longs to reveal himself as the father (sensitive guy that he is) but Demi insists that he remain quiet so she can nobly go endure the community's ire alone. Of course, you just know they'll end up together in the end.

Perhaps the worst thing about "The Scarlet Letter" is the numerous missed opportunities to inject emotionally mature drama. Demi's character is a born and raised Puritan, shouldn't she feel some guilt and shame over her situation? Why is Gary, a man from a patriarchal society, submissively letting Demi tell him what to do? Does the Puritan community have any sense of structure and purpose besides condeming people? Unfortunately, none of these angles are explored. Instead we are supposed to focus solely on the juvenile, "this couple is too cool for their environment" plotline.

Yes there is a steamy sex-scene, but so what? Perhaps if they had steered the movie more in this direction, they could have made it a stimulating (but still silly) bit of erotica. Unfortunately "The Scarlet Letter" was intended to be drama, and with its sophmoric story and absurd characters, that is a pretense it simply can't live up to.

There's a disclaimer which flashes on the screen at the beginning of this 1995 film. It says it is "freely adapted from the novel" by Nathaniel Hawthorne. Then it goes on to tell the famous story through the eyes of twentieth century feminism, sexual freedom and politically correct happy endings. I must admit I never did read the book, but I've long been aware of the general plot, set in 1666, of an adulteress forced to wear the scarlet letter "A".

Demi Moore is cast as Hester Pryne, the adulteress, and we all know what's going to happen to her. She's been sent to America to establish a home; her husband is supposed to be following soon. She shocks the good people of the Massachusetts Bay Colony when she insists on living alone, with the help of a couple of bondsmen and a female black slave. I doubt if Hawthorne's book then had the local minister, played by Gary Oldman, do a little nude swimming on Hester's property. I also doubt that Hawthorne had her peeking, getting excited and sensuously soaking in a bathtub, displaying her own nude body and thinking about the pastor. The couple declare their love for each other but it is only after they think her husband dead that they consummate their relationship. Her pregnancy is a crime and she spends the last six months of her confinement in a horrible prison. Then she is forced to wear the scarlet letter and is shunned by all. She refuses to name her lover, and so Oldman sulks around town, looking guilty but keeping his mouth shut. This is a great role for any actress, but Demi Moore just can't handle it. She might have a nice body but the expression on her face seems to be frozen, incapable of the subtleties, passion and despair that the role calls for. Gary Oldman is slightly better, but his portrayal of the weakling pastor is also one-dimensional.

The film is saved, however, by the role of Robert Duvall, who appears late, but yet steals the show with his impassioned portrayal of the wronged husband bent on revenge. He dominates every scene he's in and a single expression on his face tells more about his character than the combined performances of the rest of the entire cast. The story is a good one, and it moved fast enough to hold my interest, especially since there were some action scenes added that Hawthorne had probably never intended. That's why I can't recommend it unless you're willing to just relax and watch a well-plotted historical romance with mediocre acting.

Hawthorne's moving tale of tragedy and tolerance has been so twisted as to be nearly unrecognisible. In it's place is a confused action flic which culminates in a macbre game of musical chairs at the scaffold. First it's "hang the witches", then it's "hang Hester Pryne", then finally let's "hang the minister !" In the end, no one hangs due to a convenient and bloody Indian Uprising. That none of these things were present in Hawthorne's masterpiece is apparently of no consequence. This is a good movie to lend to a kid who is too lazy to read the book, and who you have a grudge against.

We are watching this movie in English class, and I believe our teacher remarked, "Hawthorne is turning in his grave." Too true. Unfortunately, Puritan society has been remade into a place that is only scandalized when it suits them to be. The rest of the time we simply have lots of random nudity, violence, and sex.

Demi Moore, playing Hester Prynne, is a rebel from the beginning. She angrily stands up to her elders and betters, and does many things that "are just not done!" She follows an unrealistically colored red bird into the forest, where she sees Dimmesdale skinny-dipping. She is enamored by this, and suddenly she looks like a wild woods-queen (her hair is down, she wears a garland of flowers in her hair, etc.) She returns only to find out it is the Sabbath, removes the wreath, and sets off to Church.

Apparently, Puritans have no problem with their minister being late to his own sermon, for Dimmesdale has time to stop in the woods and help this unescorted maiden with her cart (deeply stuck in mud). Then he boyishly suggests they change horses, he'll ride hers and she'll ride his (oh, how romantic!) and they show up at Church. There, and later over some Bible books, they bond.

When Chillingworth is apparently killed in an Indian attack, Dimmesdale decides to come to Hester's house in the middle of the night to break the tragic news (even though he finds out early in the day.) She is instantly horrified, and grabs Dimmesdale and pulls a curtain, where she talks in hushed whispers as her chest throbs. Then she pulls him and they end up in the shed, where they make love in the slowest sex scene imaginable. In the meantime, Mituba, some random servant Hester has, decides that what her mistress is doing is sexually stimulating, and we have flashes of her undressing in front of the unrealistically colored red bird. Hmmm....

Chillingworth, in the meantime, is not dead, but made to run the gauntlet as all the Indians beat him with sticks. Then we have images of him dancing around with a slaughtered wild animal (or animal skin) on his head. Hmmm, again...apparently, for Chillingworth to feel revengeful he needs to be insane and have no dignity at all...otherwise how COULD he feel such a basic human emotion as jealousy...

Some scenes of Dimmesdale mortifying his flesh...blood running down poles...Hester giving birth...etc...

Apparently, this continues into a stirring political speech for women's freedom in the end, and Dimmesdale and Hester are together to lead the rest of their highly implausible, improbable love lives together, in their staunch and pathetic happiness. By the end, I doubt many of us care about them at all--but never fear, for it's the unrealistically colored red bird that matters, you know...for it embodies Satan, or so it seems! After all, it's Scarlet,too...they kept to the book, well, kind of...*drips some more sarcasm*

Altogether appalling.

The first thing you have to do to get anything out of this movie at all is to forget the book. Completely. The movie so 'freely adapts' the book, that really all that remains of the book's plot is a ghost of a germ of an idea about a Puritan woman who gets pregnant by someone who is not her husband. That's about where the similarity ends. Secondly, you must be willing to approach this movie with something of a split perspective: on the one hand, it is a perfectly enjoyable story of romance; on the other, it has some really funny moments that were not intended to be funny at all. Like the love scene. It's both hot and hilarious at the same time. All that falling (catch the symbolism!) grain everywhere...goodness! Hope it didn't get anywhere...sensitive. Another hilarious scene is when Robert Duvall holds up baby Pearl screaming "THE DEVIL'S OWN CHILD!" And that dance he did with the deer carcass...kinda bloody but still funny as hell. Finally, realize that this movie is unabashedly a Demi-fest, as in see Demi look Defiant, see Demi look Witchy, see Demi look Sexy.... you get the idea. And sometimes you'll wonder if Gary Oldman wasn't having to hold back a chuckle or two himself.

If you can keep all that in mind, and admittedly, that's a lot of leeway to give this movie, but if you can do it, go ahead, and enjoy this movie on its own terms. Someone else here said it: it's escapism, pure and simple. It is NOT the book, but I don't think it ever intended to be. And getting to see Gary Oldman skinny-dipping is fine with me any day.

Vapid pseudo-adaptation of Nathaniel Hawthorne's timeless novel of guilt, conscience, and the darker side of religion. Inverts the original novel's themes of prejudice and redemption into a New Age libertine manifesto. The atrocious script has some of the worst dialogue ever and plays like a deranged parody of Hawthorne's magnificent prose. Great cast of Demi Moore, Gary Oldman and Robert Duvall is totally wasted. For a much better film treatment of many of the same themes see "The Crucible," but avoid this travesty at all costs.

Sorry folks, but I am one of those weird people who go to see a movie for the only purpose of being entertained. Drama, Tragety, Comedy...it makes no difference. Did I enjoy the film. The answes is YES! Was I entertained? YES! Did I feel for the characters? YES!

I never read "Hawthorns book" and never care if I do. What "I" saw was a man thrown into a complete questioning of everything he believed to be true. Until Hester, everything had made sence in his world. Now this "love" for a married woman was a direct contrast to all He believed in. To all he WAS. And yet, he loved and (believed in) her too. The line " I am in hell" summed it all up. He knew not how to place one belief over another. So he walks a road, that he sees has no sane end. One reviewer on this page called him a ninny. I was glad (for once) to see a non-Rambo, sensitive performance...especailly by Oldman (Air FOrce One) who can do the macho thing quite well. I particularly liked the scene with the books and the ink...how REAL. In his nervouseness of seeing her, he drops books gets ink on himself, and feels a bit stupid about it all. Is this a ninny? I think it is a real reaction, of a shy minister, not knowing what to feel or do.

Demi Moore??? at times she was good but at times both character and accent slipped. I think she could have skipped the accent. Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio come to mind for me in this role.

Again...non movie snob I am...I measure a film if it touches me. This one did, particularly Oldmans character.

And the heck with Hawthorne...to have these people die for the "crime" of love would have been very real for this time peroid, but frankly would have "wrecked my day". Remember I seek only entertainment for my few bucks....I get "reality" for free every day.

Lets see someone make a movie on the flat tire I had on the freeway last week ...or the wonderful conversation with the TOW guy :) Very real, very boring!

In great writing, tragety seem a mainstay. but in OUR real world we see so much injustice, so much pain. What is "wrong" with a happy ending?

As for the reviewer who said he thought it was funny.....great, you can view it as a comedy. Once you may your two bits...its your choice:)

For an erotica of this kind, I would say this film wasd portrayed perfectly (not by the story of course). Although not having nearly that much to do with the original story (which I am not a fan of) this film is a wonderful erotica/drama. I think Gary Oldman's performance is riveting and very convincing over-all. Although, Demi Moore does seem a bit out of place in this film, it is a good 5-star movie. However, fans of the original story will most-likely not appreciate it.

gary oldman is his usual fantastic self, creating another character who is handsome and vulnerable. demi is great as well. lots of drama, a very pretty film. people who have panned it because it in no way resembles the book are snobs. oldman fans will be drooling.

I've avoided this movie for the longest time because Demi Moore was in it. Isn't that silly? Even though I've enjoyed many of her movies, I just couldn't believe that a movie this important with her in it would receive the historic treatment it deserved. I could not have been more wrong. I was deeply engrossed from the first scene, and could not tear myself away. Demi herself is amazing, but the screenplay and the scenery, the production and the details pulled me right into the story and would not let me go until the very last scene -- and I absolutely loved the ending! This is an amazing work of art -- and I'm glad I finally had a chance to see it. Once I had, I knew I had to add it to my library -- a collection of what I consider to be only the best representations of our culture and our history.