The Human Stain (2003)

Diretor:

Robert Benton

Writers (WGA):

Philip Roth (novel)
Nicholas Meyer (screenplay)

Release Date:

29 Outubro 2003 (France)

Genre:

Romance | Thriller

Chamada:

How far would you go to escape the past?

Plot:

When a disgraced former college professor has a romance with a mysterious younger woman haunted by her dark twisted past, he is forced to confront a shocking secret about his own life that he has kept secret for 50 years.

Plot Keywords:

Professor | Writer | Janitor | New Jersey | Waiter

Awards:

2 wins & 4 nominations

Comentários dos usuários:

A satisfying film -- I wish there were more like it.

Cast

Anthony Hopkins	...	Coleman Silk
Nicole Kidman	...	Faunia Farley
Ed Harris	...	Lester Farley
Gary Sinise	...	Nathan Zuckerman
Wentworth Miller	...	Young Coleman Silk
Jacinda Barrett	...	Steena Paulsson
Harry Lennix	...	Mr. Silk
Clark Gregg	...	Nelson Primus
Anna Deavere Smith	...	Mrs. Silk
Lizan Mitchell	...	Ernestine
Kerry Washington	...	Ellie
Phyllis Newman	...	Iris Silk
Margo Martindale	...	Psychologist
Ron Canada	...	Herb Keble
Mili Avital	...	Young Iris

Conhecida como:

Der menschliche Makel (Germany)
La couleur du mensonge (France)

MPAA:

Rated R for language and sexuality/nudity.

Duração:

106 min

País:

USA | Germany | France

Língua:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2,35 : 1

Som:

Dolby Digital

Censura:

Iceland:12 | Malaysia:18PL | South Korea:15 | Netherlands:12 | Australia:MA | Canada:14A | Finland:K-11 | Germany:12 | Norway:11 | Portugal:M/16 | Singapore:M18 (re-rating) | Singapore:R(A) (original rating) | Switzerland:14 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:14 (canton of Vaud) | UK:18 | USA:R | Hong Kong:IIB

Filming Locations:

Canada

Company:

Miramax Films

Pegadinha:

In a 2003 op/ed piece in The New York Times, writer Brent Staples reported that Philip Roth's inspiration for the Coleman Silk character was the New York Times literary critic Anatole Broyard, who "passed" for white for the last 40 years of his life, and perpetuated his deception so completely that even his two children did not know their father was black until just before his death.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Coleman first gives Faunia a ride to her place, it is raining outside. When he gets out of the car to go inside, the entire windshield is dry and clean as a whistle, even the area that is outside the reach of the wipers.

Quotes:

Young Coleman Silk: So, that's an... What is it? Swedish?
Steena Paulsson: Close, it's Danish and Icelandic.

Movie Connections:

References The Manchurian Candidate (1962)

Soundtrack:

Embraceable You

A satisfying film -- I wish there were more like it.

This just opened in Lawrence, KS, a university town, at the theater that shows indies and foreign films. Maybe Miramax is hoping for a "Big Fat Greek Wedding" type of reaction?

I've not read the book but, to me, this was a very satisfying film, with some examination of a number of issues: the costs to a black person of crossing over and becoming white -- and/or the price to anyone of becoming disconnected from their families. Although disconnection may give greater freedom in some ways, in others it forms an uncomfortable prison. Another issue might be described as a variant on, "Let he who is without sin cast the first stone." And yet another is that the "stain" that all of us carry also stains others with whom we come in contact. And maybe there's a dear price (and reward?) that may be paid for following heart too much rather than head?

Really solid performances by some great actors -- Hopkins, Kidman, Harris -- and the others.

Some gratuitous nudity was injected, maybe to help ticket sales?, but it was not too far-fetched from the story line.

All the backgrounds fit (I grew up in Vermont and lived in academia) and the landscape and the Volvos, plus the professor's house had an authentic feel.