Synopsis
Based on Edith Wharton's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, 'The Age of Innocence' follows Newland Archer, a proper New York socialite torn between his engagement to the respectable May Welland and his passionate love for the scandalous Countess Ellen Olenska. Director Martin Scorsese crafts a visually lush and emotionally devastating portrait of repression, desire, and the suffocating power of social convention in 1870s New York aristocracy.
Why Watch It
Scorsese trades gunfire for gloved handshakes, crafting a sumptuous period drama where social convention becomes the real antagonist. Daniel Day-Lewis embodies restrained desire with devastating subtlety, while the film's lush production design and needle-drop soundtrack transform Edith Wharton's novel into pure visual poetry—proving the director's range extends far beyond crime sagas.
Did You Know?
- Martin Scorsese called it his most violent film, emotionally.
- Joanne Woodward narrates the film as an unseen voice.
- Scorsese used iris shots as homage to silent films.
- Daniel Day-Lewis wore historically accurate period costumes throughout filming.
- The film was shot largely in Philadelphia, not New York.
Iconic Quotes
- Each time you happen to me all over again.
- You gave me my first glimpse of a real life.
- I want to be with you. I want us to be together.
- Everything that makes life bearable is prohibited in this world.
- We can't undo the things we've done. We can only try to live with them.
