The Scarlet Letter
Seen it?1995 | 135 min | Drama, Romance
Monday Morning MaybeWhy it’s a Monday Morning Maybe
With just 13% on Rotten Tomatoes, a lukewarm 6.1 out of 10 from audiences and a box office loss, this one could be a tough watch. Keep your phone handy.
Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.Is it for you?
- Who'll love it
- Made for romantics. If you loved An Officer and a Gentleman, start here. Audiences love it more than critics do: a crowd-pleaser first.
- The mood
- Warm and romantic.
- The pace
- Takes its time with its characters, at 2 hr 15 min.
- What might put you off
- Rated R: meant for adults.
- Critics were cooler on it than audiences.
- It picked up 1 Razzie, the "worst of the year" awards.
Set in puritanical Boston in the mid 1600s, the story of seamstress Hester Prynne, who is outcast after she becomes pregnant by a respected reverend. She refuses to divulge the name of the father, is "convicted" of adultery and forced to wear a scarlet "A" until an Indian attack unites the Puritans and leads to a reevaluation of their laws and morals.
How it earned its rating
- CriticsWeak
13% on Rotten Tomatoes
- AudiencesBelow par
6.1 out of 10
- AwardsWeak
0 wins and 1 nomination from smaller awards and festivals. Plus: "Won" 1 Razzie, the "worst of the year" awards.
- Box office & staying powerBelow par
$10 million worldwide on a $50 million budget; still draws a steady audience long after release
- Buzz & cultural impactSolid
About 93K people sought it out in the past year
Trailer
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Cast & crew
Directed by Roland Joffé
- Demi MooreHester Prynne
- Gary OldmanRev. Arthur Dimmesdale
- Robert DuvallRoger Chillingworth
- Lisa AndohMituba
- Edward HardwickeGov. John Bellingham
- Robert ProskyHorace Stonehall
- Roy DotriceRev. Thomas Cheever
- Joan PlowrightHarriet Hibbons
- Malcolm StorryMaj. Dunsmuir
- James BeardenGoodman Mortimer