The Wings of the Dove
Seen it?1997 | 102 min | Drama, Romance
Saturday Specialearly ratingWhy it’s a Saturday Special
It earned strong reviews (84% on Rotten Tomatoes) and it drew serious awards attention, despite soft box office. A strong pick for the weekend.
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 Sense and Sensibility or A Place in the Sun, start here. Critics rate it higher than audiences do, so it rewards patience more than it chases thrills.
- The mood
- Warm and romantic.
- The pace
- Takes its time with its characters, at 1 hr 42 min.
- What might put you off
- Rated R: meant for adults.
- Audiences were cooler on it than critics.
Kate is secretly betrothed to a struggling journalist, Merton Densher. But she knows her Aunt Maude will never approve of the match, since Kate's deceased mother has lost all her money in a marriage to a degenerate opium addict. When Kate meets a terminally ill American heiress named Millie traveling through Europe, she comes up with a conniving plan to have both love and wealth.
How it earned its rating
- CriticsStrong
84% on Rotten Tomatoes, 73 on Metacritic
- AudiencesSolid
6.5 out of 10
- AwardsStrong
Won 1 BAFTA: BAFTA Award: Best Cinematography. Also nominated for 1 Oscar, 1 Golden Globe and 1 SAG Award. Plus 7 other awards.
- Box office & staying powerBelow par
$17 million worldwide; still draws a steady audience long after release
- Buzz & cultural impactSolid
About 62K people sought it out in the past year
Trailer
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Cast & crew
Directed by Iain Softley
- Helena Bonham CarterKate Croy
- Linus RoacheMerton Densher
- Alison ElliottMillie Theale
- Elizabeth McGovernSusan Stringham
- Charlotte RamplingAunt Maude
- Alex JenningsLord Mark
- Michael GambonLionel Croy
- Ben MilesJournalist 1
- Philip WrightJournalist 2
- Diana KentMerton's Party Companion