821:
442:"What she basically said was, 'This is Roland on the page; you must make him different in a film!' She got that Roland needed more drive. Just seeing those notes kind of gave me the keys to the kingdom. And so in the film, Roland keeps making these wild, imaginative leaps about the poets' lives, and Maud's both charmed and appalled."
434:
worked on the film and eventually gave up before LaBute became director. LaBute made drastic changes to the story, based partially on notes that original author Byatt had made on earlier drafts of the screenplay, as she recognized that Roland
Michell had to "exist on screen" in a different way than
505:
noted that director LaBute, "known for savagely blunt stage and screen dramas ... has here infused a
British novelist's main characters with the same stutter-and-slang rhythms, male-bonding repartée and sarcastic volleys that define his own distinctly American work." He said: "In the end, Mr.
31:
333:. Rival scholars become aware of their efforts and each seeks to be the first at the public disclosure of this major finding about the poets. In a parallel relationship, Michell and Bailey have their own deepening connection.
481:
reported an approval rating of 63%, with an average rating of 6.30/10, based on 156 reviews. The site's critics consensus reads: "It's perhaps a bit tame and uninspiring, considering its subject matter, but
1322:
326:
poets
Randolph Henry Ash and Christabel LaMotte may have concealed a secret connection as lovers. Ash is traditional and conservative and LaMotte is a
1525:
1500:
859:
1495:
446:
LaBute changed Roland's nationality from
British to American, and made him more brash and active. He denied that this was "shameless
1465:
1455:
576:
1505:
1450:
1445:
1440:
1435:
1276:
604:
1470:
490:, the film has a weighted average score of 52 out of 100, based on 34 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".
1520:
1490:
1225:
940:
1475:
852:
1460:
1362:
1045:
989:
1510:
1480:
1386:
1515:
1193:
1110:
1485:
1394:
1306:
1233:
1209:
932:
283:
1370:
1346:
1145:
981:
845:
58:
738:
513:
wrote, "Lacking the intelligence of an arthouse picture, or the classy sheen of a
British production,
1430:
1378:
1269:
1053:
1021:
1005:
322:
and
British Maud Bailey independently find that the socially antagonistic relationship between the
71:
1126:
517:
isn't possessed of anything other than over-wrought emotionalism and unintentional silliness."
1402:
1298:
299:
186:
486:
manages enough romance and period intrigue to satisfy most fans of its source material." On
1262:
1241:
1037:
997:
609:
447:
799:
8:
1425:
1338:
1094:
924:
551:
450:
to the audience. ... in part, it was more comfortable for me to write Roland that way."
132:
820:
426:
in the 1990s, but the project languished in pre-production for years. Directors such as
1153:
1102:
1061:
948:
581:
501:
391:
167:
916:
869:
783:
710:
474:
431:
423:
54:
1354:
1201:
1177:
1161:
956:
892:
811:
671:
614:
506:
LaBute's grafting of his own sensibility onto Roland creates a weird tonal clash."
1217:
832:
805:
645:
478:
343:
291:
170:
106:
92:
1254:
422:
Three early drafts of the film's screenplay were written by
American playwright
1169:
1013:
900:
715:
650:
462:
427:
397:
355:
319:
181:
142:
110:
86:
826:
636:
1419:
837:
458:
379:
373:
361:
349:
323:
295:
152:
122:
114:
102:
1086:
908:
685:
327:
307:
280:
277:
1314:
1286:
788:
706:
493:
403:
367:
303:
287:
118:
76:
44:
777:
884:
816:
680:
487:
409:
385:
1185:
461:
was approached for the role as
Randolph Ash that eventually went to
1029:
794:
770:
330:
30:
743:
529:
510:
496:
awarded the film three stars and a half out of four.
577:"FILM; Can Bookish Be Sexy? Yeah, Says Neil LaBute"
1284:
318:Literary scholars American Roland Michell of the
1417:
867:
1270:
853:
1277:
1263:
860:
846:
819:
29:
570:
568:
566:
564:
562:
520:The film grossed $ 14,815,898 worldwide.
574:
736:
1418:
602:
559:
1258:
841:
705:
547:
545:
575:Zalewski, Daniel (18 August 2002).
13:
1526:English-language documentary films
1501:American nonlinear narrative films
737:Russell, Jamie (20 October 2002).
542:
310:for it the year it was published.
14:
1537:
1496:British nonlinear narrative films
762:
603:Angulo, Sandra P. (11 May 2000).
1111:The Lost Empire/The Monkey King
1466:Films about female bisexuality
1456:Film set at the British Museum
1046:Jade Flowerpots and Bound Feet
990:The House of Sleeping Beauties
730:
699:
664:
629:
596:
528:The film has been released on
417:
1:
1506:Films scored by Gabriel Yared
1451:Films based on British novels
1446:Films directed by Neil LaBute
535:
532:with subtitles and captions.
1441:2000s English-language films
1436:American LGBTQ-related films
1307:Your Friends & Neighbors
468:
7:
605:"News Summary: Berry Sorry"
523:
313:
10:
1542:
1146:1000 Airplanes on the Roof
982:The Dance and the Railroad
453:
298:. It is based on the 1990
1471:Films shot in Scarborough
1293:
1137:
1078:
973:
941:Tibet Through the Red Box
876:
261:
253:
243:
226:
216:
202:August 16, 2002
193:
177:
158:
148:
138:
128:
98:
82:
66:
50:
40:
35:Theatrical release poster
28:
23:
1521:2002 LGBTQ-related films
1491:Universal Pictures films
1226:Dream of the Red Chamber
1022:Trying to Find Chinatown
286:written and directed by
16:2002 film by Neil LaBute
336:
1476:Films set in Yorkshire
444:
300:novel of the same name
1461:Lesbian-related films
1299:In the Company of Men
509:Jamie Russell of the
440:
364:as Christabel LaMotte
358:as Randolph Henry Ash
187:Warner Bros. Pictures
171:Spring Creek Pictures
72:Possession: A Romance
1511:2000s American films
1481:Focus Features films
1194:The Sound of a Voice
998:The Sound of a Voice
610:Entertainment Weekly
435:he did in the book.
1516:2000s British films
1371:Some Velvet Morning
1339:The Shape of Things
1234:An American Soldier
1210:Alice in Wonderland
739:"Possession (2002)"
499:Daniel Zalewski of
133:Jean-Yves Escoffier
1486:Warner Bros. films
1363:Death at a Funeral
1285:Films directed by
1062:A Very DNA Reunion
1054:The Great Helmsman
709:(16 August 2002).
582:The New York Times
502:The New York Times
302:by British author
1413:
1412:
1387:House of Darkness
1252:
1251:
1006:As the Crow Flies
877:Full-length plays
870:David Henry Hwang
556:, Box Office Mojo
475:review aggregator
438:LaBute recalled:
432:Gillian Armstrong
424:David Henry Hwang
370:as Blanche Glover
352:as Roland Michell
269:
268:
55:David Henry Hwang
1533:
1431:2002 drama films
1355:Lakeview Terrace
1279:
1272:
1265:
1256:
1255:
1178:Flower Drum Song
1162:The Silver River
893:Family Devotions
862:
855:
848:
839:
838:
823:
774:
773:
771:Official website
756:
755:
753:
751:
734:
728:
727:
725:
723:
703:
697:
696:
694:
692:
668:
662:
661:
659:
657:
633:
627:
626:
624:
622:
613:. Archived from
600:
594:
593:
591:
589:
572:
557:
549:
209:
207:
33:
21:
20:
1541:
1540:
1536:
1535:
1534:
1532:
1531:
1530:
1416:
1415:
1414:
1409:
1395:Out of the Blue
1289:
1283:
1253:
1248:
1133:
1079:Film/television
1074:
969:
872:
866:
833:Rotten Tomatoes
806:Box Office Mojo
769:
768:
765:
760:
759:
749:
747:
735:
731:
721:
719:
704:
700:
690:
688:
670:
669:
665:
655:
653:
646:Rotten Tomatoes
635:
634:
630:
620:
618:
601:
597:
587:
585:
573:
560:
550:
543:
538:
526:
479:Rotten Tomatoes
471:
456:
420:
415:
376:as Fergus Wolfe
344:Gwyneth Paltrow
339:
316:
292:Gwyneth Paltrow
248:
239:
219:
212:
205:
203:
196:
189:(International)
185:
184:(United States)
173:
163:
161:
121:
117:
113:
109:
107:Gwyneth Paltrow
105:
93:Paula Weinstein
91:
89:
61:
57:
36:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1539:
1529:
1528:
1523:
1518:
1513:
1508:
1503:
1498:
1493:
1488:
1483:
1478:
1473:
1468:
1463:
1458:
1453:
1448:
1443:
1438:
1433:
1428:
1411:
1410:
1408:
1407:
1403:Fear the Night
1399:
1391:
1383:
1375:
1367:
1359:
1351:
1347:The Wicker Man
1343:
1335:
1327:
1319:
1311:
1303:
1294:
1291:
1290:
1282:
1281:
1274:
1267:
1259:
1250:
1249:
1247:
1246:
1238:
1230:
1222:
1214:
1206:
1198:
1190:
1182:
1174:
1166:
1158:
1150:
1141:
1139:
1135:
1134:
1132:
1131:
1123:
1115:
1107:
1099:
1091:
1082:
1080:
1076:
1075:
1073:
1072:
1066:
1058:
1050:
1042:
1034:
1026:
1018:
1010:
1002:
994:
986:
977:
975:
971:
970:
968:
967:
961:
953:
945:
937:
929:
921:
913:
905:
901:Rich Relations
897:
889:
880:
878:
874:
873:
865:
864:
857:
850:
842:
836:
835:
824:
808:
797:
786:
775:
764:
763:External links
761:
758:
757:
729:
716:RogerEbert.com
698:
663:
651:Fandango Media
628:
617:on 26 May 2007
595:
558:
540:
539:
537:
534:
525:
522:
470:
467:
463:Jeremy Northam
455:
452:
428:Sydney Pollack
419:
416:
414:
413:
407:
406:as Lady Bailey
401:
398:Graham Crowden
395:
389:
383:
377:
371:
365:
359:
356:Jeremy Northam
353:
347:
346:as Maud Bailey
340:
338:
335:
320:British Museum
315:
312:
306:, who won the
267:
266:
265:$ 14.8 million
263:
259:
258:
255:
251:
250:
245:
241:
240:
238:
237:
236:United Kingdom
234:
230:
228:
224:
223:
220:
217:
214:
213:
211:
210:
199:
197:
194:
191:
190:
182:Focus Features
179:
178:Distributed by
175:
174:
166:
164:
159:
156:
155:
150:
146:
145:
143:Claire Simpson
140:
136:
135:
130:
129:Cinematography
126:
125:
111:Jeremy Northam
100:
96:
95:
90:Stephen Pevner
87:Barry Levinson
84:
80:
79:
68:
64:
63:
52:
48:
47:
42:
38:
37:
34:
26:
25:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1538:
1527:
1524:
1522:
1519:
1517:
1514:
1512:
1509:
1507:
1504:
1502:
1499:
1497:
1494:
1492:
1489:
1487:
1484:
1482:
1479:
1477:
1474:
1472:
1469:
1467:
1464:
1462:
1459:
1457:
1454:
1452:
1449:
1447:
1444:
1442:
1439:
1437:
1434:
1432:
1429:
1427:
1424:
1423:
1421:
1405:
1404:
1400:
1397:
1396:
1392:
1389:
1388:
1384:
1381:
1380:
1379:Dirty Weekend
1376:
1373:
1372:
1368:
1365:
1364:
1360:
1357:
1356:
1352:
1349:
1348:
1344:
1341:
1340:
1336:
1333:
1332:
1328:
1325:
1324:
1320:
1317:
1316:
1312:
1309:
1308:
1304:
1301:
1300:
1296:
1295:
1292:
1288:
1280:
1275:
1273:
1268:
1266:
1261:
1260:
1257:
1244:
1243:
1239:
1236:
1235:
1231:
1228:
1227:
1223:
1220:
1219:
1215:
1212:
1211:
1207:
1204:
1203:
1199:
1196:
1195:
1191:
1188:
1187:
1183:
1180:
1179:
1175:
1172:
1171:
1167:
1164:
1163:
1159:
1156:
1155:
1151:
1148:
1147:
1143:
1142:
1140:
1138:Music theatre
1136:
1129:
1128:
1124:
1121:
1120:
1116:
1113:
1112:
1108:
1105:
1104:
1100:
1097:
1096:
1092:
1089:
1088:
1084:
1083:
1081:
1077:
1070:
1069:Cain and Abel
1067:
1064:
1063:
1059:
1056:
1055:
1051:
1048:
1047:
1043:
1040:
1039:
1038:Merchandising
1035:
1032:
1031:
1027:
1024:
1023:
1019:
1016:
1015:
1011:
1008:
1007:
1003:
1000:
999:
995:
992:
991:
987:
984:
983:
979:
978:
976:
972:
965:
962:
959:
958:
954:
951:
950:
946:
943:
942:
938:
935:
934:
930:
927:
926:
922:
919:
918:
914:
911:
910:
906:
903:
902:
898:
895:
894:
890:
887:
886:
882:
881:
879:
875:
871:
863:
858:
856:
851:
849:
844:
843:
840:
834:
830:
829:
825:
822:
818:
814:
813:
809:
807:
803:
802:
798:
796:
792:
791:
787:
785:
781:
780:
776:
772:
767:
766:
746:
745:
740:
733:
718:
717:
712:
708:
702:
687:
683:
682:
677:
675:
667:
652:
648:
647:
642:
640:
632:
616:
612:
611:
606:
599:
584:
583:
578:
571:
569:
567:
565:
563:
555:
554:
548:
546:
541:
533:
531:
521:
518:
516:
512:
507:
504:
503:
497:
495:
491:
489:
485:
480:
476:
466:
464:
460:
459:Ralph Fiennes
451:
449:
443:
439:
436:
433:
429:
425:
411:
408:
405:
402:
400:as Sir George
399:
396:
394:as Blackadder
393:
390:
387:
384:
381:
380:Tom Hollander
378:
375:
374:Toby Stephens
372:
369:
366:
363:
362:Jennifer Ehle
360:
357:
354:
351:
350:Aaron Eckhart
348:
345:
342:
341:
334:
332:
329:
325:
324:Victorian era
321:
311:
309:
305:
301:
297:
296:Aaron Eckhart
293:
290:and starring
289:
285:
282:
279:
275:
274:
264:
260:
256:
252:
246:
242:
235:
233:United States
232:
231:
229:
225:
221:
215:
201:
200:
198:
192:
188:
183:
180:
176:
172:
169:
165:
157:
154:
153:Gabriel Yared
151:
147:
144:
141:
137:
134:
131:
127:
124:
123:Toby Stephens
120:
116:
115:Jennifer Ehle
112:
108:
104:
103:Aaron Eckhart
101:
97:
94:
88:
85:
81:
78:
74:
73:
69:
65:
60:
56:
53:
49:
46:
43:
39:
32:
27:
22:
19:
1401:
1393:
1385:
1377:
1369:
1361:
1353:
1345:
1337:
1330:
1329:
1321:
1313:
1305:
1297:
1240:
1232:
1224:
1216:
1208:
1200:
1192:
1184:
1176:
1168:
1160:
1152:
1144:
1125:
1118:
1117:
1109:
1101:
1095:M. Butterfly
1093:
1087:Blind Alleys
1085:
1068:
1060:
1052:
1044:
1036:
1028:
1020:
1012:
1004:
996:
988:
980:
963:
955:
947:
939:
931:
925:Golden Child
923:
915:
909:M. Butterfly
907:
899:
891:
883:
827:
810:
800:
789:
778:
748:. Retrieved
742:
732:
720:. Retrieved
714:
711:"Possession"
707:Ebert, Roger
701:
691:15 September
686:Fandom, Inc.
679:
673:
666:
656:15 September
654:. Retrieved
644:
638:
631:
619:. Retrieved
615:the original
608:
598:
586:. Retrieved
580:
552:
527:
519:
514:
508:
500:
498:
492:
483:
472:
457:
445:
441:
437:
421:
412:as Ellen Ash
328:freethinking
317:
308:Booker Prize
272:
271:
270:
257:$ 25 million
218:Running time
195:Release date
70:
18:
1315:Nurse Betty
1287:Neil LaBute
1103:Golden Gate
974:Short plays
949:Yellow Face
750:15 February
722:15 February
621:15 February
588:15 February
494:Roger Ebert
418:Development
404:Anna Massey
368:Lena Headey
304:A. S. Byatt
288:Neil LaBute
222:102 minutes
119:Lena Headey
83:Produced by
77:A. S. Byatt
62:Neil LaBute
59:Laura Jones
45:Neil LaBute
41:Directed by
1426:2002 films
1420:Categories
1331:Possession
1242:Soft Power
1154:The Voyage
1127:The Affair
1119:Possession
917:Face Value
828:Possession
817:Metacritic
812:Possession
801:Possession
790:Possession
779:Possession
689:Retrieved
681:Metacritic
674:Possession
639:Possession
553:Possession
536:References
515:Possession
488:Metacritic
484:Possession
410:Holly Aird
392:Tom Hickey
388:as Cropper
386:Trevor Eve
284:drama film
276:is a 2002
273:Possession
262:Box office
206:2002-08-16
160:Production
51:Written by
24:Possession
1186:Ainadamar
957:Chinglish
933:Peer Gynt
868:Works by
469:Reception
448:pandering
244:Languages
227:Countries
168:Baltimore
139:Edited by
1030:Bang Kok
795:AllMovie
524:Releases
477:website
331:bisexual
314:Synopsis
278:romantic
149:Music by
99:Starring
67:Based on
1218:The Fly
1014:Bondage
964:Kung Fu
454:Casting
382:as Euan
281:mystery
247:English
204: (
162:company
1406:(2023)
1398:(2022)
1390:(2022)
1382:(2015)
1374:(2013)
1366:(2010)
1358:(2008)
1350:(2006)
1342:(2003)
1334:(2002)
1326:(2000)
1323:Tumble
1318:(2000)
1310:(1998)
1302:(1997)
1245:(2018)
1237:(2018)
1229:(2016)
1221:(2008)
1213:(2007)
1205:(2006)
1202:Tarzan
1197:(2003)
1189:(2003)
1181:(2001)
1173:(2000)
1165:(1997)
1157:(1992)
1149:(1988)
1130:(2016)
1122:(2002)
1114:(2001)
1106:(1994)
1098:(1993)
1090:(1985)
1071:(2014)
1065:(2010)
1057:(2007)
1049:(2001)
1041:(1999)
1033:(1996)
1025:(1996)
1017:(1992)
1009:(1986)
1001:(1983)
993:(1983)
985:(1981)
966:(2014)
960:(2011)
952:(2007)
944:(2004)
936:(1998)
928:(1996)
920:(1993)
912:(1988)
904:(1986)
896:(1981)
888:(1980)
254:Budget
249:French
1170:Aida
784:IMDb
752:2024
724:2024
693:2022
658:2022
623:2024
590:2024
473:The
430:and
337:Cast
294:and
885:FOB
831:at
815:at
804:at
793:at
782:at
744:BBC
530:DVD
511:BBC
75:by
1422::
741:.
713:.
684:.
678:.
649:.
643:.
607:.
579:.
561:^
544:^
465:.
1278:e
1271:t
1264:v
861:e
854:t
847:v
754:.
726:.
695:.
676:"
672:"
660:.
641:"
637:"
625:.
592:.
208:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.