Age of Innocence - A-

On DVD (1993). Rated PG, 139 minutes.

Daniel Day-Lewis + Martin Scorsese = Good. That equation alone should make this movie required viewing. Also co-starring Michelle Pfeiffer and Winona Ryder, this period piece is set in New York high society in the 1870's. DDL plays Newland Archer, an honorable but intellectually curious non-conformist that plays along as a member of society even though his mind bucks at the bridle of their customs and hypocrisy. Newland is engaged to May, played by Winona Ryder, the innocent and shallow 'right person to marry' for Newland. May's cousin, Countess Ellen Oleska (Michelle Pfeiffer), is just like Newland - except she lives her noncoformity instead of denying it. This draws Newland to her (and her beauty), and, despite his intentions and his mind, he falls deeply in love with her. Ellen tells him to marry May and he does; after that they see each other sparingly until it finally makes Newland crazy. As he begins telling May he will leave her and go to Ellen, she cuts him off and May reveals that she is pregnant. In that moment his fate is sealed and he stays with May and raises his family with her until her death at age 57. He then goes to Europe (where Ellen now lives) with his son (Robert Sean Leonard) and his son sets up an appointment with her. In the final scene Newland chooses not to meet with Ellen, instructing his son to tell her simply that 'he is old-fashioned.'

Whew. The film explores several meaty themes: defying convention, conformity, true love, honor, responsiblity, unrequited love, and sacrifice. The NY society is a collective character that results in unhappiness for all involved, despite the smiles and disingenuous notes on 'gilded' stationery. Scorsese doesn't hold back on the sweeping camera work or interesting shots just because its a Victorian era film. He uses yellow and red to signify the feelings of the characters, and shows DDL in the shadows as he falls deeper in despair. DDL is excellent in his most restrained role, and this is probably Pfeiffer's best performance. The first 2/3 of the film are a full A, but the final act is not as strong, knocking it down.