Taglines: Three Different Women. Each Living a Lie.
The Hours concerns three women each suffering from depression. Virginia Woolf is starting to write her book ‘Mrs. Dalloway’ in 1923 England. She is coming to the realization of her sexuality and fighting her pure despair of life and headaches. Virginia receives a visit from her sister Vanessa and Vanessa’s two sons and daughter. The daughter places a strong influence on Virginia’s emotions through the death of a bird.
Eventually, Virgnia must face the decision to run away to London, stay with her beloved husband, or move to London where the doctors forbid her to go. Laura Brown, is a mother fearing her ability to be a mother again. She is reading ‘Mrs. Dalloway’ in 1951 Los Angeles. Laura is trying to throw a wonderful birthday party for her husband. The very pregnant Laura thinks she won’t be an adequate mother to her son and current baby on the way in a few months. Laura must make the decision to run away from it all or live miserably with her happy husband. Clarissa Vaughan is a career publisher living in present 2001 New York.
Her nickname, given by her poet-friend, Richard, who is dying of AIDS, is Mrs. Dalloway. Clarissa is also throwing a party but for Richard who is receiving an award for his poetry. Like Virginia Woolf, Clarissa is also a lesbian but also wonders if she is in love with Richard with whom she once dated. At the end, the whole plot twists and comes together. The basic theme of the film is wondering if it is better to live your life for your own happiness or others.
The Hours is a 2002 British-American drama film directed by Stephen Daldry, and starring Meryl Streep, Julianne Moore and Nicole Kidman. Supporting roles are played by Ed Harris, John C. Reilly, Stephen Dillane, Jeff Daniels, Miranda Richardson, Allison Janney, Toni Collette, Claire Danes and Eileen Atkins. The screenplay by David Hare is based on Michael Cunningham’s 1999 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel of the same title.
The film was released in Los Angeles and New York City on Christmas Day 2002, and was given a limited release in the United States and Canada two days later on December 27, 2002. It did not receive a wide release in North America until January 2003, and was then released in British cinemas on Valentine’s Day that year. Critical reaction to the film was mostly positive, with nine Academy Award nominations for The Hours including Best Picture, and a win for Nicole Kidman as Best Actress.
The Hours opened in New York City and Los Angeles on Christmas Day 2002 and went into limited release in the United States and Canada two days later. It grossed $1,070,856 on eleven screens in its first two weeks of release. On January 10, 2003, it expanded to 45 screens, and the following week it expanded to 402.
On February 14 it went into wide release, playing in 1,003 theaters in the US and Canada. With an estimated budget of $25 million, the film eventually earned $41,675,994 in the US and Canada and $67,170,078 in foreign markets for a total worldwide box office of $108,846,072. It was the 47th highest-grossing film of 2002.
The film’s score by Philip Glass won the BAFTA Award for Best Film Music and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Score and the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Score. The soundtrack album was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Score Soundtrack Album for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media.
The Hours (2003)
Directed by: Stephen Daldry
Starring: Meryl Streep, Julianna Moore, Nicole Kidman, Ed Harris, Toni Colette, Claire Danes, Jeff Daniels, Eileen Atkins, Miranda Richardson, Margo Martindale, Linda Bassett
Screenplay by: David Hare
Production Design by: Maria Djurkovic
Cinematography by Seamus McGarvey
Film Editing by: Peter Boyle
Costume Design by: Ann Roth
Set Decoration by: Philippa Hart, Barbara Peterson
Art Direction by: Nick Palmer, Mark Raggett, Judy Rhee
Makeup Department: Jo Allen, Stuart Conran
Music by: Philip Glass
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for mature thematic elements, some disturbing images and brief language.
Distributed by: Paramount Pictures, Miramax Films
Release Date: February 14, 2003
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