Girl with a Pearl Earring (film)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Girl with a Pearl Earring | |
|---|---|
 Poster for Girl With a Pearl Earring |
|
| Directed by | Peter Webber |
| Produced by | Pathé Pictures Andy Paterson Anand Tucker |
| Written by | Olivia Hetreed Tracy Chevalier (novel) |
| Starring | Colin Firth Scarlett Johansson Tom Wilkinson Essie Davis Cillian Murphy Judy Parfitt |
| Music by | Alexandre Desplat |
| Cinematography | Eduardo Serra |
| Editing by | Kate Evans |
| Distributed by |  Lions Gate Films Pathé |
| Release date(s) | December 12, 2003 January 16, 2004 |
| Running time | 95 min |
| Country | United Kingdom Luxembourg |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $12,000,000[1] |
| Official website | |
| All Movie Guide profile | |
| IMDb profile | |
Girl with a Pearl Earring is a 2003 United Kingdom/Luxembourg drama film directed by Peter Webber. The screenplay was adapted by screenwriter Olivia Hetreed from the novel by Tracy Chevalier. The film stars Scarlett Johansson, Colin Firth, Tom Wilkinson and Cillian Murphy.
Contents |
[edit] Plot
Tagline:
- Beauty inspires obsession.
Griet (Scarlett Johansson) is a young woman living in the Netherlands in the 1660s. Her father was a ceramic painter who has recently gone blind, rendering him unable to work and the family is in dire straits. Griet is subsequently sent to work as a maid in the home of the painter Johannes Vermeer (Colin Firth).
In the course of their interactions as master and servant, Vermeer and Griet become casually acquainted and he learns of her interest in painting and her knowledge of color and artistic composition. Vermeer subsequently begins giving her lessons in mixing paints and other tasks, taking care to keep their meetings secret from his wife (Essie Davis). On a routine trip outside the house, Griet also befriends a young man named Pieter - the Vermeer's butcher's son - (Cillian Murphy), who is quickly taken with her, though she is slow to return his affections. Vermeer's patron Van Ruijven (Tom Wilkinson) sees Griet on a visit to the Vermeer household and asks the painter if he will give her up to him to work in his own house. When Vermeer refuses, Van Ruijven commissions him to paint a portrait of Griet for him. Vermeer accepts the commission, both to remain in Van Ruijven's good graces and because of his own fascination with Griet.
As Vermeer works on the eponymous painting, he and Griet grow closer, while his relationship with his wife declines. Vermeer's wife ultimately finds out Griet is modeling for the painting, and has been given a pair of her own pearl earrings to wear for the sitting. Filled with jealousy, she asks Vermeer why he did not paint her instead, to which he responds that she does not understand art like Griet does. Insulted at being considered more ignorant than a common servant, she orders Griet to leave their household. The painting is given to Van Ruijven, and Griet goes to live with Pieter. At the close of the film, the pearl earrings are mysteriously delivered to Griet.
[edit] Cast
- Colin Firth as Johannes Vermeer
- Scarlett Johansson as Griet
- Tom Wilkinson as Pieter Van Ruijven
- Essie Davis as Catharina Vermeer
- Alakina Mann as Cornelia Vermeer
- Cillian Murphy as Pieter
- Judy Parfitt as Maria Thins
- Geoff Bell as Paul the Butcher
- Joanna Scanlan as Tanneke
- Anna Popplewell as Maertge
[edit] Awards
- 2003 - Camerimage Bronze Frog - Eduardo Serra
- 2003 - Dinard British Film Festival Audience Award - Peter Webber
- 2003 - Dinard British Film Festival Golden Hitchcock - Peter Webber
- 2004 - Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award - Best Cinematography - Eduardo Serra
- 2003 - San Diego Film Critics Society Award - Best Cinematography - Eduardo Serra
- 2003 - San Sebastián International Film Festival - Best Cinematography - Eduardo Serra
- 2003 - C.I.C.A.E. Award - Peter Webber
[edit] Soundtrack
The soundtrack was released in 2004 and composed by Alexandre Desplat.
- Girl with a Pearl Earring – 2:17
- Grief's Theme – 4:09
- New Life – 3:06
- Master's House – 3:18
- Camera Obscura – 1:29
- Birth Feast – 2:46
- Cornelia – 1:44
- Vermeer's Studio – 3:08
- Winter Nights – 2:07
- Van Ruijven – 3:33
- Home – 1:14
- Colours in the Clouds – 3:29
- Master Is Painting – 2:06
- By the Canal With Pieter – 1:46
- Catharina's Pearls – 1:23
- Colours in the Clouds – 3:27
- Girl with a Pearl Earring (Reprise) – 2:18
- Silence and Light – 1:40
- Grief's Theme (Reprise) – 4:19
- Grief Remembers – 0:59
[edit] References
- ^ Delesse, Olivier (October 3-6, 2002). Dinard Awards Two Top Prizes to 'Girl' (Pathé film budget). Dinard British Film Festival. FilmFestivals.com. Retrieved on December 25, 2006.
