Wide Sargasso Sea (1993)

April 16, 1993 (AU) • Thriller, Drama, Romance • 98m

Overview

In the wake of Jamaican emancipation, French colonist Annette Cosway falls into poverty and marries racist Englishman Paul Mason. But when Annette's young son dies in a fire started by former slaves, Mason flees to England, leaving his grief-stricken wife and her Creole daughter Antoinette behind. Soon Antoinette learns she must marry to claim her inheritance and sets her sights on Rochester, an Englishman eerily similar to Mason.

Director

John Duigan

Writers

Jan Sharp, Carole Angier, Jean Rhys

Top Billed

Karina Lombard

Keywords

based on novel or book nightmare jamaica voodoo deception liar promise arson betrayal jungle wedding fear lust slave voyeurism

Where to watch

Rent

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Top Billed Cast

Karina Lombard

Antoinette Cosway

Nathaniel Parker

Edward Rochester

Rachel Ward

Annette Cosway

Michael York

Paul Mason

Martine Beswick

Aunt Cora

Claudia Robinson

Christophene

Paul Campbell

Young Bull

Naomi Watts

Fanny Grey

Rowena King

Amelie

Crew

Jan Sharp

Writer

Carole Angier

Writer

John Duigan

Director

Kimberly Wright

Still Photographer

Kathryn Milliss

Focus Puller

Leilani Hannah

Second Assistant Camera

Simon Quaife

Dolly Grip

Jane Goldsmith

Script Supervisor

Anne Goursaud

Editor

Steve R. Nelson

Sound Mixer

Norma Moriceau

Costume Design

Susan Bolles

Art Direction

Jean Rhys

Novel

Sara Risher

Executive Producer

Franckie Diago

Production Design

Jan Sharp

Producer

Karl Wesson

Hairstylist

Stewart Copeland

Original Music Composer

Noriko Watanabe

Makeup Department Head

Jimmy Sandoval

Editor

Karen Koch

Line Producer

Geoff Burton

Director of Photography

Ron von Blomberg

Set Decoration

Reviews

Wuchak

⭐ 6/10

May 30, 2019

***Tragedy, love, hate and madness in 19th century Jamaica***

A young woman (Karina Lombard) marries an Englishman (Nathaniel Parker) in mid-1800s’ Jamaica to save her plantation. Rachel Ward plays her mother, Michael York her stepfather and Martine Beswick her aunt, all three being small roles.

"Wide Sargasso Sea” (1993) is an adult-oriented historical drama that’s a quasi-prequel to “Jane Eyre.” I say “quasi” because the 1966 novel the movie was based on was written by Jean Rhys 119 years after the release of Charlotte Bronte’s “Jane Eyre” in 1847. In other words, “Wide Sargasso Sea” is Rhys’ proposed prequel of that famous story, not the official one.

The movie works better if you are familiar with “Jane Eyre,” but it’s not absolutely necessary. Naturally, “Wide Sargasso Sea” gives you a better understanding of what’s happening in “Jane Eyre,” which has been made into several movies, e.g. the 1970 version with George C. Scott & Susannah York, which is the only version I’ve seen.

The best thing about this movie is the setting, cast and style. It successfully takes you back in time to Jamaica circa early 1850s. The two protagonists are thoroughly convincing, as are Claudia Robinson as Antoinette’s nurse, an obeah (voodoo) witch, and Rowena King as Amelie, an island girl who thinks she’s hotter than she is. Really, the whole cast rises to the challenge.

There’s a revolt by ex-slaves in the first act that’s both realistic and harrowing. The story gets brighter with Antoinette & Edward’s honeymoon, but takes a dark turn in the second half. I didn’t feel there was enough cause to justify Edward’s metamorphosis. The filmmakers’ should’ve made this clearer. There’s a measure of ugliness with the last half being downbeat. If you can handle that, it’s worth checking out. It basically mixes Brando’s “Burn!” (1969) with “The Piano” (1993) and “Sirens” (1994), the latter two debuting within a year after this one.

The film runs 1 hour and 38 minutes and was shot in Jamaica with a small bit in England.

GRADE: B-

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Wide Sargasso Sea (1993)

Jan Sharp, Carole Angier, Jean Rhys

Where to watch

Top Billed Cast

Crew

Reviews

Wuchak

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