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Mood:
Clever Contemplative Humorous Sexual Witty
Plot:
Actor's Life Gender Bending Artists and Showbiz Gender Life is a Bitch Lifestyle Mind and Soul Downfall more...
Genres:
Comedy Drama Period
Time/Period:
17th Century
Place:
London
Audience:
Date Night Girls' Night
Praise:
Award Winner
Humor:
Dry Humor
Style:
Talky
Attitudes:
Semi Serious Realistic

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Overview

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Stage Beauty, 2004

Starring: Claire Danes, Billy Crudup

Directed by: Richard Eyre

Written by: Jeffrey Hatcher

Language: English

Country: UK, Germany, USA

Runtime: 106 min

MPAA Rating:

Rating:7.1

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Profile of Stage Beauty

Stage Beauty can be described as sexual, clever, and contemplative. The plot revolves around gender bending, the life of an actor, and artists and showbiz. Its comic aspect comes from dry humor. Stage Beauty's main genres are drama, comedy, and period. In terms of style, it is talky. In approach, it is realistic. Stage Beauty is located in London. It takes place in the 17th century. The movie has received attention for being an award winner. Stage Beauty is well suited for a girls' night and a date night.

Summary of Stage Beauty

Billy Crudup and Claire Danes give extraordinary performances in Richard Eyre's STAGE BEAUTY, set in Restoration England in the 1660s. After Oliver Cromwell's 18-year ban on stage productions, King Charles II took the throne and encouraged the return of the theater; however, women were not permitted to act, so men had to play the female roles. In STAGE BEAUTY, Crudup stars as Ned Kynaston, the biggest star of the day, wowing audiences as Desdemona in Shakespeare's OTHELLO. The gorgeous actor's dresser, Maria (whose full name is Margaret Hughes), is not only deeply devoted to Kynaston, she is also in love with him and the theater, so much so that after his performance, she runs to the nearby Cockpit Tavern to play Desdemona herself, even though it is against the law. All the while, diarist Samuel Pepys (Hugh Bonneville) scribbles notes on all that is going on around him, detailing the transition from the last great male actor playing female roles to the first great female actress to take the stage in England.

Reminiscent of SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE (in fact, the excellent Tom Wilkinson plays a theater owner in both films), STAGE BEAUTY features a splendid supporting cast, including Rupert Everett as Charles II, Zoe Tapper as his mistress Nell Gwyn, Ben Chaplin as the bisexual Duke of Buckingham, and Richard Griffiths as Sir Charles Sedley, who takes Hughes under his wing. STAGE BEAUTY is a treat for lovers of Shakespeare and the craft of acting, as the competition--and possible romance--between Kynaston and Hughes leads to a deep examination of character, personality, loyalty, and love.

Details

Language:	English
Country:	UK, Germany, USA
Release date:	8 May 2004
Runtime:	106 min

Cast and Crew See all

Claire Danes

as Maria

Billy Crudup

as Ned Kynaston

Photos See all

Billy Crudup in Stage Beauty (2004)

Rupert Everett and Zoe Tapper in Stage Beauty (2004)

Richard Eyre directs Claire Danes in Stage Beauty (2004)

Billy Crudup and Claire Danes in Stage Beauty (2004)

Claire Danes and Billy Crudup in Stage Beauty (2004)

Billy Crudup and Tom Wilkinson in Stage Beauty (2004)

Clips See all

Stage Beauty: Home Video

Stage Beauty: Theatrical

Critics Reviews See all

USA Today

Beauty is about two-thirds the serious-edged romp it would like to be, which still leaves a lot of room for tony fun. Full Review

|
by: Mike Clark

Chicago Tribune

A rich, shining valentine to the British theater and the eternal joys of Shakespeare, Full Review

|
by: Michael Wilmington

Users Reviews See all

Very moving, beautifully acted -- really a terrific movie. Both Billy and Claire are at their best, Read and rate it

11.April.2009
|
by: ScottyT
ScottyT rated this movie8/10Great

while some of the scenes between Claire Danes and Billy Crudup were intense and beautifully gender-bendingly sexual (the final Othello scene is extremely rewarding), the whole of this film confused me. the film's theme seemed lost to itself, as if... Read and rate it

20.March.2009
|
by: mark
mark rated this movie4/10Disappointing

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