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Firelight

Play trailer Poster for Firelight R 1997 1h 43m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
41% Tomatometer 17 Reviews 82% Popcornmeter 2,500+ Ratings
In 1830s England, debt-ridden governess Elisabeth Laurier (Sophie Marceau) consents to bear a child with aristocrat Charles Godwin (Stephen Dillane), whose crippled wife cannot conceive. So long as Elisabeth relinquishes any maternal claims, he will pay off her father's debts. Though the arrangement is meant to be perfunctory, a forbidden romance blooms between them. Years later, she is hired as governess to a young girl on a remote estate -- who turns out to be the daughter she surrendered.
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Firelight

Firelight

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Critics Consensus

Predictable and dull.

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Critics Reviews

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Geoff Brown The Times (UK) 01/10/2023
It is a British film, of course: who else but an Englishman would want to imprison Marceau in this way, and create a story in which all the main characters look peeved and stunted?... The artifice of the confection is too much to take. Go to Full Review Nigel Andrews Financial Times 01/10/2023
A movie that ponderously patch-quilts bits of other films and texts, and even then does not have enough material to fill 107 minutes, let alone a screen wide enough for Lawrence of Arabia. Go to Full Review Philip French Observer (UK) 01/10/2023
This modest movie is Jane Eyre on a shoestring, but the Brontës meet East Lynne without igniting a spark or pricking a tear. It's an insufferably dull affair. Go to Full Review Malcolm Johnson Hartford Courant 04/17/2018
4/5
Though sometimes predictable, Nicholson's film is sustained by the quality of his writing, especially the musings about the magical powers of firelight, by the almost surreal lake house scenes and by the scoring of Christopher Gunning. Go to Full Review Jeffrey M. Anderson Combustible Celluloid 05/26/2006
I wish someone would explain to me why all these 19th Century costume dramas need to be so cheerless, so formal, and so godawful boring. Go to Full Review Emanuel Levy EmanuelLevy.Com 09/20/2005
3/5
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Audience Reviews

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Jason R Oct 6 Honestly this is a film I keep going back to and watching again, the two leads have great chemistry that is amazing to see Sophie Marceau is truly one of the most beautiful women ever, the story is well done, the cast did great throughout See more Steve A 05/22/2024 Loved it ! Heartfelt Melancholy Masterpiece ! See more wendy b @WoodlandElf 08/27/2020 I absolutely loved this movie. It was a beautiful period drama with plenty of emotion. Highly recommended! See more 06/18/2020 I was intrigued, but it was a little creepy. Not scary creepy. See more 05/20/2020 Beautiful and romantic See more 12/15/2017 Men are not going to like this very romantic movie. I loved it. See more Read all reviews
Firelight

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Cast & Crew

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William Nicholson

Director

Sophie Marceau

Elisabeth

Stephen Dillane

Charles Godwin

Kevin Anderson

John Taylor

Joss Ackland

Lord Clare

Lia Williams

Constance

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Firelight

Firelight (1997) Firelight (1997) Firelight (1997) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis In 1830s England, debt-ridden governess Elisabeth Laurier (Sophie Marceau) consents to bear a child with aristocrat Charles Godwin (Stephen Dillane), whose crippled wife cannot conceive. So long as Elisabeth relinquishes any maternal claims, he will pay off her father's debts. Though the arrangement is meant to be perfunctory, a forbidden romance blooms between them. Years later, she is hired as governess to a young girl on a remote estate -- who turns out to be the daughter she surrendered.
Director
William Nicholson
Producer
Brian Eastman
Screenwriter
William Nicholson
Distributor
Miramax Films
Production Co
Hollywood Pictures, Wind Dancer Productions
Rating
R
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Sep 14, 1997, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Jan 1, 2014
Box Office (Gross USA)
$784.4K
Runtime
1h 43m
Sound Mix
Surround
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