The French Lieutenant's Woman

R

Released Sep 18, 1981

2 hr. 3 min.

Romance

List

83%

29 Reviews

Tomatometer

67%

5,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

In this story-within-a-story, Anna (Meryl Streep) is an actress starring opposite Mike (Jeremy Irons) in a period piece about the forbidden love between their respective characters, Sarah and Charles. Both actors are involved in serious relationships, but the passionate nature of the script leads to an off-camera love affair as well. While attempting to maintain their composure and professionalism, Anna and Mike struggle to come to terms with their infidelity.

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Rick R

I did not find this movie entertaining, nor very interesting. slow

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

01/28/24

Full Review

David E

I expect an ending, not just stopping because the film is already long enough. I do NOT recommend this movie, unless you want to see good acting and interesting settings and characters. If you want a story with a resolution, you don't want this movie.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

08/07/23

Full Review

Jelisije J

An under appreciated romantic beautiful film.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

04/22/23

Full Review

John E

The French Lieutenant's Woman (1981) would earn Meryl Streep her third acting Oscar nomination. The film would reconstruct the book it was based upon by reimagining it as a movie within a movie. Streep and Jeremy Irons play dual roles. In current day they are both actors, having an affair while working on a movie together. The movie they are filming, The French Lieutenant's Woman, has them playing Victorian era characters that are also embarking on an affair. The movie uses the two contrasting time periods to question topics of social growth or stagnation as it regards women's abilities to have independence, the consequences of infidelity, social oppression, and sexual oppression/hypocrisy. The two main actors give standout performances… Streep in particular as she flawlessly inhabits both a current day American actress and a Victorian age British character. Visually this film is gorgeous and captivating. The cinematography, sets, and costumes utilized for both time periods are stunning. It would often be amusing to be watching a Victorian era scene, and then suddenly splicing away to a new scene where characters are wearing tight blue jeans! If I were to have one complaint, it would be with the film's pacing. Twice during my viewing, I found myself pondering the time remaining for things to wrap up, but then the story would pick up and I would become fully engrossed again. I enjoyed this one very much. It's a film that you think about afterwards and continue to ponder the layers and layers of cat-and-mouse antics that both the movie, and the movie's characters, dispensed.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

08/29/22

Full Review

william k

Beautifully photographed and staged and well cast romance drama has a complex narrative structure set in two time periods that seemingly interact with each other and seems to try to say something deep, but in the end it's mainly just an upscale tearjerker.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

jon c

How much of the romance is actually real? What's the actual role we are playing? Based on the book by John Fowles and directed by Karel Reisz In a meta way this looks like a period piece but we also see that it's a movie-within-a-movie Jeremy Irons plays Charles and Meryl Streep plays Sarah Both are on the Southern coast of England filming a movie during the Victorian Era Charles' character is married but having an affair while Sarah is single and becomes the towns gossip once she and Charles meet Sarah was mistreated when her husband left to go fight off to war by other men therefore leading to her ostracization deeming her a harlot Off-screen Irons is Mike who's real romance is with his co-star, Streep as Ana who also engage in infidelity Yet as their romance blossoms it's hard to tell what's authentic The movie has two incredible leads, some nice intercutting of the two romances, and fantastic scenery with its attention to historical detail It's just too long and the on-screen romance is way more interesting than the off-screen one The endings are massively different too which is a big juxtaposition in itself But there is visual beauty to be had and comparing and contrasting love both on-camera and off Both Irons and Streep act immensely with the film managing to criticize outmoded patriarchal standards

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

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Karel Reisz

Director

Meryl Streep

Sarah

Jeremy Irons

Charles Henry Smithson

Leo McKern

Dr. Grogan

Hilton McRae

Sam

Emily Morgan

Mary

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The French Lieutenant's Woman: Official Clip - There Was Madness in Me

2:05

The French Lieutenant's Woman: Official Clip - I Was the First

2:43

The French Lieutenant's Woman: Official Clip - Anna Leaves

1:31

The French Lieutenant's Woman: Official Clip - The French Lieutenant's Whore

4:01

The French Lieutenant's Woman: Official Clip - On the Sea Wall

1:38

The French Lieutenant's Woman: Official Clip - A Free Woman

0:43

The French Lieutenant's Woman: Official Clip - A Fireplace Romance

2:11

The French Lieutenant's Woman: Official Clip - Scene Rehearsal

1:47

The French Lieutenant's Woman: Official Clip - A Proper Talk

1:08

The French Lieutenant's Woman: Official Clip - A Mockery of Love

2:02

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Diane Haithman

Detroit Free Press

An appealing movie... of extraordinary visual beauty, with superbly subtle performances by Meryl Streep and Jeremy Irons, particularly Irons.

Rated: 3/4

Mar 23, 2021

Full Review

Kim Newman

Empire Magazine

Both are perfect in their duel roles. Adapted elliptically by Harold Pinter from John Fowles' daring novel and directed with his usual deep frozen reserve by Karel Reisz

Rated: 3/5

May 10, 2019

Full Review

Bob Thomas

Associated Press

The period drama is richly textured and acted with intensity by Meryl Streep, Jeremy Irons and a superior cast.

Oct 22, 2018

Full Review

Dilys Powell

Punch

Two themes, dramatic and emotional, two love-stories which run parallel, coincide, fuse, part company again -- it is the matching and balancing of the two which, as one reflects on The French Lieutenant’s Woman first surprises.

Oct 2, 2023

Full Review

Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

A lush period drama that manages to criticize outmoded patriarchal standards.

Rated: 3.5/4

Sep 18, 2021

Full Review

Kat Halstead

Common Sense Media

Classic romance has non-graphic sexual content, language.

Rated: 3/5

Feb 19, 2021

Full Review

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Synopsis

In this story-within-a-story, Anna (Meryl Streep) is an actress starring opposite Mike (Jeremy Irons) in a period piece about the forbidden love between their respective characters, Sarah and Charles. Both actors are involved in serious relationships, but the passionate nature of the script leads to an off-camera love affair as well. While attempting to maintain their composure and professionalism, Anna and Mike struggle to come to terms with their infidelity.

Director: Karel Reisz
Screenwriter: Harold Pinter
Distributor: United Artists
Production Co: Juniper Films
Rating: R
Genre: Romance
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Sep 18, 1981, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Sep 16, 2008

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