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Quills

Play trailer Poster for Quills R Released Dec 15, 2000 2h 3m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
75% Tomatometer 126 Reviews 83% Popcornmeter 25,000+ Ratings
A fictional work that reconstructs the unknown fate of the Marquis de Sade, the writer and sexual deviant who was imprisoned in an insane asylum for the last 10 years of his life. The Marquis de Sade befriends the director of the asylum and shares affections with the asylum laundress. When a doctor is sent in to cure the Marquis of his supposed madness, the Marquis's rebellious character only grows stronger.
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Quills

Quills

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Critics Consensus

Though hard to watch, this film's disturbing exploration of freedom of expression is both seductive and thought-provoking.

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Critics Reviews

View All (126) Critics Reviews
David Ansen Newsweek A literate, playfully provocative defense of free speech at its most abominable, Philip Kaufman and Doug Wright's movie impudently positions the Marquis de Sade as the twisted spokesman for the creative spirit. Mar 6, 2018 Full Review Jeremy Gerard Variety "Quills" is sensational in every sense of the word. Feb 23, 2012 Full Review Derek Adams Time Out It pokes at sexual taboos - it's pretty subversive, considering - but sexuality and creativity are indelibly linked, and its true subject is expression, repression and catharsis. Jun 24, 2006 Full Review Emanuel Levy EmanuelLevy.Com Kaufman's biopic of the notorious Marquis de Sade is sharply uneven, serious, poignant, trashy, sleazy and sensationslist, marred by over-the-top turn from Geoffrey Rush. Rated: C+ Feb 8, 2011 Full Review John A. Nesbit Old School Reviews a conceptual piece about the nature of creativity and questions of art Rated: B Jun 7, 2010 Full Review Hollywood.com Rated: 3/5 Nov 20, 2008 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View All (1000+) audience reviews
D A N I Ξ L Perturbing, hilarious, seductive. Great acting! It's simply an excellent film. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 12/02/23 Full Review J K Underrated. We need a blu ray version as well!! Rated 5 out of 5 stars 09/06/23 Full Review Thomas M The best filmmaking debut ever from Doug Wright! Rated 5 out of 5 stars 11/25/22 Full Review Audience Member Exceptional acting, particularly Geoffrey Rush populating a film that is literate, erotic, and yearning to be heard. The message is that we are all expressions of natures and to live most successfully we must understand that. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/08/23 Full Review Audience Member It's more erotic than any erotic movies you've seen so far. The sadist in SM is so perverted that it originated from the word "Marquis of Sadi". Had he met a masochist, he would have enjoyed enormous erotic kinky sex. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/23/23 Full Review steve d Sometimes a tough watch but well worth it especially for Rush's scary performance. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 03/30/23 Full Review Read all reviews
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Cast & Crew

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Movie Info

Synopsis A fictional work that reconstructs the unknown fate of the Marquis de Sade, the writer and sexual deviant who was imprisoned in an insane asylum for the last 10 years of his life. The Marquis de Sade befriends the director of the asylum and shares affections with the asylum laundress. When a doctor is sent in to cure the Marquis of his supposed madness, the Marquis's rebellious character only grows stronger.
Director
Philip Kaufman
Producer
Julia Chasman, Peter Kaufman, Nick Wechsler
Screenwriter
Doug Wright, Doug Wright
Distributor
Fox
Production Co
Hollywood Partners, Fox Searchlight, Walrus & Associates, Industry Entertainment
Rating
R (Strong Sexual Content|Language|Violence)
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Dec 15, 2000, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Nov 25, 2015
Box Office (Gross USA)
$7.1M
Runtime
2h 3m
Sound Mix
Dolby SR, Dolby Digital, Surround
Aspect Ratio
Flat (1.85:1)
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