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Stage Beauty

  • 20042004
  • RR
  • 1h 46m
IMDb RATING
7.1/10
10K
YOUR RATING
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
Claire Danes and Billy Crudup in Stage Beauty (2004)
Home Video Trailer from Lionsgate
Play trailer2:25
2 Videos
27 Photos
  • Drama

A female theatre dresser creates a stir and sparks a revolution in seventeenth century London theatre by playing Desdemona in Othello. But what will become of the male actor she once worked ... Read allA female theatre dresser creates a stir and sparks a revolution in seventeenth century London theatre by playing Desdemona in Othello. But what will become of the male actor she once worked for and eventually replaced?A female theatre dresser creates a stir and sparks a revolution in seventeenth century London theatre by playing Desdemona in Othello. But what will become of the male actor she once worked for and eventually replaced?

IMDb RATING
7.1/10
10K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Richard Eyre
  • Writer
    • Jeffrey Hatcher(play "Compleat Female Stage Beauty")
  • Stars
    • Billy Crudup
    • Claire Danes
    • Rupert Everett
Top credits
  • Director
    • Richard Eyre
  • Writer
    • Jeffrey Hatcher(play "Compleat Female Stage Beauty")
  • Stars
    • Billy Crudup
    • Claire Danes
    • Rupert Everett
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 106User reviews
    • 64Critic reviews
    • 64Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 4 wins & 1 nomination

    Videos2

    Stage Beauty
    Trailer 2:25
    Stage Beauty
    Stage Beauty
    Trailer 2:12
    Stage Beauty

    Photos27

    Rupert Everett and Zoë Tapper in Stage Beauty (2004)
    Claire Danes and Billy Crudup in Stage Beauty (2004)
    Billy Crudup in Stage Beauty (2004)
    Claire Danes and Billy Crudup in Stage Beauty (2004)
    Ben Chaplin and Billy Crudup in Stage Beauty (2004)
    Claire Danes and Billy Crudup in Stage Beauty (2004)
    Claire Danes and Billy Crudup in Stage Beauty (2004)
    Rupert Everett in Stage Beauty (2004)
    Tom Wilkinson in Stage Beauty (2004)
    Rupert Everett in Stage Beauty (2004)
    Claire Danes and Billy Crudup in Stage Beauty (2004)
    Claire Danes and Richard Eyre in Stage Beauty (2004)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Billy Crudup
    Billy Crudup
    • Ned Kynastonas Ned Kynaston
    Claire Danes
    Claire Danes
    • Maria Hughesas Maria Hughes
    Rupert Everett
    Rupert Everett
    • King Charles IIas King Charles II
    Derek Hutchinson
    Derek Hutchinson
    • Stage Manageras Stage Manager
    Mark Letheren
    • Male Emiliaas Male Emilia…
    Tom Wilkinson
    Tom Wilkinson
    • Thomas Bettertonas Thomas Betterton
    Ben Chaplin
    Ben Chaplin
    • George Villiers II - Duke of Buckinghamas George Villiers II - Duke of Buckingham
    Hugh Bonneville
    Hugh Bonneville
    • Samuel Pepysas Samuel Pepys
    Jack Kempton
    • Call Boyas Call Boy
    Alice Eve
    Alice Eve
    • Miss Frayneas Miss Frayne
    Fenella Woolgar
    Fenella Woolgar
    • Lady Meresvaleas Lady Meresvale
    David Westhead
    David Westhead
    • Harryas Harry
    Nick Barber
    Nick Barber
    • Nickas Nick
    Stephen Marcus
    Stephen Marcus
    • Thomas Cockerellas Thomas Cockerell
    Richard Griffiths
    Richard Griffiths
    • Sir Charles Sedleyas Sir Charles Sedley
    Zoë Tapper
    Zoë Tapper
    • Nell Gwynnas Nell Gwynn
    Edward Fox
    Edward Fox
    • Sir Edward Hydeas Sir Edward Hyde
    Robin Dunn
    • Butleras Butler
    • Director
      • Richard Eyre
    • Writer
      • Jeffrey Hatcher(play "Compleat Female Stage Beauty") (screenplay)
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
    • All cast & crew

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    Storyline

    Edit
    Based in the 1660's of London's theaters, this film is about the rules of gender roles in theatre production, and means to change them for everyone's benefit. Ned Kynaston is the assumedly gay cross-dressing actor who has been playing female parts in plays for years, particularly Desdemona in Othello, he also has a close relationship with a member of the Royal Court, the Duke of Buckingham. One day however, the rules of only men playing women could change when aspiring actress Maria auditions as Kynaston's praised role, Desdemona, and soon enough, King Charles II decides to make the law that all female roles should be played only by women. Maria becomes a star, while Ned finds himself out of work. But after a while, Ned finds it in his nature to forgive Maria's aspiration, they may even fall in love, and Charles may proclaim women will be played by either gender. —Jackson Booth-Millard
    • female frontal nudity
    • sex
    • prostitute
    • orange girl
    • nudity
    • 124 more
    • Plot summary
    • Add synopsis
    • Taglines
      • She was the first of her kind. He was the last of his.
    • Genre
      • Drama
    • Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)
      • Rated R for sexual content and language
    • Parents guide

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Claire Danes and Billy Crudup became a couple after the filming of this movie. Crudup left his long-time girlfriend Mary-Louise Parker for Danes.
    • Goofs
      "Sex" is used by characters as shorthand for sexual intercourse, a meaning the word didn't have until the 20th century.
    • Quotes

      King Charles II: Why shouldn't we have women on stage? After all, the French have been doing it for years.

      Sir Edward Hyde: Whenever we're about to do something truly horrible, we always say that the French have been doing it for years.

    • Connections
      Featured in At the Movies: Shall We Dance?/Taxi/Raise Your Voice/Stage Beauty (2004)

    User reviews106

    Review
    Top review
    I'm running out of words
    When the British make a costume drama it is simply a feast for the senses: Luminous colours in the most beautiful shades of red, gold and brown, costumes full of little details and precious jewelry and a great music score that takes you straight to Shakespearian and Bronte England. Now, a new precious jewel of the British cinema comes to film theatres and from my first impression it could be the best film of this year (well, at least until the new Harry Potter comes out).

    The topic is more or less familiar from "Shakespeare in love": It is the drama of this time when women wanted to act on stage but only men were allowed to do so. While "Shakespeare in love" showed this drama from a female point of view, "Stage Beauty" deals with a man whose life falls to bits and peaces when a woman plays a woman and achieves a change of law which now allows women to act on stage.

    Ned Kinaston (Billy Crudup) is a stage beauty, means: A male actor who is skilled in and specialized on strictly performing female roles. He had done so for years, can do it like no other and play nothing else. He is a star and the best stage beauty in London. Like every star, Ned has someone who cares for him, knows all his wishes on and behind the stage and holds his feet on earth: It is Maria (Claire Danes), the girl who cares for his wigs, his make-up and his costumes. Maria does not only love Ned, she lives for the theatre and dreams to be on stage herself. One night she "borrows" Ned's costumes and wig and makes her dream illegally come true on a little stage. She is a full success and so sets the wheels in motion: A duke has seen her performance, a duke who has connections to the king and soon the law is changed: Women are allowed to act on stage now. Kinaston sees the end of his career and drowns in despair. But it is Maria again who might save him.

    A fascinating tale about men in dresses, women in tights and the theatre in Shakespearean England. But "Stage Beauty" is so much more. It is about two people whose heart belongs to the theatre and who are so deep into it that reality and fiction is sometimes a dangerous mix. It is about a man and a woman who find their way in a time where this way seems not to exist. It is dramatic, sometimes wonderfully romantic and fragile, very entertaining and simply beautiful.

    Hands down for Billy Crudup's performance: This beautiful man is not bad as a woman, but basically the film celebrates his male beauty. When he is on stage he's incredible and when he's off stage he's simply hot but also convincing when facing the greatest crisis of his life (in his role I mean). But actually the person carrying the film is a fantastic Claire Danes. Once again she is playing Shakespeare, this time not Julia but Desdemona. She is strong, she is beautiful, she is courageous but also sympathetic. The supporting cast is what every director and viewer can only dream of: It includes Tom Wilkinson, Rupert Everett, Hugh Bonneville and Ben Chaplin.

    If you haven't seen this film yet, do so, it's a great experiences. It enchants, it gives your dreams wings, hope and strength. And is great entertainment, too.
    helpful•6
    0
    • smoothhoney1265
    • Oct 5, 2005

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • October 29, 2004 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • United Kingdom
      • United States
      • Germany
    • Official sites
      • BBC Worldwide Ltd. (United Kingdom)
      • Lions Gate Films
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Compleat Female Stage Beauty
    • Filming locations
      • Hampton Court Palace, East Molesey, Surrey, England, UK
    • Production companies
      • Lions Gate Films
      • Qwerty Films
      • Tribeca Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $782,383
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $38,654
      • Oct 10, 2004
    • Gross worldwide
      • $2,307,092
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 46 minutes
    • Sound mix
      • DTS
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.35 : 1

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