Easy Virtue (2008 film)
| Easy Virtue | |
|---|---|
Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Stephan Elliott |
| Written by | Stephan Elliott Sheridan Jobbins |
| Based on | Easy Virtue by Noël Coward |
| Produced by | Barnaby Thompson Joseph Abrams James D. Stern |
| Starring | Jessica Biel Colin Firth Kristin Scott Thomas Ben Barnes |
| Cinematography | Martin Kenzie |
| Edited by | Sue Blainey |
| Music by | Marius de Vries |
Production companies | Ealing Studios Endgame Entertainment Odyssey Entertainment BBC Films Fragile Films Joe Abrams Productions Prescience Film Partnerships |
| Distributed by | Pathé Distribution (United Kingdom) Sony Pictures Classics (United States) |
Release dates |
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Running time | 97 minutes |
| Countries | United Kingdom United States |
| Languages | English French |
| Box office | US$18,463,793 |
Easy Virtue is a 2008 romantic comedy film based on Noël Coward's play of the same name. The play was previously made into the silent movie Easy Virtue (1928) by Alfred Hitchcock. This adaptation is directed by Stephan Elliott, written by Elliott and Sheridan Jobbins, and stars Jessica Biel, Ben Barnes, Colin Firth and Kristin Scott Thomas. The score contains many Coward and jazz-age songs, some of which are sung or partially sung by the cast.
Easy Virtue is a social comedy in which a glamorous American widow, Larita, meets and impetuously marries a young Englishman, John Whittaker, at the Monaco Grand Prix. When they return to England, his mother takes an immediate and strong dislike to her daughter-in-law, while his father finds a kindred spirit. Family tensions escalate.
The film was screened at the Toronto International Film Festival and London Film Festival prior to its 7 November release by Pathé in the UK. Subsequently, the film was also screened at the Rio International Film Festival, Middle East International Film Festival in Abu Dhabi, and the Rome Film Festival. It closed the Adelaide Film Festival prior to the Australian theatrical release on 12 March 2009.