The House of Mirth

Adapted from Edith Wharton’s classic 1905 novel, HOUSE OF MIRTH depicts the gradual descent of Lily Bart (Gillian Anderson in an award-winning performance), a well-born and privileged high society beauty living in New York during the era of the so-called ‘gilded age’, from being well-off to becoming impoverished.

Starting at the tail-end of the 19th century, Lily Bart, whose fortune has already changed when the story begins, stays with her incredibly wealthy but also prim and proper aunt, Julia Peniston (Eleonor Bron) in her luxurious mansion. Also staying there is Lily’s younger and more down to earth cousin, Grace Stepney (Jodhi May). Lily has been born and bred to be married one day to a suitable candidate, that is to say, someone who can accommodate her lifestyle, which is one of utter comfort and luxury. Too bad that she happens to be in love with Lawrence Selden (Eric Stoltz), a competent lawyer but ultimately, someone whose salary could not provide for the lifestyle Lily is accustomed to and therefore, marriage is out of the question. What Lily doesn’t know is that her younger cousin Grace secretly has feelings for Selden as well. However, Lily also has a secret, namely that her current financial troubles are in part down to her gambling habits - something her Aunt Julia, who pays Lily a small allowance, mustn’t find out.

As if her current situation isn’t tricky enough already, Lily also has to put up with the machinations of her apparent friend, Bertha Dorset (Laura Linney), who manages to compromise her, courtesy of some letters implicating that she herself had an affair with Seldon. If things would come to light, not only would it cause a scandal that would backfire on Bertha’s own social standing, not to mention her marriage to George Dorset (Terry Kinney), but it wouldn’t look good on Lily being in love with someone who had an affair with a married woman (or did he….). When the letters are delivered to Lily by a woman, who demands payment in exchange, Lily grudgingly forks out $1,000 to ensure she can keep the letters and hide them. Now $1,000 poorer, her options of financial and social redemption dwindle fast.

With regards to a suitable marriage, her chances are almost as slim as her waistline: there is Simon Rosedale (Anthony LaPaglia), a rising financier who lives and breathes money 24/7. Then there’s Percy Gryce (Pearce Quigley), a rich and stuck up bore whose chat up line is: “Will you go to church on Sunday, Miss Bart?” We know from the outset that any prospect of a budding romance is doomed and sure enough, when Lily doesn’t honour not just one but two rendezvous appointments (in the first case, she secretly meets with Selden instead), Gryce takes the hint and leaves the estate. Alas, all is not lost, because her friend Judy(Penny Downie) happens to be married to Gus Trenor (Dan Aykroyd), a bit of a sleazebag as it turns out but he’s boxing clever when it comes to handling investments. During a moment alone with him, Lily confides her financial woes to Gus, who is only too happy to help and hands her a c $5,000 check during a wedding ceremony, with the promise of another $4,000 soon to follow. What follows instead is Gus’ belief that because he helped Lily out of her financial quagmire, she owes him gratitude… meaning sexual favours. When things inevitably come to a blow, an angry Gus demands the $9,000 back. Now Lily really is in a pickle and decides to confide in Aunt Julia, even mentioning her gambling habit. As expected, Julia doesn’t have a spark of sympathy for Lily and kicks her out of the house. Worse still, when she dies some time later, she leaves Lily with a mere $10,000 whereas well-behaved cousin Grace inherits a considerably larger sum and the estate. Desperate, Lily decides to accept an invitation from Bertha Dorset to join her and her hubby on a European cruise (their own luxury yacht of course). If Lily had hoped this change of scenery might do her good, her hopes are dashed very soon and it is on the yacht where things unravel fast, leading to her inevitable downward spiral…

The dialogue’s subtle nuances belie the fact that House of Mirth is in fact a savage attack on the greedy and morally bankrupt upper classes. The performances are excellent all ‘round and Gillian Anderson deservedly won a BAFTA for her performance. Cinematography (Remi Adefarasin) and direction are equally superb though really, the film could have benefitted from a slightly shorter running time.

HOUSE OF MIRTH has just been released on 2K Blu-ray, with the following Bonus:
Audio commentaries / Deleted scenes (2000, 17 mins total) / Still Lives: The House of Mirth (2025, 18 mins): Caroline Millar analyses Wharton’s novel / Featurette (2000, 7 mins): the cast and crew discuss the film / On location footage (2000, 11 mins) / Cast and crew interviews (2000, 27 mins) / Gallery / NFTS Back Stories: Terence Davies (2021, audio only) / Trailers / Illustrated booklet (first pressing only).