Stephen Fleming, a doctor turned British politician, is appointed minister and soon meets Anna Barton, a young woman of French background. The two are instantly drawn to each other, and what begins as attraction becomes an intense and increasingly uncontrollable relationship. Anna is also involved with Martyn, Stephen's son, and the triangle that forms around them strains a well-off London family. The film explores the force of a passion that knows no limits and the personal price it demands.

How it was made

Damage is a British-French co-production directed by Louis Malle, with a screenplay by David Hare based on Josephine Hart's 1991 novel. Hart also served as producer, and New Line Cinema handled the film. Zbigniew Preisner composed the score, Peter Biziou shot the film and John Bloom edited it. Jeremy Irons, Juliette Binoche, Miranda Richardson and Rupert Graves lead the cast, and the production moves between French, German and English. Malle gives the story a restrained, cool tone in the British drama tradition, with an elegant visual style that underlines how composed his characters appear.

Reception and legacy

Critics gave Damage a generally favorable reception, though not a unanimous one. It holds a Metacritic score of 71 out of 100 based on 28 reviews. Gene Siskel counted it among the best films of its release year, and Roger Ebert awarded it four stars out of four. Others, such as Todd McCarthy in Variety, found it cold and uneven, struggling to balance drama and excess. Miranda Richardson won the BAFTA for Best Actress in a Supporting Role and received an Academy Award nomination in the same category, and the film is remembered mainly for its performances and its frank treatment of desire.

Stills

Trailer

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Trivia

Advance reputation

Before its release the film was already known for its erotic content, a reputation some critics later judged to be out of proportion to the finished work.

Richardson's award

Miranda Richardson won the BAFTA for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for her portrayal of the aggrieved wife, a performance many critics singled out.

More films by Louis Malle

Atlantic City1980

Au Revoir les Enfants1987

The Silent World1956

Pretty Baby1978

Elevator to the Gallows1958

Lacombe, Lucien1974

Original Cinematopedia text based on Wikipedia (es) and Wikipedia (en) and Wikidata.