Red_Identity Certainly not the period piece one would think of when talking about, well, period pieces. It's very amazingly built. it has such a dark, ominous atmosphere that really sets it apart, that same atmosphere really building to what the film is trying to say and to the film's climax. The performances from the entire cast are exquisite. Kate Winslet shines in one of her lesser known roles, and it's so great to see Joaquin Phoenix, who even threatens and succeeds to steal the film away from his co-stars. What an immensely talented actor. Then, we have Geoffrey Rush who brings a lot of different shades and dynamics to his character in a way I'm not sure any just other could've done.

Andy Steel A pretty well made film with some excellent performances, particularly from Geoffrey Rush and Kate Winslet. It did, however, seem incomplete; there were a couple of threads that didn't seem to tie up. I was interested in the story of the doctor's wife and also the wife of the Marquis. Both of these characters came and went without any reference to them again; I found that a little odd. I have never read any of the works of the Marquis de Sade, but having seen this I'm tempted to take a look and see if it's really as depraved as they say. As for the film, definitely worth a look although I did find it a tad drawn out and a tad too long.SteelMonster's verdict: RECOMMENDEDMy score: 7.1/10You can find an expanded version of this review on my blog: Thoughts of a SteelMonster.

Scarecrow-88 Geoffrey Rush stars as the notorious Marquis de Sade, languishing in an asylum, allowed some freedoms, though his appetites for causing a stir by way of his quill lands him in a lot of hot water. Kate Winslet, the laundress who moves his written work to the outside where it can be marketed underground to the people who love the Marquis' sordid tales of the violent and erotic. Joaquin Phoenix, the priest over Charenton mental institution, who treats the patients, including the Marquis, with humanity and kindness. Michael Caine, the medical scientist(more like certified torturer, whose methods include dunking the disturbed in water among other ways)who arrives at Charenton at an advisory capacity. Caine's doctor is ferocious and his way of curing the mentally ill is barbaric, a complete polar opposite to Phoenix who wants to keep his inmates free from vile experiments which do more harm than good.The movie amusingly asks us which one's worse, Caine's scientist or Rush's Marquis. Caine is commissioned by Emperor Napoleon to "cure" Marquis because death to such a quietly revered author might make him a martyr for the lower classes. The film shows how Caine's old man is married to a teenage virgin raised in a convent, and we see him force her into rough sex. Yet, his control over her is brief as she soon gains an advantage, his wanting to please her in ways sex can not used as a tool to get her way. Interesting development shows that Caine's wife is an avid reader of the Marquis..talk about irony.The depraved work thrown into the fire by an angered Napoleon is "Justine"..this is the work which repulsed him into action(a very funny scene shows Napoleon sitting upon his throne, his feet unable to touch the floor as if he were a child in a swing, legs flailing). When the Marquis pens a farce mocking Caine and his marriage to the young bride, set to a play designed to insult and ridicule for fun, he enacts a feud he will live to regret.The movie shows people appalled at the way the Marquis writes about his characters' "inadequacies" and devious pursuits and yet they remain curious and find his work even humorous, fighting off giggles.When the Marquis escapes from his cell, thanks to Winslet unlocking his door against her better judgment, Phoenix is forced into a predicament he'll never be able to recover from, his decency towards the patient rewarded with disregard. Basically, upon Caine's arrival, everything the priest had built falls to ruin. By the end, the lives of many will be shattered, death and anguish to all through Caine's actions. Though, despite all his underhanded tactics, no matter what he was able to accomplish in scoring a revenge against the Marquis for his wife's leaving him for a talented home decorator, influenced by the depravity and vice written by his hand, the author's work lives on no matter what the conniving scientist does to him.The movie shows that no matter what punishments are dealt him(remove his means to write, such as quills and paper, cloth and wine, etc), the Marquis finds ways to get his work to the outside world. Eventually, the evil scientist does get rid of the man, and he even sets up a printing factory using the inmates to distribute the Marquis work at the author's wife's permission, but halting the power of the one he so despises will never be easy as long as Phoenix's defrocked priest keeps his memory afresh. QUILLS includes an erotic scene where Phoenix fantasizes making love to a ravishing Winslet and Rush devours his scenes like a mutt with rabies. It's easy to see that Rush summoned the spirit of Marquis de Sade while portraying the role, I thought he wholly brought him to life in QUILLS. The asylum itself can be presented as both a refuge for the inmates and a bleak place once Caine's presence constrains the freedom they once had, his power attributing to the very Emperor who gave him absolute authority to see that order is kept."My most glorious prose..filtered through the minds of the insane."

brittannlee This movie was positively fantastic! I loved it, almost adored it for it truly showed the truth as to how people of the eighteenth century felt about sex. Quills also depicts moral issues of society and the lack of freedom of speech (or to write in this case). The Marquis de Sade is the only person in this movie who pushes the boundaries of society with his racy novels, which center around vague characters who enter into sexual interludes. The Marquis' pornographic literature revolts and discourages some of the city people in the film, yet his novels also inspire sexual curiosity. Napoleon Bonaparte is presented with the Marquis' explicit literature and of course he immediately bans the novels and orders all copies to be burnt. While I was watching the film I saw that Napoleon ordering all of Marquis' texts to be obliterated made me think of ignorance and fear. Of course, this movie still kept me intrigued, and watching all the way to the end of the film. Watching the Marquis push the boundaries of societies sexual ignorance with undoubted eloquence was truly entertaining. This movie did have its flaws with actors at times, though the acting flaws were too menial to really destroy this film. I would definitely recommend this film to anyone who has an open mind and an appreciation for film.