Cousin Bette Movie Review 1997

Lange plays a mean game of Old Maid in this adaptation of Honore Balzac's novel, set in 1840s Paris. Always outshone by her more beautiful cousin Adeline (Chaplin), Bette is considered plain and not very bright by her aristocratic family. When Adeline's husband Hector (Laurie) asks her to become his housekeeper instead of his wife after Adeline dies, there is no doubt what she means when she hisses she will "take care of everyone." She uses her family's own baser instincts to bring about their downfall. Lange's performance as the cold and manipulative Bette is worth the price of a rental by itself. Big screen debut for theatrical director McAnuff.

Distribution

Fox Home Entertainment, PO Box 900, Beverly Hills, CA 90213, Phone: (310)369-3900, Toll-free: 888-223-4FOX, Fax: (310)369-5811, URL: http://www.foxmovies.com/index1.html, Remarks: Also known as Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment

Available on VHS, DVD
Running time 112 minutes.

Cast and Crew

Genres

Period Piece: 19th Century, Nannies & Governesses, Family Ties, Revenge, Paris, Aunts & Uncles, Nieces & Nephews, Books to Film: Honore de Balzac

Screenplay

Lynn Siefert, Susan Tarr

Cast

Jessica Lange, Elisabeth Shue, Aden Young, Bob Hoskins, Kelly Macdonald, Hugh Laurie, Geraldine Chaplin, Toby Stephens, John Sessions

Cinematography

Andrzej Sekula

Director

Des McAnuff

Music

Simon Boswell

Producer

Sarah Radclyffe, Susan Tarr, Lynn Seifert, Rob Scheidlinger, Fox Searchlight