
The French Lieutenant's Woman
1981 · Movie · R · 124 min · ★ 6.5 · 73% critics
A film production intercuts a Victorian romance with the modern lives of the two leads making it. As the on-screen story explores forbidden love and social pressure, the off-screen relationship begins to blur the line between performance and real desire, testing commitments and self-control.
Based on The French Lieutenant's Woman
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Details
- Years
- 1981
- Release date
- 1981-08-28
- Language
- English
- Rated
- R
- Runtime
- 124 min
- Max quality
- HD
- Critic score
- 73/100
- TMDB rating
- 6.5/10 (243 votes)
About
You’ll likely enjoy this if you want a thoughtful, adult romance that contrasts social rules with personal desire across two intertwined storylines; Not for you if you dislike slow pacing or stories about infidelity like Anna Karenina.
Pros: clever story-within-story; strong lead performances; rich period atmosphere | Cons: modern plot feels colder; pacing can drag; early switches feel jarring
Themes
- adultery
- based on novel or book
- lieutenant
- love
- tragedy
- dorset
Awards & recognition
- BAFTA Award — Best Actress in a Leading Role · 1982
- BAFTA Award — Best Sound · 1982
- Academy Award — Best Writing, Adapted Screenplay · 1982 · nominated
- Academy Award — Best Actress · 1982 · nominated
- Academy Award — Best Film Editing · 1982 · nominated
Show all 8 awards →
- Academy Award — Best Costume Design · 1982 · nominated
- Academy Award — Best Production Design · 1982 · nominated
- Golden Globe Award — Best Screenplay · 1981 · nominated
Cast & crew

Meryl Streep
as Sarah / Anna

Jeremy Irons
as Charles Henry Smithson / Mike

Hilton McRae
as Sam

Lynsey Baxter
as Ernestina

Emily Morgan
as Mary

Penelope Wilton
as Sonia
- JF
Jean Faulds
as Cook

Charlotte Mitchell
as Mrs. Tranter

Peter Vaughan
as Mr. Freeman

Colin Jeavons
as Vicar
Directed by Karel Reisz