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I Capture the Castle (film)
Encyclopedia
I Capture The Castle is a 2003 film
directed by Tim Fywell
. It is based on the 1948 novel
of the same title by Dodie Smith
and was adapted to screenplay by Heidi Thomas
. The film was released in the UK on 9 May 2003.
Romola Garai
played the lead role of Cassandra Mortmain alongside Bill Nighy
, Rose Byrne
and Tara FitzGerald
.
), and the fortunes of her eccentric family, struggling to survive in genteel poverty in a decaying English castle. The characters include: Cassandra's father (Bill Nighy
), a writer who hasn't written anything in the twelve years since the spectacular success of his first novel; her exquisite older sister Rose (Rose Byrne
) who rails against their fate and hopes to marry for money; and their Bohemian stepmother, Topaz (Tara FitzGerald
), an ex-model still apt to sun-bathe in the nude. The possibility of salvation seems to loom in the form of their wealthy American landlord Simon Cotton (Henry Thomas
) and his brother Neil (Marc Blucas
). Although Simon initially turns her away, Rose is determined to make him fall in love with her and succeeds. A wedding is arranged and Cassandra appears left on the sidelines. But events spiral out of control, and before the summer ends many expectations will have been overturned.
. Manorbier Castle
in Pembrokeshire, Wales, supplied exteriors for the castle, and Eltham Palace
in London some interiors.
2003 in film
The year 2003 in film involved some significant events. Releases of sequels took place with movies like The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, 2 Fast 2 Furious, Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle, The Matrix Reloaded, The Matrix Revolutions, Pokémon Heroes, Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines,...
directed by Tim Fywell
Tim Fywell
Tim Fywell is an English television and film director. Fywell started his career in British television, directing episodes of Brookside. In 2003 his made his feature debut with I Capture the Castle, an adaption of the novel that goes by the same title by Dodie Smith...
. It is based on the 1948 novel
I Capture the Castle
I Capture the Castle is Dodie Smith's first novel, written in the 1940s during a sojourn in America. Smith was already an established playwright and later became famous for authoring the children's classic The Hundred and One Dalmatians....
of the same title by Dodie Smith
Dodie Smith
Dorothy Gladys "Dodie" Smith was an English novelist and playwright. Smith is best known for her novel The Hundred and One Dalmatians. Her other works include I Capture the Castle and The Starlight Barking....
and was adapted to screenplay by Heidi Thomas
Heidi Thomas
Heidi Thomas is an English screenwriter and playwright.-Career:After reading English at Liverpool University, Thomas gained national attention when her play, Shamrocks And Crocodiles, won the John Whiting Award in 1985. Her play Indigo was performed by the Royal Shakespeare Company in their...
. The film was released in the UK on 9 May 2003.
Romola Garai
Romola Garai
Romola Sadie Garai is an English actress. She is known for appearing in the movies Amazing Grace, Atonement, and Glorious 39, and for appearing in the BBC adaptation of Emma.-Early life:...
played the lead role of Cassandra Mortmain alongside Bill Nighy
Bill Nighy
William Francis "Bill" Nighy is an English actor and comedian. He worked in theatre and television before his first cinema role in 1981, and made his name in television with The Men's Room in 1991, in which he played the womanizer Prof...
, Rose Byrne
Rose Byrne
Mary Rose Byrne is an Australian actress.Byrne made her screen debut in 1994 with a small role in the film Dallas Doll...
and Tara FitzGerald
Tara Fitzgerald
Tara Anne Cassandra Fitzgerald is an English actress who has appeared in feature films, television, radio and the stage....
.
Plot
The film follows 17-year-old Cassandra Mortmain (Romola GaraiRomola Garai
Romola Sadie Garai is an English actress. She is known for appearing in the movies Amazing Grace, Atonement, and Glorious 39, and for appearing in the BBC adaptation of Emma.-Early life:...
), and the fortunes of her eccentric family, struggling to survive in genteel poverty in a decaying English castle. The characters include: Cassandra's father (Bill Nighy
Bill Nighy
William Francis "Bill" Nighy is an English actor and comedian. He worked in theatre and television before his first cinema role in 1981, and made his name in television with The Men's Room in 1991, in which he played the womanizer Prof...
), a writer who hasn't written anything in the twelve years since the spectacular success of his first novel; her exquisite older sister Rose (Rose Byrne
Rose Byrne
Mary Rose Byrne is an Australian actress.Byrne made her screen debut in 1994 with a small role in the film Dallas Doll...
) who rails against their fate and hopes to marry for money; and their Bohemian stepmother, Topaz (Tara FitzGerald
Tara Fitzgerald
Tara Anne Cassandra Fitzgerald is an English actress who has appeared in feature films, television, radio and the stage....
), an ex-model still apt to sun-bathe in the nude. The possibility of salvation seems to loom in the form of their wealthy American landlord Simon Cotton (Henry Thomas
Henry Thomas
Henry Jackson Thomas, Jr. is an American actor and musician. He has appeared in more than 40 films and is best known for his role as Elliott in the 1982 Steven Spielberg film E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial.-Early life:...
) and his brother Neil (Marc Blucas
Marc Blucas
Marcus Paul "Marc" Blucas is an American actor, known for playing Riley Finn in Buffy the Vampire Slayer.-Early life:...
). Although Simon initially turns her away, Rose is determined to make him fall in love with her and succeeds. A wedding is arranged and Cassandra appears left on the sidelines. But events spiral out of control, and before the summer ends many expectations will have been overturned.
Production
Parts of the film were shot on the Isle of ManIsle of Man
The Isle of Man , otherwise known simply as Mann , is a self-governing British Crown Dependency, located in the Irish Sea between the islands of Great Britain and Ireland, within the British Isles. The head of state is Queen Elizabeth II, who holds the title of Lord of Mann. The Lord of Mann is...
. Manorbier Castle
Manorbier Castle
Manorbier Castle is a Norman castle located in the village of Manorbier, five miles south-west of Tenby, West Wales.-Construction:Manorbier is a rectangular enclosure castle, curtain walls, and round and square towers. Its tower gateway was protected by a great door and portcullis as well as roof...
in Pembrokeshire, Wales, supplied exteriors for the castle, and Eltham Palace
Eltham Palace
Eltham Palace is a large house in Eltham, within the London Borough of Greenwich, South East London, England. It is an unoccupied royal residence and owned by the Crown Estate. In 1995 its management was handed over to English Heritage which restored the building in 1999 and opened it to the public...
in London some interiors.
Cast
- Romola GaraiRomola GaraiRomola Sadie Garai is an English actress. She is known for appearing in the movies Amazing Grace, Atonement, and Glorious 39, and for appearing in the BBC adaptation of Emma.-Early life:...
as Cassandra Mortmain - Henry ThomasHenry ThomasHenry Jackson Thomas, Jr. is an American actor and musician. He has appeared in more than 40 films and is best known for his role as Elliott in the 1982 Steven Spielberg film E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial.-Early life:...
as Simon Cotton - Rose ByrneRose ByrneMary Rose Byrne is an Australian actress.Byrne made her screen debut in 1994 with a small role in the film Dallas Doll...
as Rose Mortmain - Bill NighyBill NighyWilliam Francis "Bill" Nighy is an English actor and comedian. He worked in theatre and television before his first cinema role in 1981, and made his name in television with The Men's Room in 1991, in which he played the womanizer Prof...
as James Mortmain - Tara FitzGeraldTara FitzgeraldTara Anne Cassandra Fitzgerald is an English actress who has appeared in feature films, television, radio and the stage....
as Topaz Mortmain - Marc BlucasMarc BlucasMarcus Paul "Marc" Blucas is an American actor, known for playing Riley Finn in Buffy the Vampire Slayer.-Early life:...
as Neil Cotton - Henry CavillHenry CavillHenry William Dalgliesh Cavill is a British actor. He has appeared in the films The Count of Monte Cristo and Stardust, and played the role of Charles Brandon, 1st Duke of Suffolk, on the Showtime series The Tudors, from 2007 until 2010...
as Stephen Colley - Sinéad CusackSinéad CusackSinéad Moira Cusack is an Irish stage, television and film actress. She has received two Tony Award nominations: once for Best Leading Actress in Much Ado About Nothing , and again for Best Featured Actress in Rock 'n' Roll .-Background:...
as Elspeth Cotton - Joe SowerbuttsJoe SowerbuttsJoe Sowerbutts is a British actor who played the part of Thomas Mortmain in the 2003 film I Capture the Castle. He also voiced for Harry Potter in the Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone video game and was used to re-dub two scenes for Daniel Radcliffe after Radcliffe's voice broke.-External...
as Thomas Mortmain - James FaulknerJames FaulknerJames Sebastian Faulkner is a British actor, known for his many various appearance on television and in movies, usually in supporting roles.Faulkner made his big screen debut as Josef Strauss in The Great Waltz in 1972...
as Aubrey Fox-Cotton - Sarah WoodwardSarah WoodwardSarah Woodward is a British actress.She acted along side David Suchet in the Death in the Clouds. She won a best performance in a supporting role award at the Laurence Olivier Awards in 1998 for her role in Tom & Clem....
as Leda Fox-Cotton - David BamberDavid BamberDavid James Bamber is an English actor, known for his television and theatre work. He is an Associate of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.-Early years:...
as the Vicar - Helena LittleHelena LittleHelena Little is an English actress who is best known for playing Mary Tomlinson in Casualty and she has also been in The Bill, Boon, Juliet Bravo, Between the Lines, A Touch of Frost, Peak Practice and Dangerfield...
as Mother