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Poster for Quills

Quills

2000 · 124 min

A provocative, unsettling chamber drama of ideas that provokes and disturbs more than it entertains, with theatrical performances and a creeping sense of doom.

Directed by
Philip Kaufman
Genres
Drama
Starring
Geoffrey Rush, Kate Winslet, Joaquin Phoenix
Tagline
Meet the Marquis de Sade. The pleasure is all his.
Overview
In early 19th-century France, the Marquis de Sade is confined to an asylum where his forbidden writings continue to circulate beyond its walls. As the authorities tighten control, a clash unfolds between the Marquis’ unyielding imagination, the reformist ideals of the Abbé in charge, and the repressive measures of a doctor sent to silence him. Desire, power, and censorship collide in a battle over freedom of expression.

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Rent or buy in the UK
  • Apple TV Store
  • Amazon Video
  • Sky Store
More options Data from JustWatch
Directed by
Philip Kaufman
Genres
Drama
Starring
Geoffrey Rush, Kate Winslet, Joaquin Phoenix
In your watch list

How it feels

Written by AI. It can be wrong.

Tone
  • darkstrength 3 of 3
  • satiricalstrength 2 of 3
  • tensestrength 2 of 3
  • campystrength 1 of 3
Pacing
measured, 2 of 4, from slow-burn to relentless
Attention
demanding, 4 of 4, from background-friendly to demanding
Themes
  • obsession
  • power
  • art
  • madness
  • morality
Places
  • hospital
  • single country house
Era
period
Audience
adult
Form
  • true story
Content intensity
  • Gore mild
  • Language strong
  • Violence strong
  • Sex strong
All scales, 0 to 10
Scales, 0 to 10
ScaleValue0 to 10
Action2
Horror4
Humour4
Realism7
Romance4
Tension7
Darkness8
Complexity7
Emotional weight8

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Where to watch in the UK

Rent or buy
  • Apple TV Store
  • Amazon Video
  • Sky Store
  • YouTube

Streaming data from JustWatch.All options on TMDB

Details

Genres
drama
Directed by
Philip Kaufman
Written by
Doug Wright
Starring
Geoffrey Rush, Kate Winslet, Joaquin Phoenix, Michael Caine, Billie Whitelaw, Patrick Malahide, Amelia Warner, Jane Menelaus
Music
Stephen Warbeck
Cinematography
Rogier Stoffers
Runtime
124 min
Country
Germany, United Kingdom, United States of America
Languages
English

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