I Capture the Castle (film)

I Capture the Castle
I Capture the Castle
	Original UK quad format film poster
Directed by	Tim Fywell
Screenplay by	Heidi Thomas
Based on	I Capture the Castle; by Dodie Smith
Produced by	David Parfitt
Starring	Romola Garai; Rose Byrne; Bill Nighy; Henry Thomas; Marc Blucas; Tara Fitzgerald; Henry Cavill; Joe Sowerbutts;
Cinematography	Richard Greatrex
Edited by	Roy Sharman
Music by	Dario Marianelli
Production; companies	Distant Horizon; BBC Films; Trademark Films;
Distributed by	Momentum Pictures
Release date	9 May 2003;
Running time	117 minutes
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English
Budget	$8 million
Box office	$6.6 million

I Capture the Castle is a 2003 British romantic comedy film directed by Tim Fywell. It is based on the 1948 novel of the same name by Dodie Smith, with the screenplay written 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.

Synopsis

The film follows 17-year-old Cassandra Mortmain, and her eccentric family, struggling to survive in genteel poverty in a decaying English castle. The characters include her father, a writer who hasn't written anything in the 12 years since the spectacular success of his first novel; her older sister, Rose, who rails against their fate and hopes to marry for money; and their bohemian stepmother, Topaz, an ex-model still apt to sunbathe in the nude. The possibility of salvation seems to loom in the form of their wealthy American landlord, Simon Cotton, and his brother, Neil. Although Simon initially spurns her, Rose is determined to make him fall in love with her and succeeds. A wedding is arranged, and Cassandra appears to be left on the sidelines. Cassandra is confused by her feelings for not only the Cottons but also Stephen Colley, the handsome son of the Mortmains' former cook who acts as a handyman to the family and is deeply in love with Cassandra. But events spiral out of control, and before the summer ends, many expectations will have been overturned.

Production

Parts of the film were shot in Laxey film studio on the Isle of Man. Manorbier Castle in Pembrokeshire, Wales, supplied exteriors for the castle, and Eltham Palace in London some interiors.^[1]

Main cast

Romola Garai as Cassandra Mortmain
Henry Thomas as Simon Cotton
Rose Byrne as Rose Mortmain
Bill Nighy as James Mortmain
Tara Fitzgerald as Topaz Mortmain
Marc Blucas as Neil Cotton
Henry Cavill as Stephen Colley
Sinéad Cusack as Elspeth Cotton
Joe Sowerbutts as Thomas Mortmain
James Faulkner as Aubrey Fox-Cotton
Sarah Woodward as Leda Fox-Cotton
David Bamber as the Vicar
Helena Little as Mother

Reception

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 78% of 85 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 6.7/10. The website's consensus reads: "A handsome and charming adaptation of the novel."^[2]

References

^ ^a ^b In film credits.
^ "I Capture the Castle". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 29 September 2023.

External links

I Capture the Castle at IMDb
I Capture the Castle at Metacritic

[Credits-1] In film credits.

[2] "I Capture the Castle". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 29 September 2023.

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