Drama, Romance, History  •  1981  •  124 min  •  Adults (18+)

The French Lieutenant's Woman (1981)

The French Lieutenant's Woman poster

The French Lieutenant's Woman (1981)


Rating & Dimensions

Bias Rating
Analyzing...
Center
Political: Leans Left
Diversity: Low
Christianity: Negative

Viewer Rating
7.0

Overview

In this story-within-a-story, Anna is an actress starring opposite Mike in a period piece about the forbidden love between their respective characters, Sarah and Charles. Both actors are involved in serious relationships, but the passionate nature of the script leads to an off-camera love affair as well. While attempting to maintain their composure and professionalism, Anna and Mike struggle to come to terms with their infidelity.


Starring Cast

Meryl Streep  •   Jeremy Irons  •   Hilton McRae


Where to watch

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Detailed Bias Analysis

Analyzing...
Center

Primary

Political: Leans Left
Confidence: Medium

The film's dominant themes align with progressive values by critiquing restrictive Victorian social conventions and gender roles, emphasizing individual autonomy and the pursuit of personal freedom over societal expectations.

Diversity: Low
Confidence: High

The film features traditional casting with a predominantly white ensemble, consistent with its Victorian England setting and the era of its production. Its narrative explores social conventions and individual freedom without explicitly critiquing traditional identities or incorporating modern DEI themes.

Secondary

Christianity: Negative
Confidence: High

The film portrays Victorian society's rigid and judgmental application of Christian morality as oppressive, particularly towards women and those who defy social norms. It highlights the suffering caused by these strictures, positioning the audience to sympathize with characters like Sarah who are victimized by it.

LGBTQ: N/A
Confidence: High

The film 'The French Lieutenant's Woman' does not feature any identifiable LGBTQ+ characters or themes. Its dual narrative explores heterosexual relationships, societal expectations, and the nature of love and fiction, without incorporating queer identities or experiences.

Trans: N/A
Confidence: High

The film 'The French Lieutenant's Woman' does not feature any identifiable transsexual characters or themes. Its narrative focuses on a Victorian-era romance, societal expectations, and a meta-commentary on filmmaking, without engaging with transgender identities or experiences.

Female Combat: N/R

The movie does not contain any action or adventure elements.

Gender Swap: No
Confidence: High

The film is a faithful adaptation of John Fowles' novel. All major and minor characters retain the same gender as established in the original source material, with no instances of canonical gender changes.

Race Swap: No
Confidence: High

The film adapts John Fowles' novel, set in Victorian England. The main characters, such as Sarah Woodruff and Charles Smithson, are portrayed by actors whose race aligns with the implied race of the characters in the source material and historical context. No characters established as one race in the novel are depicted as a different race in the film.


Viewer Rating Breakdown

7.0

Viewer Rating

Combines user and critic ratings from four sources

User Ratings

IMDB logo
6.9
The Movie Database logo
6.5

Critic Ratings

Rotten Tomatoes logo
8.3
Metacritic logo
6.4

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