The Marquis de Sade: Geoffrey Rush	Madeleine: Kate Winslet
Coulmier: Joaquin Phoenix	Royer-Collard: Michael Caine
Director: Philip Kaufman	Simone: Amelia Warner

30 Second Bottom Line: The Marquis de Sade, in early 19th century France, writes and publishes sexuality explicit material, which threatens his life at a mental institution for the rich and infamous.

Story Line: In 1794 France, as in modern day Austin, Texas, executions were being carried out so fast that the death of the next person was not a special event to the public. One of the executioners, who perhaps enjoys his job too much, becomes a patient at a mental institution, along with the famous Marquis de Sade (Geoffrey Rush). The Marquis, can be described (kindly), as a pornographic writer. Moral despot and sadist (the original) also spring to mind.

Madeleine (Kate Winslet) is a chambermaid who sneaks the forbidden manuscripts out of the asylum. These salacious and twisted tales become best sellers, and Napoleon orders Royer-Collar (Michael Caine) to search out the author and stop the publications. Royer is an interrogator with expertise in torture. He is not welcomed with enthusiasm by the manager of the institution, Father Coulmier (Joaquin Phoenix).

Simone (Amelia Warner) is a young girl, barely 16, married to Royer-Collard, who finds the contraband books stimulating, to the point that she considers running away with the architect her husband hires to redo their new house. She is being driven mad by what she is not allowed to do and her husband is outraged because he cannot be in total control of his destiny.

Madeleine is the virgin of virgins (at least in this rendition). She is young, but far beyond the age of the fifteen or so, when many women were married. Madeleine desires Father Coulmier and the Marquis desires her. She thinks of one day riding off with the mysterious man on horseback, to whom she delivers the manuscripts through the iron bars surrounding the compound.

The Marquis is a stubborn, eccentric and determined person who uses his creative energy to find ways to write and publish when his quills (the Cross pen of the day) are taken away from him…indeed, when he is stripped of everything.

This story of human lust, repression and censorship, raises the question of who is more insane and depraved…the people in the institution or those who run it?

Tell Me More About It: Quills is a film for adults. It's rating of R needs to be in bold print, as many of the scenes with sex and violence are dramatic. The body count, however, is less than your normal PG-13 film. Sex is dealt with in a mature way as compared to the normal strip tease approach. This is an art house film and like the movie Dancer in the Dark, you will love it or hate it.

Censorship and repression are the two major issues addressed in the film. We are encouraged to think about how people act when they are free, versus being controlled. Does provocative art fuel violence or simply reflect it? With binary choices like freedom of expression or censorship, and free will versus repression, we can't have it both ways. When institutions sanction violence (e.g., capital punishment), How does this impact those who do the dirty work of the execution? There is a difference between signing the order and pulling the switch that directly results in the death of a human being.

Quills is both entertaining and thought-provoking. Geoffrey Rush gives an Oscar caliber performance that sets him apart from the crowd much as Hilary Swank did last year in Boys Don't Cry.

Strong, supporting performances are provided by Winslet, Phoenix and Caine. Each is at their career best….Kate tops Titanic, Phoenix stands taller than in Gladiator and Caine surpasses his role in The Cider House Rules. Even the actors whose names or faces we don't recognize give outstanding performances, to the point that you feel you know what motivates them to make the decisions they do.

Kate Winslet was sexually stunning in Titanic. She is elegant, whether fully clothed or being painted in the nude. In Holy Smoke, she shows us full frontal nudity. In Quills, she exudes sensuality while collecting soiled bed linens.

Although the story is about censorship, repression, and depravity, it also addresses those who are opportunistic in the seeking of power and money. Looking at our presidential election, we see that not too much has changed in the past 200 years. Gore and Bush want power (the money follows that) to the point they will both do anything they can to sit on the throne.

Geoffrey Rush: Shakespeare in Love	Kate Winslet: Titanic & Holy Smoke
Joaquin Phoenix: Gladiator	Michael Caine: The Cider House Rules
Philip Kaufman: Henry and June