"Fiercely erotic and deeply moving,
Damage casts a hypnotic spell."
Peter Travers – Rolling Stone
"Irons and Binoche create a sense of narcissistic
pleasure that’s so intimate it’s shocking."
Owen Gleiberman – Entertainment Weekly
"Impeccably directed, Irons and Binoche
make a stunning couple."
Barry Norman – Film '93
Starring:
Jeremy Irons
Juliette Binoche
Miranda Richardson
Rupert Graves
With Louis, it wasn’t through words, but more through looks, gestures, rhythm... And then I felt his confidence come. But it was still one of my toughest shoots.”
Studio - December '92
“
Louis Malle brings Josephine Hart's best-selling erotic novel about obsession, deceit, and destruction to the screen, based on an adaptation by playwright David Hare.
Stephen Fleming is a British Conservative M.P. He is married to Ingrid (Miranda Richardson) and they have two children; Martyn (Rupert Graves) and Sally. It seems to be the perfect family life, but it is not.
When Stephen attends a cocktail party he meets a mysterious French woman named Anna Barton (Juliette Binoche), who happens to be Martyn’s new girlfriend. The attraction between Anna and Stephen is palpable. Very quickly they embark on a torrid affair. However, Anna is a deeply damaged person following the tragic suicide of her brother.
When Anna agrees to marry Martyn, Stephen’s sexual obsession intensifies as the inevitable fall-out of his affair with Anna leads to a tragedy neither can imagine.
Damage was critically successful upon its release, yet was surrounded by controversy when it was granted an NC-17 rating in the US, leading to Malle cutting several sexually explicit scenes. Juliette Binoche was César nominated for the fourth time for her role.
Dr. Stephen Fleming
Anna Barton
Ingrid Fleming
Martyn Fleming
Edward Lloyd
Peter Wetzler
Sally Fleming
Donald Lyndsay, MP
Elizabeth Prideaux
Prime Minister
Raymond (as Raymond Gravell)
Miss Snow
Detective
Civil Servant
Trevor Leigh Davies MP
Palmer
Young Man at Sotheby’s
Prime Minister’s Aide
Beth
TV Interviewer
Jeremy Irons
Juliette Binoche
Miranda Richardson
Rupert Graves
Ian Bannen
Peter Stormare
Gemma Clarke
Julian Fellowes
Leslie Caron
Tony Doyle
Ray Gravell
Susan Engel
David Thewlis
Benjamin Whitrow
Jeff Nuttall
Roger Llewellyn
Jason Morell
Barry Stearn
Linda Delapena
Francine Stock
Directed by
Screenplay
Based on the novel by
Produced by
Original music by
Cinematography by
Film editing by
Casting by
Production design by
Art direction by
Decors by
Louis Malle
David Hare
Josephine Hart
Louis Malle
Vincent Malle
Simon Relph
Zbigniew Preisner
Peter Biziou
John Bloom
Patsy Pollock
Brian Morris
Richard Earl
Philippe Turlure
Costume design by
First assistant director
Sound editor
Sound by
Produced by
In association with
Milena Canonero
Michel Ferry
Eddy Joseph
Jean-Claude Laureux
Nouvelles Éditions de Films
Skreba Films
StudioCanal
European Co-production Fund
Channel Four Films
Canal+
a film by Louis Malle
1992
International trailer
© Provided for reference only
US trailer
© Provided for reference only
US home entertainment trailer
© Provided for reference only
French trailer
© Provided for reference only
French TV spot
© Provided for reference only
Korean teaser
© Provided for reference only
Stills
The Director
© Provided for reference only
Jeremy Irons
© Provided for reference only
The Production
© Provided for reference only
"At the Beginning" by Zbigniew Preisner
"The Last Time II" by Zbigniew Preisner
© Provided for reference only