The Age of Innocence (1993)

A Review and Analysis

I have loved watching movies for as long as I can remember. My family would have Friday night movie nights. And every Friday we would watch something new. My love for movies increased as I got older. There is such a plethora of content out there, full of alternative universes and imagination.

Recently I have been drawn toward older films, films that were not given the luxury of CGI. I love the stories that filmmakers would uncover — and it was typically original content, not just recycled material. My love for films has taken further steps: I am an avid collector of physical media. I can appreciate streaming, but there is something about owning a physical disc that is way more exciting to me. In addition, I have come to enjoy writing little blurbs about the movies I watch.

And that is what this is about! I am going to be starting a new series of writing where I break down elements of some of the movies I watch. I will be experimenting with this concept, mixing breakdowns of the plot and exploring deeper conversations about the themes portrayed.

The first film I am going to exposit is The Age of Innocence. It was made in 1993 and is directed by Martin Scorsese. It takes place during the late 1800s in New York. It stars Daniel Day-Lewis, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Winona Ryder.

Spoiler alert: this does contain spoilers of the film so I would highly recommend watching the film if you have not already. As of this day (02/07/2023), it is available on Hulu.

The first time I watched this was about two years ago. My excitement to rewatch it has only grown.

One of the first major things we see is the introduction of our love triangle: Newland Archer, May Welland (who is dating Newland), and Countess Ellen Olenska (May’s cousin). The love triangle is a fascinating component of the story. Even though Newland was pursuing May, the moment he laid eyes on Ellen kickstarted a path of love and tragedy. This is not to say that Newland was not faithful to May initially. Upon meeting Ellen, he shakes her hand instead of kissing it. He tries to maintain an amicable and professional relationship to help out a soon-to-be family member. But that's where he slips.

Newland starts to push the moral line. He spends more time with Ellen alone in a personal nature. He even starts fantasizing about being with her. This reaches a critical point, crossing from an emotional affair to a physical one. I appreciate that Scorsese does not depict Newland's affair in a vulgar nature - it is more appropriate to those times.

Just as you would think that Newland and Ellen would continue in life together, it takes an opposite turn whereby Ellen effectively dumps Newland. This is unexpected and where the tragedy begins. We know that Newland truly loves Ellen, but his engagement to May and the New York status that he has (which is a whole separate matter), prevents him from attaining his true love.

What's surprising to me is how it ends. Even though he has been released from his marriage after the death of May, Newland chooses not to see Ellen. There is nothing stopping him. I suppose in a typical Hollywood film he would have then gone ahead and married Ellen. But he doesn't. He moves on with his life.

I am still puzzled by this decision. And yet I feel it strengthens the movie. It is a depiction of real life. It's not a fairy tale ending. It's a tragedy. I do not condone Newland's unfaithfulness to May. It was wrong. May even suspects it and gives Newland a way out allowing him to cancel the engagement. But he chooses not to.

This is where we can explore the late 1800s New York society. There's a sense that British culture and the class system are still prevalent. Propriety is expected -- otherwise, you are cast out from the network. Because of Ellen's separation from her husband and attempt to divorce, she is cast out of the social hierarchy. Newland recognizes the outrageousness of this and attempts to help. He is at the same time intrigued by Ellen's freedom from tradition and the ability to do what she wants independently. But Newland is too cemented in his ways. He cannot break from the social norm. I believe that is why he rejected May's offer to end the engagement. He couldn't tear himself away.

I feel this is a similar dilemma that people face today. There is a status quo, a certain way of doing things. A desire exists to be a part of the group with a fear of missing out. But there are a select few who go against the norm. They see the world in a different light. And they are free from constraint and burden. They have independence. Newland chose to stick with the status quo. One could argue that he did the honorable thing — he stayed faithful to May, at least outwardly (sort of) for appearance’s sake. The tricky part is that he fell in love with someone who was still married. For Newland to run off with Ellen, that would be a tough scenario to justify.

Overall, I really enjoy this film. It is beautiful to watch, the performances are spectacular, and the story is thought-provoking!

Thanks for reading! My next analysis will feature Avatar: The Way of Water.