Damage (1992 film)

Damage

Company type	Film
Industry	Film industry
Founded	1992
Founder	Louis Malle (director and producer)
Products	Romantic psychological drama film

Damage is a 1992 romantic psychological drama film helmed and produced by Louis Malle, featuring performances by Jeremy Irons, Juliette Binoche, Miranda Richardson, Rupert Graves, and Ian Bannen. The screenplay, adapted by David Hare from Josephine Hart's 1991 novel Damage, centers on a British politician (Irons) who becomes dangerously infatuated with his son's fiancée. Miranda Richardson received an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress nomination and secured the BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for her role as the politician’s wife.

Plot

Dr. Stephen Fleming, initially a physician and later a politician, resides in London with his wife Ingrid and daughter Sally. His son Martyn, a journalist, introduces his fiancée Anna Barton—daughter of a British diplomat and a French mother—to his parents. Despite Martyn and Ingrid remaining unaware, an immediate mutual attraction sparks between Stephen and Anna.

Stephen embarks on a clandestine affair with Anna, which intensifies his fixation. After trailing them to Paris, he relocates nearby to secretly observe the couple. Anna confides her troubled history involving her brother’s suicide, which was connected to possessiveness and incestuous feelings. Although Anna’s mother cautions Stephen about the risks of continuing the affair, he persists.

Martyn’s announcement of their engagement unsettles Stephen further. When Martyn unexpectedly discovers Stephen and Anna together in an apartment arranged for their secret meetings, he accidentally falls to his death. The ensuing scandal attracts intense media attention, prompting Stephen to resign from his political post. He abandons his family and retreats abroad, contemplating the devastation wrought by his obsession while recognizing Anna’s complicated character.

The narrative delves into themes of desire, power dynamics, and self-destruction within privileged social strata, emphasizing the personal and political fallout from uncontrolled passion.

Critical reception

Damage garnered generally positive acclaim, achieving an 81% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes and scoring 71 on Metacritic, reflecting favorable reviews.

The film’s screenplay and acting were widely commended. Gene Siskel included it among the year’s finest films, praising its intelligent script and believable characters. Roger Ebert awarded it four stars out of four, describing it as "one of the most gripping films [he'd] ever witnessed."

Kenneth Turan of the Los Angeles Times applauded the ensemble cast—especially Irons, Binoche, and Richardson—and characterized the film as "top-tier entertainment" featuring compelling performances. Rolling Stone's Peter Travers highlighted Malle’s direction and singled out Richardson’s portrayal as "remarkable" and worthy of awards.

Some critiques noted the film’s emotional intensity tempered by a detached tone. Variety's Todd McCarthy labeled it "engaging yet borderline absurd," appealing primarily to dedicated art-house audiences rather than viewers anticipating traditional romance or eroticism. Empire rated it three out of five stars, commending Richardson’s emotionally charged scenes but criticizing the film’s fluctuation between drama and pretentiousness.

Box office

Premiering in the United States on 23 December 1992, the movie earned $140,777 across four theaters during its opening five days. It eventually grossed $7,532,911 in North America. In the United Kingdom, box office receipts totaled £1,865,371. The international revenue exceeded $23 million, culminating in a global gross surpassing $31 million.

Awards and nominations

Award	Category	Nominee(s)	Result
Academy Awards	Best Supporting Actress	Miranda Richardson	Template:Nom
British Academy Film Awards	Best Actress in a Supporting Role		Template:Won
César Awards	Best Actress	Juliette Binoche	Template:Nom
Golden Globe Awards	Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture	Miranda Richardson	Template:Nom
London Film Critics Circle Awards	British Actress of the Year		Template:Won
Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards	Best Supporting Actress		Template:Runner-up
	Best Music Score	Zbigniew Preisner	Template:Won
National Society of Film Critics Awards	Best Supporting Actress	Miranda Richardson	Template:Draw
New York Film Critics Circle Awards	Best Supporting Actress		Template:Won
Sant Jordi Awards	Best Foreign Actor	Jeremy Irons	Template:Won
	Best Foreign Actress	Juliette Binoche	Template:Won

Netflix adaptation

In March 2022, plans were revealed for a new adaptation of Damage as a four-episode limited series developed for Netflix. This production is a collaboration between France's Gaumont Film Company and the UK’s Moonage Pictures. The cast features Richard Armitage portraying William (the counterpart to Stephen), alongside Charlie Murphy as Anna, Indira Varma playing Ingrid, and Rish Shah as Jay (originally Martyn), with additional participation from Pippa Bennett-Warner. The series was scripted by Morgan Lloyd-Malcolm and Benji Walters and directed by Glenn Leyburn alongside Lisa Barros D'Sa. Executive producers include Matthew Read, Frith Triplady, and Alison Jackson.

Named Obsession, this miniseries debuted on 13 April 2023 but was met with overwhelmingly negative reactions from critics and viewers alike.

External links

• Damage at the British Film Institute