Angels and Insects (1995)

71% of critics liked it
(21 reviews)
60% of users liked it
(2,471 ratings)

A 19th-century British naturalist falls in love with the beautiful daughter of a wealthy aristocrat, but he soon discovers that her family's perfect facade disguises unexpectedly grim secrets. Director and co-screenwriter Philip Haas's adaptation of A.S. Byatt's Morpho Eugenio eschews the usual… More A 19th-century British naturalist falls in love with the beautiful daughter of a wealthy aristocrat, but he soon discovers that her family's perfect facade disguises unexpectedly grim secrets. Director and co-screenwriter Philip Haas's adaptation of A.S. Byatt's Morpho Eugenio eschews the usual gentility of Victorian period pieces in favor of subtle creepiness. The unsettling mood is emphasized by the film's detailed attention to its protagonist's scientific endeavors, which center on the study of insects and their behavior. In fact, it is his love of insects that brings William (Mark Rylance) to the well-heeled Reverend Alabaster (Jeremy Kemp), who takes a personal interest in William's welfare when a shipwreck leaves William practically penniless. William is welcomed into the Alabaster home, and he resumes his entomological studies while courting the reverend's daughter, Eugenia (Patsy Kensit). Close-up glimpses of insect society parallel this aristocratic world and hint at the dark secrets with which William soon becomes unexpectedly familiar. As in Haas's previous film, The Music of Chance, an unusual, highly symbolic filmmaking approach creates an effective drama, with the potentially detached intellectualism balanced by unusual characterizations and an absorbing attention to detail. ~ Judd Blaise, Rovi

Play Trailer

Rating, Runtime: R, 1 hr. 57 min.
Directed By: Philip Haas
Genres: Drama, Romance

In Theaters: Jun 1, 1995 Wide
On DVD: Mar 19, 2002
Studio: MGM Home Entertainment

Critic Reviews

Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com
A notch above the dry, analystic and tedious films that Philip Haas usually makes, largely due to acting of Kristin Scott Thomas and explicit sexuality.
Luke Y. Thompson, New Times
Possibly the most boring film about incest ever.
Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat, Spirituality and Practice
Angels & Insects is a piercing drama about the mysteries of science and human passion.
Michael W. Phillips, Jr., Goatdog's Movies
I enjoyed it, even if it creeped me out quite a bit.

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

Saskia D

Not a movie I would recommend, but if you have nothing to do on a saturday evening and it's on TV.. Why not? (The dresses are hideous).
Mark A

Beautiful scenery of the english countryside, a captivating young woman with a dark secret, an innocent young man captivated by the trappings of wealth and "proper" society all come together in this terrific film. The plot is amply described here and elsewhere, so I… More
Beautiful scenery of the english countryside, a captivating young woman with a dark secret, an innocent young man captivated by the trappings of wealth and "proper" society all come together in this terrific film. The plot is amply described here and elsewhere, so I won't bore you with the details. Patsy Kensit is radiant as the beautiful, cosseted elder sister Eugenia, who harbors a secret addiction that nearly destroys the man who at one time worshipped her great beauty and thought himself unworthy of her affections. Kristen Scott Thomas quietly simmered as the intelligent, artistically talented childrens' tutor, Matty, who is mainly unnoticed within the household, but whose finely honed powers of observation serve her well. Mark Rylance turned in a carefully nuanced performance as the young biologist, William Adamson, who finds himself the beneficiary of the Alabaster family's largesse and blissfully marries Eugenia, only to discover the deception that has been played out under his nose. And Douglas Henshall is perfect as a loutish brute, Eugenia's brother, Edgar. Edgar fancies himself as the pinnacle of human breeding and is quite concerned with maintaining the purity of the bloodlines of his horses and of his family. He is also a man ruled by his passions who satifies his desires whenever and wherever it pleases him and has nothing but contempt for his ill-bred brother-in-law. The characters are fully fleshed by the script, the passion on screen is palpable, and the conflicts within the household simmer and bubble just below the surface. In that way, it is much like an ant colony, the study of which forms the focal point of the story and becomes the way out for young William and for Matty as well. Matty at one point refers to the members of the household who are invisible to the main inhabitants but nonetheless wield enormous power because of their anonymity. The house decides what is revealed and what is to remain hidden.