The Scarlet Letter (1995)

14% of critics liked it
(35 reviews)
47% of users liked it
(19,868 ratings)

Nathaniel Hawthorne's classic novel of hypocrisy among America's pilgrims was brought to the screen by director Roland Joffe in this 1995 feature. Demi Moore stars as Hester Prynne, a new arrival to the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1666. Prynne, who interacts freely with slaves and Quakers and wears… More Nathaniel Hawthorne's classic novel of hypocrisy among America's pilgrims was brought to the screen by director Roland Joffe in this 1995 feature. Demi Moore stars as Hester Prynne, a new arrival to the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1666. Prynne, who interacts freely with slaves and Quakers and wears revealing garb, is something of a free thinker and off-putting to the uptight locals. She awaits the arrival of her husband, Roger (Robert Duvall), but he is reported killed. One person who does not find Prynne unsettling is the new preacher, Arthur Dimmesdale (Gary Oldman). A torrid encounter between them produces a child, Pearl, and Hester is condemned by the colony, forced to wear a scarlet letter "A" (for "adultery"). Roger reappears; he had been living with a native tribe -- an experience that has driven him mad. He masquerades as "Roger Chillingsworth," trying to discover the identity of Pearl's father. When Hester is about to be executed, Dimmesdale confesses, but a timely Indian raid intervenes, saving him and Hester. The Scarlet Letter was widely derided by critics for sexualizing and changing Hawthorne's novel to an absurd degree. ~ Karl Williams, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: R, 2 hr. 15 min.
Directed By: Roland Joffé
Genres: Drama, Romance

In Theaters: Oct 13, 1995 Wide
On DVD: Jun 4, 2002

Critic Reviews

Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader
"Freely adapted from the novel by Nathaniel Hawthorne," the credits say cautiously. I'll say.
Todd McCarthy, Variety
A very '90s take on a 1660s tale written in 1850, as a picture of early colonial life it's about as convincing as Pocahontas.
Caryn James, New York Times
If you've read the book you won't know the ending. Let's just say that Indians with flaming arrows come to the rescue. They manage to keep a straight face, which is more than anyone in the audience will be able to do.
Peter Stack, San Francisco Chronicle
This is a well-acted, beautiful movie.
Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times
Though it's unclear what the audience would be for a faithful rendition of the Hawthorne novel, the question of who would ever want to see this one is murkier still.
James Berardinelli, ReelViews
Literary purists will be aghast at some of the liberties taken with the original text, but my complaints have more to do with cinematic misjudgments than with those in the book-to-screen translation.
Charles Cassady, Common Sense Media
Slaughter, sin, and sex in classic-turned-movie misfire.
, Empire Magazine
For all the talent on display, this is a waste of movie.
Maitland McDonagh, TV Guide's Movie Guide
Rage, love, defiance, confusion, fear -- Moore just sticks out her chin and makes her eyes brim with tears. She's the stolidly immovable object at the film's center, and there's no getting around her.
, Film4
Despite the cast taking themselves very seriously indeed, The Scarlet Letter is a great comic turn, complete with cod-accents and other period jiggery-pokery.
Derek Adams, Time Out
Not only does the film bear little resemblance to the source novel, but it's cluttered with ridiculous symbolism.
Dan Lybarger, Nitrate Online
Oh, Roland Joffé, thy free adaptation of the Hawthorne classic didst produce abudant derisive laughter. Didst thou once direct 'The Killing Fields?'
Nick Davis, Nick's Flick Picks
For anyone who's ever wondered why Hawthorne left out the mute servants, red cockatoos, and rolls in the proverbial hay. As Hawthorne himself would say: "Ignominious!"
Rob Vaux, Flipside Movie Emporium
A hysterically incompetent camp classic, highly recommended for English department faculty parties.
Michael Dequina, TheMovieReport.com
Love the book or hate it, but no novel deserves the shabby treatment that director Roland Joffé and screenwriter Douglas Day Stewart have given the classic novel.
Jeanne Aufmuth, Palo Alto Weekly
Corny, heavy-handed, but definitely romantic, The Scarlet Letter is a mindless piece of historical amusement.
M. Faust, ArtVoice
[It's] a mess that serves no one, least of all students hoping to get out of having to read the book for class.
Dragan Antulov, rec.arts.movies.reviews
The script by Douglas Day Stewart gives new meaning to the phrase "free adaptation".

Read all 18 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

Wahida K

When intimacy is forbidden and passion is a sin, love is the most defiant crime of all.
Candy R

Very poor adaptation of the book, they changed the ending!
danny d

overly sappy an dramamtic
Steve B

Dimsdale lives? What a lame-ass, Hollywood cop-out!
a b

Curse you, Chillingworth! Not as good as the Crucible.
Marcus W

Demi Moore is married but shags Gary Oldman anyway, and it's all very "Oh, Reverand", "Oh, Eliza"...I think that was her name, anyway, she has his child but won't say it's his so she gets sent to prison. Not sure exactly what happened after that as I… More
Demi Moore is married but shags Gary Oldman anyway, and it's all very "Oh, Reverand", "Oh, Eliza"...I think that was her name, anyway, she has his child but won't say it's his so she gets sent to prison. Not sure exactly what happened after that as I got bored and started making up my own script involving time travel and the necessity of laser guns. I noticed that Robert Duvall popped up and went insane, then Gary Oldman was standing in the rain crying. Skipped a few chapters...then Moore had to wear a red 'A', hence the title, and then Oldman offers to give his life for hers, and then indians attacked, Robert Duvall died but I didn't see how, and then they rode off into the sunset together. Well, it wasn't a sunset, but you get the idea. Oh, and there was a bit where a slave girl stripped off for a bed that flew in the window. Actually, the best bit was finding out that Gary Oldman has no recollection of making this film as he was drunk the whole time.
Leo L

Beautiful!
Anthony V

Just when I thought I could watch Gary Oldman in anything.