About
Set halfway through the 17th century, a church play is performed for the benefit of the young aristocrat Cosimo. In the play, a grotesque old woman gives birth to a beautiful baby boy. The child's older sister is quick to exploit the situation, selling blessings from the baby, and even claiming she's the true mother by virgin birth. However, when she attempts to seduce the bishop's son, the Church exacts a terrible revenge.
Rating and Reviews
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6.985/10
CinemaSerf
I've always found Peter Greenaway films rather hit or miss, and this rather theatrical effort I found more the latter. It all centres around a sort of immaculate conception birth at the Medici court a... read more
over 2 years ago
People
Cast
Julia Ormond
The Daughter
Ralph Fiennes
The Bishop's Son
Philip Stone
The Bishop
Jonathan Lacey
Cosimo Medici
Don Henderson
The Father Confessor
Celia Gregory
The Mother Superior
Jeff Nuttall
The Major Domo
Jessica Hynes
The First Midwife (as Jessica Stevenson)
Kathryn Hunter
The Second Midwife
Gabrielle Reidy
The Third Midwife
Frank Egerton
The Prompter
Phelim McDermott
The First Tutor
Tony Vogel
The Father
Tatiana Strauss
The First Nun
Louisa Milwood-Haigh
The Second Nun
Anna Nieland
The Wetnurse
Graham Valentine
Famine
Diana van Kolck
The Mother
Leslie Cuss
The Second Tutor
Rien Kroon
The Chaplain
Jan Sepers
Carpaccio
Nils Dorando
The Baby of Mâcon
Richard Blair
The First Soldier
Tony Dunham
The Second Soldier
Humphrey Sallons
Cosimo's Servant
Dennis Rudge
Entourage Servant
Hans Bosch
Entourage Servant
Sjoerd Ghijssen
Entourage Servant
Michiel Riedijk
Entourage Servant
Bert Sevenhuijsen
The Deacon
John Hartnett
Cynical Auction Bidder (uncredited)
Bastian Pastewka
Laborer (uncredited)
Dela Maria Vaags
Choir Farmer's Wives (uncredited)
Director
Peter Greenaway
Director
Creator
Peter Greenaway
Writer
