I Capture the Castle (film)

I Capture the Castle
Original UK quad format film poster
Directed by	Tim Fywell
Screenplay by	Heidi Thomas
Based on	I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith
Produced by	David Parfitt[1]
Starring	Romola Garai Rose Byrne Bill Nighy Henry Thomas Marc Blucas Tara Fitzgerald Henry Cavill Joe Sowerbutts
Cinematography	Richard Greatrex
Edited by
Music by	Dario Marianelli
Production companies	BBC Films Trademark Films
Distributed by	Momentum Pictures (UK)
Release date	May 9, 2003 (2003-05-09) (United Kingdom)
Running time	117 minutes
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English
Budget	$8 million
Box office	$6,586,341

I Capture the Castle is a 2003 British romantic comedy film directed by Tim Fywell. It is based on the 1948 novel of the same name by Dodie Smith, with the screenplay written by Heidi Thomas. The film was released in the UK on 9 May 2003.

Romola Garai played the lead role of Cassandra Mortmain alongside Bill Nighy, Rose Byrne and Tara Fitzgerald.

Synopsis[]

The film follows 17-year-old Cassandra Mortmain, and her eccentric family, struggling to survive in genteel poverty in a decaying English castle. The characters include her father, a writer who hasn't written anything in the 12 years since the spectacular success of his first novel; her older sister Rose, who rails against their fate and hopes to marry for money; and their bohemian stepmother, Topaz, an ex-model still apt to sun-bathe in the nude. The possibility of salvation seems to loom in the form of their wealthy American landlord Simon Cotton and his brother Neil. Although Simon initially spurns her, Rose is determined to make him fall in love with her and succeeds. A wedding is arranged and Cassandra appears to be left on the sidelines. Cassandra is confused not only by her feelings for the Cottons but also for Stephen Colley. Stephen is the incredibly attractive son of the Mortmain's former chef who acts as a handyman to the family and is deeply in love with Cassandra. But events spiral out of control, and before the summer ends many expectations will have been overturned.

Production[]

Parts of the film were shot in Laxey film studio on the Isle of Man. Manorbier Castle in Pembrokeshire, Wales, supplied exteriors for the castle, and Eltham Palace in London some interiors.^[1]

Main cast[]

Reception[]

On the basis of 81 reviews collected by the film review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, 80% of critics gave I Capture the Castle a positive review, with an average rating of 6.7/10.^[2]

References[]

External links[]

• I Capture The Castle at the British Film Institute
• I Capture The Castle at IMDb
• I Capture the Castle at Metacritic