House of Mirth

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House of Mirth ★★★ 2000 (PG-13)

The treacherous world of high society is the backdrop for savvy social climber Lily Bart (Anderson), who seeks to match her wits with an eligible bachelor's money in early 20th-century N.Y.C. Stoltz plays friend Selden who is not quite up to snuff financially for Lily, and Aykroyd, a well-heeled and seemingly well-meaning married “friend” who offers her investment advice…but at a hefty price. To make matter worse, a high-profile social maven (Linney) uses Lily to distract her husband from her own infidelities which puts Lily's reputation in jeopardy. With powerful friends lining up against her and her gambling debts piling up, the innocent Lily soon finds her once promising social position compromised. Disturbing but involving story made all the more so by Anderson's performance. Based on the novel by Edith Wharton. 140m/C VHS, DVD . GB US Gillian Anderson, Eric Stoltz, Dan Aykroyd, Eleanor Bron, Terry Kinney, Anthony LaPaglia, Laura Linney, Jodhi May, Elizabeth McGovern; D: Terence Davies; W: Terence Davies; C: Remi Adefarasin.