The Children
“The love of a woman brought him back home. The love of the children brough him back to life.”
Synopsis
After years working in Brazil, middle-aged engineer Martin Boyner returns to Switzerland to marry his longtime friend, the recently widowed Rose Sellars. En route, he encounters an old acquaintance and soon finds himself entranced by and then caring for her seven emotionally abandoned children. The oldest girl, Judith, quickly beguiles Martin with her unsettling blend of innocence and maturity. And suddenly Martin's orderly blueprint for the future is thrown into disarray as Judith's youth and spirit transform his routine life into a dangerously passionate new equation.
Top Cast
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Ben Kingsley
Martin Boyne
Kim Novak
Rose Sellars
Karen Black
Sybil Lullmer
Geraldine Chaplin
Joyce Wheater
Britt Ekland
Zinnia Wrench
Rupert Graves
Gerald Ormerod
Marie Helvin
The Princess
Rosemary Leach
Scopy
Terence Rigby
The Duke of Mendip
Donald Sinden
Lord Wrench
Robert Stephens
Azariah Dobree
Joe Don Baker
Cliffe Wheater
Siri Neal
Judith
Mark Asquith
Terry
Anouk Fontaine
Blanca
Ian Hawkes
Bun
Hermione Eyre
Zinnie
Eileen Hawkes
Beechy
Release History & Theatrical Window
Cannes Film Market
Festival / Special Debut
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Tony Palmer
- Screenplay & Story
- Timberlake Wertenbaker
- Original Score
- Samuel Barber, Benjamin Britten, Ralph Vaughan Williams, Evelyn Glennie
- Original Title
- The Children
- Country of Origin
- United Kingdom
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 1h 28m
- Production Studios
- Isolde Films, Hemdale Film Corporation, Arbo-Film, Maran Film, Film4 Productions
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Tony Palmer
Timberlake Wertenbaker, Edith Wharton
Samuel Barber, Benjamin Britten, Ralph Vaughan Williams, Evelyn Glennie
Nicholas D. Knowland
Andrew Montgomery, Maureen Murray, Karin Bamborough, Harald Albrecht, Georg Bogner
Department Leadership Roster
Tony Palmer
Director
Samuel Barber
Original Music Composer
Benjamin Britten
Original Music Composer
Ralph Vaughan Williams
Original Music Composer
Evelyn Glennie
Original Music Composer
Nicholas D. Knowland
Director of Photography
Chris Bradley
Production Design
Paul Templeman
Production Design
John Hibbs
Costume Design
Suzy Peters
Costume Design
Andrew Montgomery
Producer
Timberlake Wertenbaker
Screenplay
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
International Certification Matrix
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for The Children.
Featured In Curated Collections
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Frequently Asked Questions About The Children
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is The Children about?
After years working in Brazil, middle-aged engineer Martin Boyner returns to Switzerland to marry his longtime friend, the recently widowed Rose Sellars. En route, he encounters an old acquaintance and soon finds himself entranced by and then caring for her seven emotionally abandoned children. The oldest girl, Judith, quickly beguiles Martin with her unsettling blend of innocence and maturity. And suddenly Martin's orderly blueprint for the future is thrown into disarray as Judith's youth and spirit transform his routine life into a dangerously passionate new equation.
Who directed The Children?
The Children was directed by Tony Palmer.
Who stars in The Children?
The principal cast of The Children includes Ben Kingsley, Kim Novak, Karen Black, Geraldine Chaplin, Britt Ekland.
When was The Children released and how long is it?
The Children was released in 1990 with a total runtime of 1h 28m.
Who composed the musical score for The Children?
The original motion picture soundtrack for The Children was composed by Samuel Barber, Benjamin Britten, Ralph Vaughan Williams, Evelyn Glennie.
Is The Children based on a book or true story?
The Children is adapted from the following source material: Novel: "Edith Wharton".
What is the age rating and content advisory for The Children?
The Children holds official age classifications: FR: NR.