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8 1/2 Women

Play trailer Poster for 8 1/2 Women R 1999 2h 0m Comedy Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
39% Tomatometer 31 Reviews 54% Popcornmeter 2,500+ Ratings
After his wife dies, 55-year-old businessman Philip Emmenthal, at the prompting of his playboy son Storey, populates his Geneva villa with eight and a half concubines. Three are from Kyoto, where Storey manages Pachinko palaces. Each has a distinctive personality: a nun, a child bearer, a gambler, a student of Kabuki, a horsewoman with a pet pig, a maid. After about a year, the women begin to assert their own power.
8 1/2 Women

What to Know

Critics Consensus

Peter Greenaway's exploration of sexual exploitation exhibits his fondness for breaking taboos, but this seedy exercise's ideas never come together into a satisfying whole.

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Critics Reviews

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Roger Ebert Chicago Sun-Times Jan 1, 2000
3/4
One possible approach to 8 1/2 Women, I think, is to view it as a slowed-down, mannered, tongue-in-cheek silent comedy, skewed by Greenaway's anger and desire to manipulate. Go to Full Review
Christopher Kelly Out Magazine May 25, 2022
Greenaway remains one of cinema's most innovative and witty visual compositionists, and the film's appealingly breezy tone makes this his least pretentious work in years. Go to Full Review
Brian Juergens Freeze Dried Movies Sep 16, 2005
4/5
Emanuel Levy EmanuelLevy.Com Jul 14, 2005
2/5
Michael Dequina TheMovieReport.com Jul 11, 2005
2.5/4
The headscratching weirdness doesn't gel into a discernible emotional point. Go to Full Review
Nick Davis Nick's Flick Picks Mar 7, 2004
2/5
Greenaway is always worth a look, but this one is more disorganized and half-baked than most of his work. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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Alain E @AlainE Sep 3, 2026 A cerebral exercise that left me indifferent. On Cineverse. See more
May 27, 2015 It this film had been made by new director I would give it a bit higher rating for daring to be so odd. Unfortunately this uninspired bit of perversity comes from the mind of an artist far more talented than what he gives. See more
Jan 15, 2014 One of the weirdest film i have ever seen...i'm still wondering what the hell it is about...watch it if you want then come explain me this challenging film. See more
Jan 5, 2013 A weathy businessman and his son hire 9 women to participate in their private bordello. But why they do so, or what exactly is happening is unclear and seems just strange rather than interesting in any way See more
Dec 5, 2012 It's not that bad, Another bizzare movie by a Director/Painter with some hilarious moments, I really missed Michael Nyman's beautiful soundtracks in this one See more
Oct 24, 2012 It's bizarre but this is a more commonly acceptable compare to Greenaway's other works. See more
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8 1/2 Women

My Rating

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Cast & Crew

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Peter Greenaway

Director

John Standing

Philip Emmenthal

Matthew Delamere

Storey Emmenthal

Vivian Wu

Kito

Shizuka Inoh

Simato

Barbara Sarafian

Clothilde

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8 1/2 Women

8 1/2 Women (1999) 8 1/2 Women (1999) 8 1/2 Women (1999) Director Peter Greenaway. Peter Greenaway directing Polly Walker in 8 1/2 Women. Vivian Wu and Matthew Delamere in 8 1/2 Women. Polly Walker and Matthew Delamere in 8 1/2 Women. John Standing, Karina Mano & Matthew Delamere in 8 1/2 Women. Walker, Collette, Inoh, Sarafian, Mano, Wu, Amal, Plummer, and Fujiwara in 8 1/2 Women. Peter Standing in 8 1/2 Women. View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis After his wife dies, 55-year-old businessman Philip Emmenthal, at the prompting of his playboy son Storey, populates his Geneva villa with eight and a half concubines. Three are from Kyoto, where Storey manages Pachinko palaces. Each has a distinctive personality: a nun, a child bearer, a gambler, a student of Kabuki, a horsewoman with a pet pig, a maid. After about a year, the women begin to assert their own power.
Director
Peter Greenaway
Producer
Kees Kasander
Screenwriter
Peter Greenaway
Distributor
Lionsgate Films
Production Co
Woodline Productions, Movie Masters, Delux Productions, Continental Films
Rating
R (Strong Sexual Dialogue|Strong Sexual Content|Pervasive Nudity)
Genre
Comedy, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
May 22, 1999, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Mar 13, 2017
Box Office (Gross USA)
$417.5K
Runtime
2h 0m
Sound Mix
SDDS, Dolby SR, DTS, Dolby Digital, Dolby A, Dolby Stereo
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