Story:  There are no bad words... only bad deeds.

The setting is the 1790s in a mental asylum where the Marquis is incarcerated. He is greatly humoured by the priest Abbe Coulmier, a bleeding heart, who provides him with writing materials as a cathartic therapy. The laundress Madeline smuggles the Marquis' pornographic plays out of the asylum were they are devoured by the populace. Deprived of writing materials the Marquis writes his plays in blood and Madeline takes great risks getting them published. Marquis shames Abbe by performing a satire in which the cuckoo's nest of patients lampoons the doctor and his cradle stealing. A love triangle develops between the Marquis, Madeline and Abbe. This ends in high farce and tragedy as one of the patients acts out the Marquis last play.

Director: Philip Kaufman (The Right Stuff, the Unbearable Likeness of Being)

Cast:  Geoffrey Rush (Marquis De Sade), Kate Winslet (Madeline LeClerc), Joaquin (Abbe Coulmier), Michael Caine.

Screenwriters: Doug Wright

Release Dates: November 22, 2000

Filming Locations: London and Oxford UK.

Box Office Information: $7,060,876 million.

Awards: Oscars; Best Actor, Art Direction, Costumes (nominations only)

Genres: Drama.

For more awards information, please go here.