Synopsis
A look at the final days of a turn of the century brothel when much of the Parisian sex trade was confined to grand maisons, populated by elegant madams and vetted clientele and Xavier Beauvois. Within L'Apollonide's walls, Bonello tracks the lives of the Madam and close to a dozen girls among them: Madeline who is horribly disfigured by a client and becomes known as "the woman who laughs", Clotilde the veteran who longs to be a "respectable woman" and Pauline, the newcomer whose eyes are quickly opened to reality. Despite the fact that desire often mixes with danger and disease rears its ugly head, the film is filled with moments of intimacy and camaraderie amongst the girls. Using a bag of cinematic techniques which include split screen, time shifts and a modern soundtrack, Bonello has made a provocative and beautiful film on not only the world's oldest profession but also a commentary on history as remembered by art and literature.
Metrics
| Opening Weekend: | $4,766 (24.7% of total gross) |
| Legs: | 4.06 (domestic box office/biggest weekend) |
| Domestic Share: | 100.0% (domestic box office/worldwide) |
| Theater counts: | 1 opening theaters/3 max. theaters, 2.7 weeks average run per theater |
| Infl. Adj. Dom. BO | $26,271 |
Latest Ranking on Cumulative Box Office Lists
| Record | Rank | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| All Time Domestic Box Office (Rank 15,501-15,600) | 15,582 | $19,327 |
| All Time Worldwide Box Office (Rank 30,501-30,600) | 30,526 | $19,327 |
| All Time Domestic Highest Grossing Limited Release Movies (Rank 7,001-7,100) | 7,029 | $19,327 |
See the Box Office tab (Domestic) and International tab (International and Worldwide) for more Cumulative Box Office Records.
Movie Details
| Domestic Releases: | November 25th, 2011 (Limited) by IFC Films, released as House of Pleasures |
| MPAA Rating: | Not Rated |
| Running Time: | 125 minutes |
| Comparisons: | Create your own comparison chart… |
| Keywords: | Prostitution, Historical Drama, Epilogue, Intertitle, Split Screen, Non-Chronological, Dream Sequence, Sexual Fetishism, Sex Crimes, Voiceover/Narration, Terminal Illness |
| Source: | Original Screenplay |
| Genre: | Drama |
| Production Method: | Live Action |
| Creative Type: | Historical Fiction |
| Production/Financing Companies: | Les Films du Lendemain, My New Picture, ARTE France, Canal Plus, Cinecinema, Centre National de la Cinematographie |
| Production Countries: | France |
| Languages: | French |