On Chesil Beach(2018)

Bleecker Street Media

R
Rated R for some sexual content and nudity
1h 50m

Release Date: May 18, 2018

67%
59%
6.3

In 1962 England, a young couple find their idyllic romance colliding with issues of sexual freedom and societal pressure, leading to an awkward and fateful wedding night.

Official Website

Release Details

Original Release | May 18, 2018 | Limited

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Box Office Results

2025-02-02T04:59:26.843Z

Results

Opening Weekend US & Canada:
$35,765
Total US & Canada:
$745,971
Total International
$2,592,278
Total Worldwide:
$3,338,249

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Director & Top Cast

Dominic Cooke
Director

Billy Howle
Edward Mayhew

Saoirse Ronan
Florence Ponting

Andy Burse
Waiter One

Technical Specifications

Aspect Ratio: 2.39 : 1

Other Details

Country of Origin: United Kingdom

Language: English

Summaries

Storyline

Adapted by Ian McEwan from his bestselling novel, the drama centers on a young couple of drastically different backgrounds in the summer of 1962. Following the pair through their idyllic courtship, this movie explores sex and the societal pressure that can accompany physical intimacy, leading to an awkward and fateful wedding night. In 1962 England, conservative, demure violinist Florence Ponting (Saoirse Ronan) and brash, working class graduate student Edward Mayhew (Billy Howle) fall in love despite their different backgrounds. They get married, but things fall apart on their honeymoon at Chesil Beach when the newlyweds are unable to enjoy physical intimacy because of their opposing attitudes about sex. The resulting fight changes the course of their relationship. In July 1962, Edward Mayhew (Billy Howle), a graduate student of history, and Florence Ponting (Saoirse Ronan), a violinist of a string quartet, have just been married and are spending their honeymoon in a small hotel on the Dorset seashore, at Chesil Beach. The two are very much in love despite being from drastically different backgrounds. During the course of an evening, both reflect upon their upbringing and the prospect of their futures. Edward is sexually motivated and, though intelligent, has a taste for rash behavior. Florence is bound by the social code of another era and, perhaps having been sexually abused by her father, is terrified of sexual intimacy. Florence tries to mentally prepare herself for the inevitable consummation, but the thought of it continues to repulse her. It is 1962. Edward Mayhew and Florence Ponting first meet after they graduate from different universities. Edward is a historian, he is also a rock-and-roll fan, while Florence is a violinist who plays classical music, she is a member of a quartet of musicians. Edward and Florence fall in love almost at once, they introduce each other to their respective families, they then decide they'll get married, even with their different backgrounds. Florence is worried about the wedding, and has fears about sex, but she has no one she can talk to about these fears, and it turns out while Edward and Florence are on their honeymoon, which is at "Chesil Beach", the title of the movie, their different backgrounds come to out, Edward can get angry very quickly, and he can sometimes become physically belligerent, while Florence has a past with her Father that is never spoken about, her Father was dominating, and there is the possibility that he molested her. Both Edward and Florence are inexperienced when it comes to sex, and on the first night of their marriage, sex between them goes badly wrong. Florence runs away along the beach, and after an angry Edward catches up to her, Florence explains that while she loves Edward with all her heart, and wants to spend the rest of her life with Edward, it can only ever be as a platonic wife, Edward is angry and rejects this idea, and after a short while, the couple separate, and the marriage is annulled. It is now 1975, and a young girl walks into Edwards record shop, he soon realizes that this young girl, is Florence's daughter, and although it hurts him, he then starts to remember about his lost love, the years pass, and it's now 2007, Edward has never married, he then hears on the radio that Florence will be giving a concert with her quartet, her now husband is a part of. Edward decides he will attend the concert, his ticket has him sitting close to the front, Edward and Florence's eyes meet, just then, a tear falls from both Edward and Florence. 1 more All

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