Stealing Heaven
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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Stealing Heaven is a 1988 film, a costume drama based on the French 12th century medieval romance (a true story) of Peter Abelard and Héloïse and on a historical novel by Marion Meade. The director was Clive Donner.
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Plot
Abelard is a famous teacher of philosophy at the cathedral school of Notre Dame, and a champion of reason, at a time when academics are required to observe chastity. He falls in love with one of his students, Héloïse d'Argenteuil, a sixteen-year old gentlewoman raised in a convent, who has both intellectual curiosity and a rebellious view of the low status of women in 12th century Europe. When the relationship is suspected, Heloise's uncle Fulbert, who had other plans for her marriage, works with the bishop of Paris to put a stop to it. Nevertheless, Abelard and Heloise have a child together and later are secretly married. Abelard faces a struggle with himself for acting against the will of God and yet loves Heloise too much to be able to stop himself. Heloise's uncle takes a terrible revenge on Abelard for ruining Heloise's chance of a rich husband.
Cast
- Derek de Lint as Peter Abelard
- Kim Thomson as Héloïse
- Denholm Elliott as Fulbert
- Bernard Hepton as Bishop
- Kenneth Cranham as Sugar
- Rachel Kempson as Prioress
- Mark Jax as Jourdain
- Angela Pleasence as Sister Cecilia
- Timothy Watson as François
- Patsy Byrne as Agnes
- Victoria Burgoyne as Prostitute
- Philip Locke as Poussin
- Cassie Stuart as Petronilla
- Andrew McLean as Gerard
- Thomas Lockyer as Thomas
- Mark Audley as Luke
- Kai Dominic as Paul
- Miki Hewitt as Sister Claire
- Yvonne Bryceland as Baroness Lamarck
- Vjenceslav Kapural as Baron Lamarck
- Ivo Husnjak as Gaston Lamarck
- Jeremy Hawk as Ancient Priest
- Moniek Kramer as Jeanne
- Drago Mitrovic as Priest
- Zvonimir Ferencic as Bishop
- Eugen Marcelic as Astrolabe
- Lela Simecki as Sister Therese
Crew
- Andros Epaminondas, Producer
- Susan George, Executive Producer
- Simon MacCorkindale, Producer
- Clive Donner, Director
- Chris Bryant, Screenplay
- Marion Meade, novel
See also
