The Human Stain
Brief Synopsis
Cast & Crew
Robert Benton
Anthony Hopkins
Nicole Kidman
Ed Harris
Gary Sinise
Wentworth Miller
Film Details
Technical Specs
Synopsis
On a snow-covered road in New England, retired Classics professor Coleman Silk and his much younger girl friend, Faunia Farley, are killed when their car is forced off the road into a frozen lake by an oncoming red pickup truck. Coleman's close friend, writer Nathan Zuckerman, stunned by the unexpected deaths, sets about examining Coleman's life: As a Jew from a poor background, Coleman attends prestigious Yale and Oxford graduate universities before becoming the Dean of Faculty at small Athena College in Massachusetts. Over the next thirty-five years, Coleman, a dedicated progressive, reforms the conservative college, first invigorating the stale academic program, then appointing the school's first female and African-American professors. In 1998, nearly two years before his death, and a month into the new term, during a class lecture Coleman grows irritated when he calls upon two students who are continually absent. Frustrated, Coleman asks the class why the students are never in attendance and wryly questions whether they exist or are "spooks." Shortly thereafter, the students, both African American, lodge a complaint against Coleman for making a racially insulting remark. Called before a board led by Professor Delphine Roux, an outraged Coleman denies that he knew the students' race, refuses to apologize and resigns in a furor. At home, Coleman angrily tells his wife Iris about the meeting and his resignation. Equally livid, Iris supports her husband's decision, only to be overcome by a sudden brain aneurysm that causes her death. Six months later, Coleman seeks out Nathan, who has taken refuge in a lone cabin in the country where he is attempting to return to writing after surviving prostate cancer and a divorce. Coleman asks Nathan to write about the hypocrisy of the academic establishment that caused Iris' death, but as the men become friends, Nathan encourages Coleman to tell his own story. Coleman spends a year working on the project, only to confess to Nathan that his attempts have failed. While packing the private effects he has been using for his memoir, Coleman ignores Nathan's urging to continue writing and pauses over a photograph of beautiful blonde Steena Paulsson, his great love when an undergraduate student at New York University. Coleman then confides in Nathan that he has begun an affair with a thirty-four-year-old woman, Faunia, a cleaning woman at the local post office and the college. Delighted by Faunia's frank sexual interest and made confident through the use of a sex stimulant drug, Coleman continues the affair, ignoring the disapproval by his friends and Athena's faculty. Although guarded and uncomfortable with Coleman's reputation and status in the town, Faunia finally confides in him that she came from a wealthy background that was shattered by her parents' divorce. Faunia relates that after being sexually abused by her stepfather, she ran away from home and succeeded as best as she could on her own. One evening at Faunia's room on the dairy farm where she also works, Coleman and Faunia are interrupted by the arrival of Lester Farley, Faunia's ex-husband, who drives a red pickup truck. Les, a Vietnam veteran who served two tours of duty, has spent several stretches in a veteran's rehabilitation program under psychiatric care and believes that Faunia used this to take away their two children. Coleman is surprised to learn these details of Faunia's past, but does not judge her. Despite Coleman's understanding, Faunia continues to feel uncomfortable about their social differences and suggests they stop seeing each other, but Coleman refuses. Another evening, Les again harasses Faunia and Coleman at night and, after contacting the police, Faunia demands that Les leave her alone. Les insults Coleman and then angrily accuses Faunia of murdering their children. Later after the police have escorted Les away, Faunia confesses to Coleman that she remains racked with guilt by the deaths of both her children in an accidental fire. Soon after, Coleman receives an anonymous note accusing him of taking advantage of a helpless, abused woman. Certain the note has come from an Athena faculty member, Coleman takes it to his lawyer, Nelson Primus, and requests advice. Incensed when both Nelson and later Nathan advise him to give up Faunia, Coleman recalls a pivotal event from his youth in the 1940s: As a successful boxer in high school, Coleman is surprised when his coach, Doc Chizner, assures him that he can win an athletic scholarship to the University of Pittsburgh. Although very fair-skinned, Coleman is African American and asks Doc how he could be accepted. Doc guarantees that if Coleman refrains from identifying himself as black, the scholarship board will assume that he is Jewish, like Doc. At home, Coleman dines with his family, his father, former optometrist Clarence, his mother, Dorothy, a nurse, younger sister Ernestine and older brother Walter, on leave from the army. Clarence has learned of Coleman's boxing success and despite the news of a scholarship, coldly disapproves and insists that Coleman enroll in Howard University, a noted black school. That evening, Clarence, who now works as a waiter on a train dining car, collapses and dies of a heart attack. Shortly after, Dorothy consoles Coleman but is baffled by her son's insistent refusal to attend Howard as Clarence wished. When Coleman explains that he does not want to live defined by his race, but rather by his individual talents, Dorothy remains dismayed and perplexed. Coleman then enlists in the navy, identifying himself for the first time as white. Later, at NYU, Coleman and Steena have become seriously involved, although Coleman has not confessed his true race. Confident of her love for him, Coleman invites Steena to go home to meet Dorothy and, elated by the implications, she accepts. Although stunned upon seeing Dorothy, Steena remains outwardly unruffled during the visit, but on the train ride home breaks down and acknowledges to Coleman that she cannot continue their relationship. Deeply hurt, Coleman takes his anger out by becoming a professional boxer known as "Silky" Silk and is especially brutal to black opponents. In the present, Nathan again entreats Coleman to stop seeing Faunia as her continued association with Les could prove dangerous. Instead, Coleman convinces Faunia to stay overnight at his home for the first time. The next morning, however, when Coleman makes breakfast for her, Faunia unexpectedly bursts into anger over his unassuming kindness and denounces him for his safe, comfortable life in which he has never suffered. Faunia flees from the house, but after spending most of the day reflecting on her past, returns and offers Coleman an apology. Coleman then admits he has something to tell her that no one else knows. That afternoon, Coleman and Faunia go for a drive and are forced off the road to their deaths by Les. Nathan later learns that an inquiry by the VA psychiatric board concludes that Les is delusional, but cannot establish that he was responsible for the accident. Coleman's sister Ernestine attends his funeral and Nathan approaches her, believing she is the wife of an Athena faculty member. Ernestine explains her identity and, surprised but fascinated, Nathan asks for more details of Coleman's past: After graduating from NYU, Coleman visits Dorothy bearing a photograph of Iris, a young Jewish woman he has been dating, whom he intends to marry. When Dorothy remarks that he has not brought Iris to meet her, Coleman uncomfortably admits that he has told Iris that his parents are dead. Realizing that Coleman means never to reveal his identity to Iris and intends to cut himself off entirely from his family and roots, Dorothy sadly berates her son and, with a broken heart, bids him farewell. Later that evening, Walter visits Coleman and orders him never to see Dorothy again. In the present, Ernestine relates that she was the only family member to keep in touch with Coleman throughout the years, but never understood why he felt it necessary to lie his entire life. Ernestine and Nathan wonder if Coleman ever revealed his past to anyone. After the publication of Nathan's book on Coleman's controversial life, Nathan seeks out Les to let him know that he holds Les responsible for Coleman and Faunia's death. Les responds that no one else will ever really know the truth.
Director
Robert Benton
Cast
Anthony Hopkins
Nicole Kidman
Ed Harris
Gary Sinise
Wentworth Miller
Jacinda Barrett
Harry Lennix
Clark Gregg
Anna Deavere Smith
Lizan Mitchell
Kerry Washington
Phyllis Newman
Margo Martindale
Ron Canada
Mili Avital
Danny Blanco Hall
Kristen Blevins
Anne Dudek
Mimi Kuzyk
John Finn
Jeff Perry
Rick Snyder
Danny Stone
Vito Defilippo
Robert Higden
Vlasta Vrana
Richard Mawe
Tom Rack
Bill Rowat
Richard Russo
Andrew Forge
Stella Arroyave
Jude Beny
Peter Cunningham
John Cenatiempo
Frank Proctor
Deano Clavet
Sylvain Doré
Neville Edwards
Phillip Colette Gervais
Allison Davis
Charles W. Gray
Edward Lafferty
Steven Grisé
Kim Gandol Ferenczi
Terry Haig
Laurent Imbault
Sylvian Landry
Pierre Leblanc
Nwamiko Madden
Luc Morissette
Philip Pretten
Jessica Shulte
Kate Whitney
Brea Asher
Russell Yuen
Jimmy Chang
Lydia Zadel
Crew
Richard Abate Sr.
Richard Abate Jr.
Jean-françois Abran
Marco Aiello
Ellie Mae Aitken
Robert Albano
Bill Allen
Nancy Allen
Stuart Allen
Bob Andres
Bernard April
Fabienne April
Florence April-borgeat
Deborah Aquila
Karl Archambault
Serge Archambault
Jeff Atmajian
Denise Avallon
Cassandra Barbour
Guillaume Bard
Bob Baron
Mario Barrière
Michael Barry
Allison Barton
Dondi Bastone
Sophie Béasse
Lynn Beaudin
Stéphanie Beaudin
André Beaudry
Maude Beaunoyer
Tim Belcher
Woody Bell
Catherine Bellazzi
Marie Bellemare
Wyatt Belton
Maggy Belzile
Ariane Benmergui
Pierre Bergeron
Irving Berlin
Carlos Bermudez
Sylvain Bernier
Bruno Bienvenue
Pat Birch
Joe Bishop
Bob Blanks
Kent Blocher
Josée Boisvert
Artaya Boonsoong
Joe Bossi
Joan G. Bostwick
Jérome Bouchard
Michel Boulanger
David Boulton
Eric Boyle
Ron Bozman
Ron Bozman
Mario Brabent
Éric Brais
Julie Breton
R. J. Broadhurst
Richard Brunet
Jada Budrick
Laurie Buehler
Milton Buras
Walter Byrns
Marie Caihier Chartrand
Bertrand Calmeau
Dave Cambria
Tony Campenni
John Capron
Jean Cardinal
Annie Carignan
Mark Casey
Jason Cavalier
Kevin Chabonier
Gillian Chandler
Barbara Chappell
Daniel Charbonneau
Winnie Cheng
Danica Chipman
Daniel Chretien Jr.
Sue Christy
Deborah Clapp
Terry Claybon
Eric Coates
Steven B. Cohen
Robin D. Cook
Nicola Corbo
Marko Costanza
Robert Côté
Marie-claude Couture
Martin Couture
Chris Cozens
Louis Craig
Stephen Craig
John Cronk
Robert Cuddy
Alex Curzi
Guy Danella
Jessica Daniels
Ross Danielson
Caroline Daoud
Diane Daoust
Pierre Daudelin
Hannah Davies
Scott Davis
Jean-maurice De Ernsted
Bridget De Socio
Jean Decarie
Jacinthe Demers
Jean-yves Denis
Marie-soleil Dénommé
Jean Desroches
Chris Dibble
Jerry Dicarlo
Lee Dichter
Chantal Difilippo
Mike Dileso
Justin Dittrich
Tom Dolan
James Donahue
Kelly Doran
Stéphane Doyon
Yves Drapeau
Tim Driscoll
Amélie Duceppe
Bob Dudley
Dave Duggan
Aleck Duncan
Jacques Dupuis
André Duval
Gilbert Eatherton
Evan Edelist
Duke Ellington
Lang Elliott
Brian Ellis
Adam Ellison
Meryl Emmerton
Carl émond
Gilles émond
Jennifer Engel
Kendall Errair
Jean Yves Escoffier
Louise Eusanio
Benoit Falardeau
Kevin Fennessy
Mark Fitzgerald
Bill Flanagan
Jimmy Flynn
Jake Forester
Jay Fortune
Marisa Forzano
Jean Frenette
Kyra Friedman
Chantal Gagné
Jocelyne Gagné
Valérie Gagné
Luc Gagnier
Eames Gagnon
Pedro B. Gandol
Rolando Garcia
Tim Gatena
Véronique Gaudet
Benoît Gauhier
Atelier Nina Gauvin
John Gendron
Abbot Genser
George Gershwin
Ira Gershwin
Sébastien Gervais
Philippe Gilbert
Kristian Girard
Stéphanie Girard-hamelin
Rémi Giroux
Nicolas Godbout
Mick Gormaley
Marco Grégoire
David Gropman
Geneviève Hamel
Marjorie Hamel
Réal Hamel
George Hamer
Arthur Hamilton
Martin Handfield
Sofie Handfield
Johnny Harkala
Rob Harris
Manal Hassib
Steven Haun
Éric Hébert
Tricia Heine
Yannick Henrico
Woody Herman
Alex Hernandez
Harry Higgins
Christopher Hills-wright
Elizabeth Himelstein
Steven Hodge
Micky Hohl
Debbie Holbrook
Film Details
Technical Specs
Quotes
Trivia
Notes
The Human Stain was shot on location in Quebec, Canada and at Williams College, Williamstown, MA. The film, which moves backward and forward in time, is narrated in voice-over by "Nathan Zuckerman," played by Gary Sinise. Author Philip Roth used the Zuckerman character in several of his other novels (including one titled Zuckerman Unbound), and Zuckerman is generally acknowledged to be a stand-in or alter ego for Roth. Many critics noted the difficulties of adapting Roth's complex novel, which, along with its central theme of an African American "passing for white," also addressed life in the academic establishment, American politics and culture of the late 1990s and religion.
A notable omission from the novel to the film was the deletion of "Coleman" and "Iris Silk's" children. Although there are onscreen credits for actors portraying "Lisa," "Mark" and "Jeff Silk," neither the characters nor the actors appeared in the released film. According to an interview with screenwriter Nicholas Meyer, their parts were shot but cut from the released picture.
The film opens with the car accident in which Coleman and "Faunia Farley" are killed, but the dirver of the pickup truck is not shown. Coleman and Faunia's deaths are not revealed until mid-way through the novel. The film implies that Coleman identifies himself as Jewish because of the influence of his boxing coach, "Doc Chizner," but in the book Coleman refuses Doc's suggestion, only identifying himself as Jewish when college friends and associates repeatedly identify him as Jewish. Another significant difference between the film and the novel is that in the novel, Coleman's father, "Clarence," dies while Coleman is in his first semester at Howard University, located in Washington, D.C., where Coleman bristles against being circumscribed as a black man, thus leading to his decision to pass for white. Another major difference is that in the film, after "Steena Paulsson" rejects Coleman, he becomes a professional boxer who is especially brutal to black opponents. In the novel, Coleman gives up boxing when he meets Steena.
According to a Daily Variety article, the release of The Human Stain was postponed after its showing at the Toronto Film Festival from 26 September to 31 October in order to better position the film as an Academy Award contender. Articles noted that the film had a mixed reception with audiences at both the Venice and the Toronto Film Festivals, which May have prompted the release date change. Many reviews criticized the casting of Welsh-born actor Anthony Hopkins as the light-skinned, African-American Coleman. The Variety reviewer noted the "film's questionable elements...especially the casting of Anthony Hopkins...playing an African-American, a prospect that seems...utterly preposterous," but acknowledged the difficulty in casting for this particular story. Producers responded that casting a known black actor would have robbed the film of a crucial narrative element of complexity and surprise.
The Human Stain marked the feature film debut of Wentworth Miller. The film was dedicated to cinematographer Jean Yves Escoffier, who died shortly after its completion. The Human Stain was selected by AFI as one of the top ten films of 2003.
Miscellaneous Notes
Voted one of the 10 best films of 2003 by the American Film Institute (AFI).
Released in United States 2003
Released in United States Fall October 31, 2003
Released in United States on Video July 20, 2004
Released in United States September 2003
Shown at London Film Festival October 22-November 6, 2003.
Shown at Toronto International Film Festival (Gala Screening) September 4-13, 2003.
Shown at Venice International Film Festival (out of competition) August 27 - September 6, 2003.
Released in United States 2003 (Shown at London Film Festival October 22-November 6, 2003.)
Released in United States 2003 (Shown at Venice International Film Festival (out of competition) August 27 - September 6, 2003.)
Philip Roth reportedly received low six against low seven figures for the rights to his novel, "The Human Stain."
Philip Roth reportedly received low six against low seven figures for the rights to his novel, "The Human Stain."
Released in United States on Video July 20, 2004
Released in United States September 2003 (Shown at Toronto International Film Festival (Gala Screening) September 4-13, 2003.)
Released in United States Fall October 31, 2003
