Plot: ' original novel "The French Lieutenant's Woman" was distinguished by a literary technique that involved telling a story of Victorian sexual and social oppression within the bounds of a 1970s viewpoint. How does one convey this time-frame dichotomy on film? The decision made by Writer and Director and Screenwriter was to frame Fowles' basic plot within a "modern" context of their own making. While we watch as Sarah, a nineteenth century Englishwoman ruined by an affair with a French Lieutenant, enters into another disastrous relationship with principled young Charles (), we are constantly made aware that what we're seeing is only a movie. This is done by surrounding the story with a modern narrative, focusing on a movie production company which is on-location filming "The French Lieutenant's Woman". doubles in the role of Sara and the American actress who plays her, while Jeremy Irons essays the dual role of Charles and the handsome Briton playing Charles. Likewise, everyone else in the cast is seen as "themselves" and as their French Lieutenant's Woman characters. Not surprisingly, the "real" Streep and Irons enter into an affair which closely parallels their characters' relationship
Alternative Plot: In this story-within-a-story, Anna (Meryl Streep) is an actress starring opposite Mike (Jeremy Irons) in a period piece about the forbidden love between their respective characters, Sarah and Charles. Both actors are involved in serious relationships, but the passionate nature of the script leads to an off-camera love affair as well. While attempting to maintain their composure and professionalism, Anna and Mike struggle to come to terms with their infidelity.
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