Esther Kahn

{{more citations needed|date=March 2015}}{{Infobox film

| name = Esther Kahn

| image = Esther Kahn FilmPoster.jpeg

| caption =

| director = Arnaud Desplechin

| producer = Alain Sarde

| writer = {{ubl|Arnaud Desplechin|Emmanuel Bourdieu|Arthur Symons, story}}

| narrator = Ramin Gray

| starring = {{ubl|Summer Phoenix|Ian Holm|Fabrice Desplechin|László Szabó|Frances Barber}}

| music = Howard Shore

| cinematography = Eric Gautier

| editing = {{ubl|Hervé de Luze|Martine Giordano}}

| studio = Why Not Productions

| distributor = {{ubl|BAC Films (France)|Feature Film Company (United Kingdom)}}

| released = {{Film date|2000|05|18|Cannes|2002|03|01|U.S.|df=y}}

| runtime = 142 minutes

| country = France
United Kingdom

| language = English

| budget =

| gross =

}}

Esther Kahn is the first English-language film by the French director Arnaud Desplechin. It premiered at the 2000 Cannes Film Festival where it competed for the Palme d'Or,{{cite web |url=http://www.festival-cannes.com/en/archives/ficheFilm/id/5197/year/2000.html |title=Festival de Cannes: Esther Kahn |accessdate=2009-10-11|work=festival-cannes.com}} but was not distributed to the United States for two years until it played in New York City in 2002. It stars Summer Phoenix as Esther and Ian Holm as her friend and teacher, Nathan Quellen.

Synopsis

Esther Kahn lives in London's East End at the end of the 19th century. She works as a seamstress with her Jewish family, but finds no satisfaction in it. Withdrawn and the target of her siblings' mockery, she remains uncertain about her future. One day, after attending a play, she decides to become an actress. Starting with background roles, minor parts, and understudy work, she gradually becomes self-sufficient. Under the mentorship of Nathan Quellen, a washed-up actor, she hones her skills—but still lacks real-life experience.

Cast

Summer Phoenix - Esther Kahn
Ian Holm - Nathan Quellen
Fabrice Desplechin - Philippe Haygard
Akbar Kurtha - Samuel Kahn
Frances Barber - Rivka Kahn
László Szabó - Ytzhok Kahn
Hilary Sesta - Buba
Claudia Solti - Mina Kahn
Berna Raif - Becky Kahn
Emmanuelle Devos - Sylvia (the Italian woman)
Paul Regan - Joel
Arnold Brown - Rabbi
Leon Lissek - Theatre manager
Ian Bartholomew - Norton
Samantha Lavelle - Christel
Kika Markham - Trish
Paul Ritter - Alman, the photographer

Production

Deplechin adapted the screenplay with regular collaborator Emmanuel Bourdieu from a short story by Arthur Symons of the same name from his book Spiritual Adventures. Summer Phoenix auditioned three times before she was offered the role of Esther.{{cite web |url=https://www.nydailynews.com/suddenly-summer-youngest-phoenix-acting-clan-mark-esther-kahn-article-1.487934|title=SUDDENLY, IT'S SUMMER The youngest of the Phoenix acting clan makes her mark in 'Esther kahn'|last=Rubin|first=Lauren|work=New York Daily News|date=February 23, 2002|accessdate=June 5, 2022}}

Reception

Initial reviews of the film were mixed. On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 52%, based on 25 reviews.{{cite web|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/esther_kahn|title=Esther Kahn|website=Rotten Tomatoes|publisher=Fandango|access-date=June 1, 2022}} On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 46 out of 100, based on 12 critics.{{cite web|title=Metacritic Esther Kahn Reviews|url=https://www.metacritic.com/movie/esther-kahn|publisher=CBS Interactive Inc.|access-date=June 1, 2022}}

Cahiers du cinéma named it the best film of 2000.{{Cite web|url=http://alumnus.caltech.edu/~ejohnson/critics/cahiers.html|title=Cahiers du Cinema: Top Ten Lists 1951-2009|last=Johnson|first=Eric C.|website=alumnus.caltech.edu|language=en-US|access-date=June 1, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120327102838/http://alumnus.caltech.edu/~ejohnson/critics/cahiers.html|archive-date=2012-03-27|url-status=dead}} In 2010 it ranked 52nd on Film Comment's end of the decade critics poll.{{cite web|title=Film Comment's End-of-the-Decade Critics' Poll|url=https://www.filmcomment.com/article/film-comments-end-of-the-decade-critics-poll/|publisher=Film at Lincoln Center|access-date=June 2, 2022}}