The Scarlet Letter 1995

Caryn James, New York Times: If you've read the book you won't know the ending. Let's just say that Indians with flaming arrows come to the rescue. They manage to keep a straight face, which is more than anyone in the audience will be able to do. Read more

Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times: Though it's unclear what the audience would be for a faithful rendition of the Hawthorne novel, the question of who would ever want to see this one is murkier still. Read more

Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader: "Freely adapted from the novel by Nathaniel Hawthorne," the credits say cautiously. I'll say. Read more

Entertainment Weekly: Read more

James Berardinelli, ReelViews: Literary purists will be aghast at some of the liberties taken with the original text, but my complaints have more to do with cinematic misjudgments than with those in the book-to-screen translation. Read more

Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times: The movie has removed the character's sense of guilt, and therefore the story's drama. Read more

Peter Stack, San Francisco Chronicle: This is a well-acted, beautiful movie. Read more

Derek Adams, Time Out: Not only does the film bear little resemblance to the source novel, but it's cluttered with ridiculous symbolism. Read more

Todd McCarthy, Variety: A very '90s take on a 1660s tale written in 1850, as a picture of early colonial life it's about as convincing as Pocahontas. Read more

Desson Thomson, Washington Post: Picture yourself trudging out of the theater with a letter "D" (for "disappointment") firmly pinned to your chest. Read more

Rita Kempley, Washington Post: The picture's period furnishings include Hester's 17th-century hot tub. Read more