Jefferson in Paris

"You will forgive my perhaps somewhat exaggerated anxiety. For an American, freedom of religious conscience is one of our great principles."

"A wise man will only depend upon himself."

"Our heart is pleased because she is pleased."

"We joined the crowd admitted, according to some ancient custom, to view the king and queen on their way to Mass. I meant to impress upon my daughter the vainglory of these spectacles. May we Americans never emulate them, nor burden our taxpayers with such useless splendors."

"You and I are alive, and the Earth belongs to us, the living."

"[referring to Franz Mesmer's animal magnetism practice] Sir, this is just trash and tricks for the weak mind."

"Sally, this is your money. It'll be right here in the corner."

"[on the verge of tears] There's something in my eye."

"He will never marry again because that is what he vowed to my mama on her deathbed."

"He is the best master in all of Virginia, but he is the master, and they're the servants. Slaves! And I am certain that they hate us—yes, I know they do."

"[to Jefferson] Do you have no son?"

"You roast it, then you eats it on the cob. And it's the sweetest stuff you ever eaten in your life."

"[to James Hemings] Won't be no field nigger if it's his own child I's carryin'."

"Sal, if we stays in Paris, we's free."

"God Almighty never meant to human beings to be like animals. We has a soul, and a head and a mind!"

"Don't you wanna see what it's like to own your own body?"

"The film is lavishly produced and visually splendid, like all the Merchant-Ivory productions ("Howards End," "The Remains of the Day"). But what is it about? Revolution? History? Slavery? Romance? No doubt a lot of research and speculation went into Jhabvala's screenplay, but I wish she had finally decided to jump one way or the other. The movie tells no clear story and has no clear ideas; it is all elaborate glimpses of a private man who, as the architect of his own home, did not see why anyone would ever want to walk upstairs side-by-side."

"Casting Nick Nolte as a Founding Father may sound like this film's riskiest choice, but in fact it makes solid sense. Beyond having the right physical stature for the imposing, sandy-haired Jefferson, Mr. Nolte captures the man's vigor and his stiff sense of propriety. He may not adapt effortlessly to the role of an intellectual giant, but his performance is thoroughly creditable, despite lines like "My poor head was simply whirled about by my unruly heart." His intensely masculine presence goes a long way toward explaining Jefferson's deep, overlapping involvements with women at this stage of his life."

"Nick Nolte as Thomas Jefferson"

"Gwyneth Paltrow as Patsy Jefferson"

"Estelle Eonnet as Polly Jefferson"

"Thandie Newton as Sally Hemings"

"Seth Gilliam as James Hemings"

"Todd Boyce as William Short"

"Nigel Whitmey as John Trumbull"

"Nicolas Silberg as Monsieur Petit"

"Catherine Samie as Cook"

"Lionel Robert as Cook's Helper"

"Greta Scacchi as Maria Cosway"

"Simon Callow as Richard Cosway"

"Lambert Wilson as Marquis de Lafayette"

"Elsa Zylberstein as Adrienne de Lafayette"

"William Moseley as George Washington de Lafayette"

"Jean-Pierre Aumont as d'Hancarville"

"Anthony Valentine as British Ambassador"

"Michael Lonsdale as Louis XVI"

"Charlotte de Turckheim as Marie-Antoinette"

"Damien Groëlle as The Dauphin"

"Louise Balsan as Madame Royal"

"Valérie Toledano as Madame Elizabeth"

"Vernon Dobtcheff as King's Translator"

"Nancy Marchand as Madame Abbesse"

"Jessica Lloyd as Julia"

"Daniel Mesguich as Mesmer"

"William Christie as Conductor"

"Jean-Paul Fouchécourt as Dardanus"

"Ismail Merchant as Tipoo Sultin's Ambassador"

"Vincent Cassel as Camille Desmoulins"

"James Earl Jones as Madison Hemings"

"Beatrice Winde as Mary Hemings"