The Scarlet Letter (1995): cast, story & where to watch
1995 · Film · ★ 6
Released in 1995, The Scarlet Letter is a drama, romance and western film directed by Roland Joffé, running about 135 minutes. “When intimacy is forbidden and passion is a sin, love is the most defiant crime of all.” — that tagline sets the tone.
What it’s about. Set in puritanical Boston in the mid 1600s, the story of seamstress Hester Prynne, who is outcast after she becomes pregnant by a respected reverend. She refuses to divulge the name of the father, is "convicted" of adultery and forced to wear a scarlet "A" until an Indian attack unites the Puritans and leads to a reevaluation of their laws and morals.
Who’s in it. The Scarlet Letter stars Demi Moore as Hester Prynne, Gary Oldman as Rev. Arthur Dimmesdale, Robert Duvall as Roger Chillingworth and Robert Prosky as Horace Stonehall, among others.
How it landed. With an audience score of 6.0/10, The Scarlet Letter has drawn a solid, mixed-to-positive response. It went on to earn $10.4M at the box office.
Where to watch. In US you can rent or buy it from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies and YouTube. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch The Scarlet Letter page.
If you liked it. Fans of The Scarlet Letter tend to enjoy The Shawshank Redemption, The Godfather, Schindler's List and The Godfather Part II.
Frequently asked
- Where can I watch The Scarlet Letter (1995)?
- In US, The Scarlet Letter is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store and Google Play Movies. Availability varies by country — check our where-to-watch page for every region.
- Is The Scarlet Letter worth watching?
- The Scarlet Letter holds an audience score of 6.0 out of 10, and is a strong pick if you enjoy drama, romance and western. Reactions are mixed, so it may depend on taste.
- Who stars in The Scarlet Letter?
- The Scarlet Letter stars Demi Moore, Gary Oldman, Robert Duvall, Robert Prosky and Edward Hardwicke.
- When was The Scarlet Letter released?
- The Scarlet Letter was released in 1995, with a runtime of about 135 minutes.