The Ring (1996 film)

Last updated

The Ring
Danielle Steel's The Ring (1996).jpg
Home video cover
GenreDrama
Romance
Based onThe Ring by Danielle Steel
Written byNancy Sackett [1]
Carmen Culver [1]
Directed by Armand Mastroianni [1]
Starring Nastassja Kinski [1]
Linda Lavin [1]
Michael York [1]
Carsten Norgaard [1]
Rupert Penry-Jones [1]
James B. Sikking [1]
Music by Michel Legrand [1] [2]
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
Production
Executive producer Douglas S. Cramer [1]
ProducersKay Hoffman [1]
Dennis Hammer [1]
Gerald T. Olson [1]
Production locations Prague, Czech Republic [1]
New York City [1]
Montreal [3]
CinematographyGideon Porath [1]
EditorScott Vickrey [1]
Running time180 minutes [4]
Production companyStillking Productions [1]
BudgetUSD 10,000,000 [3]
Original release
Network NBC
ReleaseOctober 20 (1996-10-20) –
October 21, 1996 (1996-10-21) [5] [6]

The Ring, also known as Danielle Steel's The Ring, is a 1996 American made-for-television romantic drama film directed by Armand Mastroianni and written by Danielle Steel, based on her 1981 novel of the same name. It stars Nastassja Kinski and Michael York.

Contents

It was first broadcast on NBC in 2 parts on October 20 and October 21, 1996, [5] [6] and marked the last of Danielle Steel's novels to be broadcast as made-for-television films on the NBC network in the 1990s. [2] [1]

Plot

During World War II, a young aristocratic German woman, Ariana von Gotthard, is separated from her family and imprisoned. After being freed she falls in love with military officer Manfred von Tripp, of a similar aristocratic background, and they get married. When Berlin falls to the Soviets and her husband is killed, she flees to the United States carrying his unborn child, not giving up hope that she will find her family, which is tied together by her mother's ring.

Cast

Production

The film was shot on location in Prague, [1] [3] New York City, [1] and Montreal. [3] NBC provided a budget of USD 10,000,000 (USD 19427116, adjusted for inflation as of 2023). [3]

When asked about his role in the film, Michael York said he often wondered why he had been chosen to portray so many individuals who lived through the horrors of Nazi Germany, on either side of the conflict. With respect to von Gotthard, he specified that the character would have been in what York felt to be the silent minority within Nazi Germany. [7]

Reception

The film, originally billed as a two-part mini-series, received mixed reviews.

Kirk Nicewonger, writing for the United Features Syndicate group of newspapers, briefly stated that it would be enjoyable for fans of Steel's work, but was very negative in his opinion of its reception among general viewers. [6]

Tom Shales, writing for The Washington Post , found it to be both "flashy and classy", described the score as romantic, and though critical of the dialogue - especially when historically incongruent - was overall positive in his review. [2] [8]

Andy Webb's review for The Movie Scene gave the film three stars, noting that it included elements he felt were typical for Steel films such as over-the-top delivery and over-acting. Webb also acknowledged that most viewers don't watch Steel films for convincing acting. [9]

Patricia Smagge, for Cine Magazine, acknowledged that the overabundance of romanticism is part and parcel of a Steel film adaptation but that the film is too dependent on coincidences to be taken seriously. She preferred the first half to the second, yet stated that she found the acting throughout to be good and complimented Kinski and Norgaard's on-screen chemistry. She stated that the melodrama was what one could expect from such fare and would be enjoyed by those not expecting too much reality from the film. [4]

While acknowledging that Steel's films were the most reliable programming for NBC to counter sporting events broadcast on other networks, Variety's Ray Richmond was overwhelmingly negative in his review, calling the film "numbingly lame" while comparing The Ring unfavorably to Santa Claus Conquers the Martians . Richmond harshly criticized the setting, stating that the film managed to make World War II "inconsequential and vapid", though he did seem to enjoy the film's score. [1]

Jocelyn Beard, writing for TVData Features, mostly focused on the production of the piece, revealing NBC's allotted budget and stating that "every penny seems well-spent", adding that fans would be pleased with the result. [3]

The New York Times' reviewer John Martin stated that romance was absent in this particular piece, and that the lies Ariana tells throughout make it very difficult to like her, let alone feel any sympathy for her and the situations she finds herself embroiled in. Martin was also critical of Kinski's acting, stating the performance was emotionless. [10]

Jonathan Storm of The Philadelphia Inquirer , though, praised Kinski's role and Legrand's score, but otherwise had nothing positive to say about The Ring at all. [11]

Nielsen reported the viewing numbers for the initial showing of part two on Monday, October 21, 1996 at 10.7, with each ratings point equaling 970,000 U.S. households. [12]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nastassja Kinski</span> German actress (born 1961)

Nastassja Aglaia Kinski is a German actress and former model who has appeared in more than 60 films in Europe and the United States. Her worldwide breakthrough was with Stay as You Are (1978). She then came to global prominence with her Golden Globe Award-winning performance as the title character in the Roman Polanski-directed film Tess (1979). Other films in which she acted include the Francis Ford Coppola musical romance film One from the Heart (1982), erotic horror film Cat People (1982) from Paul Schrader, and the Wim Wenders drama films Paris, Texas (1984) and Faraway, So Close! (1993). She also appeared in the biographical drama film An American Rhapsody (2001). She is the daughter of German actor Klaus Kinski.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Danielle Steel</span> American romance novel writer (born 1947)

Danielle Fernandes Dominique Schuelein-Steel is an American writer, best known for her romance novels. She is the bestselling living author and one of the best-selling fiction authors of all time, with over 800 million copies sold. As of 2021, she has written 190 books, including over 140 novels.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Klaus Kinski</span> German actor (1926–1991)

Klaus Kinski was a German actor. Equally renowned for his intense performance style and notorious for his volatile personality, he appeared in over 130 film roles in a career that spanned 40 years, from 1948 to 1988. He is best known for starring in five films directed by Werner Herzog from 1972 to 1987, who would later chronicle their tumultuous relationship in the documentary My Best Fiend.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Larisa Oleynik</span> American actress (born 1981)

Larisa Romanovna Oleynik is an American actress. Oleynik began her career as a child actor, first appearing onstage as young Cosette in a national touring production of Les Misérables (1989–1991). She was subsequently cast in the title role on the Nickelodeon sci-fi series The Secret World of Alex Mack from 1994 to 1998. She also began a film career, starring in an ensemble cast as Dawn Schafer in the film adaptation The Baby-Sitters Club (1995), and in a lead role in the teen comedy 10 Things I Hate About You (1999).

<i>Cat People</i> (1982 film) 1982 film by Paul Schrader

Cat People is a 1982 American supernatural horror film directed by Paul Schrader and starring Nastassja Kinski, Malcolm McDowell, John Heard, and Annette O'Toole. It is a remake of the 1942 RKO Radio Pictures film of the same name. Giorgio Moroder composed the film's score, including the theme song, which features lyrics and vocals by David Bowie. Jerry Bruckheimer served as an executive producer.

Stacy Haiduk is an American actress. She starred as Lana Lang in the syndicated superhero series Superboy (1988–1992) and as Katherine Hitchcock in the NBC science fiction series, seaQuest DSV (1993–1994). Haiduk also had leading roles in the NBC prime time soap opera, The Round Table (1992) and Fox supernatural horror series, Kindred: The Embraced (1996), and has appeared in a number of feature and made-for-television movies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joanna Barnes</span> American actress and writer (1934–2022)

Joanna Barnes was an American actress and writer.

<i>Faraway, So Close!</i> 1993 film by Wim Wenders

Faraway, So Close! is a 1993 German fantasy film directed by Wim Wenders, who co-wrote the screenplay with Richard Reitinger and Ulrich Zieger. It is a sequel to Wenders' 1987 film Wings of Desire. Actors Otto Sander, Bruno Ganz and Peter Falk reprise their roles as angels who have become human. The film also stars Nastassja Kinski, Willem Dafoe, and Heinz Rühmann in his last film role.

<i>To the Devil a Daughter</i> 1976 film

To the Devil a Daughter, sometimes stylised as To the Devil... a Daughter, is a 1976 horror film directed by Peter Sykes and starring Richard Widmark, Christopher Lee, Honor Blackman, Nastassja Kinski, and Denholm Elliott. Based on the 1953 novel of the same name by Dennis Wheatley, it follows an American occult researcher in England who attempts to save a young girl preyed upon by a Satanic cult led by a fallen Catholic priest.

<i>A Perfect Stranger</i> (novel) 1982 romance novel by Danielle Steel

A Perfect Stranger is a romance novel by American author Danielle Steel published in 1982. It is Steel's fourteenth novel.

<i>Stay as You Are</i> 1978 Italian film

Stay as You Are, also known as Stay the Way You Are, is a 1978 erotic drama film, directed by Alberto Lattuada, starring Nastassja Kinski, Marcello Mastroianni, Barbara De Rossi, and Ania Pieroni. An Italian–Spanish co-production, it follows the May–December romance between a vivacious young college student and a middle-aged professional who is unhappy in his marriage.

<i>No Greater Love</i> (1996 film) 1996 television film based on Danielle Steel novel No Greater Love.

No Greater Love, also known as Danielle Steel's No Greater Love, is a 1996 American made-for-television romantic drama film directed by Richard T. Heffron. The film is based upon the 1991 novel of the same name written by Danielle Steel.

<i>Exposed</i> (1983 film) 1983 film by James Toback

Exposed is a 1983 American drama film written, produced and directed by James Toback. It stars Nastassja Kinski, Rudolf Nureyev, Harvey Keitel, Ian McShane and Bibi Andersson.

<i>Mixed Blessings</i> (film) 1995 American TV series or program

Mixed Blessings, also known as Danielle Steel's Mixed Blessings, is a 1995 American made-for-television romantic drama film directed by Bethany Rooney. The film is based upon the 1993 novel of the same name written by Danielle Steel. It contains three stories of couples who are facing parenthood for the first time. Scott Baio, Bess Armstrong, Gabrielle Carteris, and Bruce Greenwood lead the all-star cast.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ariana Grande</span> American singer, songwriter and actress (born 1993)

Ariana Grande-Butera is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Regarded as a pop icon and an influential figure in popular music, she is noted for her four-octave vocal range and her signature use of the whistle register. Grande's various awards include two Grammy Awards, one Brit Award, two Billboard Music Awards, three American Music Awards, nine MTV Video Music Awards, and 36 Guinness World Records. Rolling Stone named her one of the greatest vocalists of all time.

<i>Vanished</i> (1995 film) 1995 American TV series or program

Vanished, also known as Danielle Steel's Vanished, is a 1995 American made-for-television romantic drama film directed by George Kaczender and starring George Hamilton, Robert Hays and Lisa Rinna. The film is based on the 1993 novel of the same name by Danielle Steel.

<i>Tess</i> (1979 film) 1979 film by Roman Polanski

Tess is a 1979 drama film directed by Roman Polanski and starring Nastassja Kinski, Peter Firth, and Leigh Lawson. It is an adaptation of Thomas Hardy's 1891 novel Tess of the d'Urbervilles. The screenplay was written by Gérard Brach, John Brownjohn, and Roman Polanski. The film received positive critical reviews upon release and was nominated for six Academy Awards, including Best Picture, winning three for Best Cinematography, Best Art Direction and Best Costume Design.

Crackerjack is a 1994 Canadian action film directed by Michael Mazo, and starring Thomas Ian Griffith, Nastassja Kinski and Christopher Plummer. In it, a troubled cop (Griffith) and a tour guide (Kinski) attempt to prevent a high-stakes robber (Plummer) from burying the mountain hotel hosting a wealthy mobster—whom both cop and robber are after—in an avalanche. The film was part of a wave of 1990s Die Hard imitators, and is often regarded as one of the better-made independent efforts in that subgenre.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wilhelm von Brincken</span> German actor (1881-1946)

Wilhelm von Brincken, also known as Wilhelm L. von Brincken, William Vaughn, William von Brinken, and William Vaughan, was a German diplomat and spy during World War I, who went on to become an American character actor of the silent and talkie eras.

<i>Full Circle</i> (novel) 1984 novel by Danielle Steel

Full Circle is a 1984 romance novel by American Danielle Steel. It was adapted by Karol Ann Hoeffner into a 1996 television film starring Teri Polo. It is Steel's seventeenth novel.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 Richmond, Ray (October 17, 1996). "Danielle Steel's the Ring". Variety . Retrieved May 27, 2024.
  2. 1 2 3 Shales, Tom (October 20, 1996). "Steel actually succeeds in writing a good story" . Arlington Heights Daily Herald . p. 99. Retrieved May 27, 2024– via Newspaper Archive. Column syndicated from The Washington Post.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Beard, Jocelyn (October 20, 1996). "'The Ring' familiar fare for Danielle Steel fans" . Fairbanks Daily News-Miner . p. 89. Retrieved May 27, 2024– via Newspaper Archive. Published as part of TVData Features Syndicate.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 Smagge, Patricia. "The Ring – Danielle Steel's The Ring (1996)". Cine Magazine (in Dutch). Retrieved May 27, 2024.
  5. 1 2 Spongle, Michele (October 18, 1996). "Critic's Choice" . Medicine Hat News . p. 67. Retrieved May 27, 2024– via Newspaper Archive.
  6. 1 2 3 Nicewonger, Kirk (October 19, 1996). "Primetime" . Colorado Springs Gazette Telegraph . p. 22. Retrieved May 27, 2024– via Newspaper Archive. part of United Features Syndication.
  7. ↑ Bobbin, Jay (October 20, 1996). "History has a thing for York" . Elyria Chronicle Telegram. No. 294. p. 53. Retrieved May 27, 2024– via Newspaper Archive. Syndicated from Tribune Media Services.
  8. ↑ Shales, Tom (October 19, 1996). "Steel's soap opera a ringing good tale" . The Atlanta Constitution . Vol. 47, no. 46. p. R3. Retrieved May 27, 2024– via Newspapers.com. Column syndicated from The Washington Post.
  9. ↑ Webb, Andy. "Danielle Steel's The Ring (1996)". The Movie Scene. Archived from the original on December 9, 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  10. ↑ Martin, John (October 19, 1996). "Nazi horrors found prominently in 'Broken Glass', 'The Ring'" . Carlsbad Current-Argus . p. 7. Retrieved May 27, 2024– via Newspapers.com. Syndicated column from The New York Times.
  11. ↑ Storm, Jonathan (October 18, 1996). "Nazi menace is the powerful background in two dramas Sunday" . The Philadelphia Inquirer . p. E12. Retrieved May 27, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
  12. ↑ "List of Week's TV Ratings" . The Montgomery Advertiser . Vol. 169, no. 256. The Associated Press. October 31, 1996. p. 3C. Retrieved May 27, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.