Set halfway through the 17th century, a church play is performed for the benefit of the young aristocrat Cosimo. In the play, a grotesque old woman gives birth to a beautiful baby boy. The child's older sister is quick to exploit the situation, selling blessings from the baby, and even claiming she's the true mother by virgin birth. However, when she attempts to seduce the bishop's son, the Church exacts a terrible revenge.
Cast
Julia Ormond
The Daughter
Ralph Fiennes
The Bishop's Son
Philip Stone
The Bishop
Jonathan Lacey
Cosimo Medici
Don Henderson
The Father Confessor
Celia Gregory
The Mother Superior
Jeff Nuttall
The Major Domo
Jessica Hynes
The First Midwife (as Jessica Stevenson)
Kathryn Hunter
The Second Midwife
Gabrielle Reidy
The Third Midwife
Frank Egerton
The Prompter
Phelim McDermott
The First Tutor
Tony Vogel
The Father
Tatiana Strauss
The First Nun
Louisa Milwood-Haigh
The Second Nun
Anna Nieland
The Wetnurse
Graham Valentine
Famine
Diana van Kolck
The Mother
Leslie Cuss
The Second Tutor
Rien Kroon
The Chaplain
Jan Sepers
Carpaccio
Nils Dorando
The Baby of Mâcon
Richard Blair
The First Soldier
Tony Dunham
The Second Soldier
Humphrey Sallons
Cosimo's Servant
Dennis Rudge
Entourage Servant
Hans Bosch
Entourage Servant
Sjoerd Ghijssen
Entourage Servant
Michiel Riedijk
Entourage Servant
Bert Sevenhuijsen
The Deacon
John Hartnett
Cynical Auction Bidder (uncredited)
Bastian Pastewka
Laborer (uncredited)
Dela Maria Vaags
Choir Farmer's Wives (uncredited)
Crew
Peter Greenaway
Director, Writer
Chris Wyatt
Editor
Sacha Vierny
Director of Photography
Denis Wigman
Executive Producer
Kees Kasander
Producer
Christoph Hahnheiser
Co-Producer
Yves Marmion
Co-Producer
Ben van Os
Production Design
Jan Roelfs
Production Design
Abi Cohen
Casting
Clemens Erbach
Casting
Ellen Lens
Costume Design
Dien van Straalen
Costume Design
Sara Meerman
Makeup Artist
Birger Laube
Makeup Effects Designer
Nigel Heath
Sound Editor
Ed Colyer
Assistant Sound Editor
Paul Govey
Sound Re-Recording Mixer
Mark Taylor
Sound Re-Recording Mixer
Garth Marshall
Sound Mixer
Seumas Next
Sound Effects
Jack Stew
Foley Artist
Paul M. van Brugge
Music Producer
Daniel Reuss
Music Consultant
Ben Zuydwijk
Painter
Bavo Defurne
Set Decoration
