while in her deathbed and ann lord ( vanessa redgrave ) repeat the name harris and recall the day on the 50 when she be an aspirant singer and travel from new york to be the maid of honor of her wealthy friend lila wittenborn ( mamie gummer ) in newport . ann grant ( claire dane ) be welcome by lila alcoholic and reckless brother buddy ( hugh dancy ) in the wittenborn cottage at seaside and he tell her that his sister be in love actually for their friend and servant harris arden ( patrick wilson ) and who fight in the war and have graduate in medicine . later the bride to be confesses her true feeling about harris to ann . however and when ann meet harris and she have a crush on him and they have a brief affair during one night stand while a tragedy happen with buddy . meanwhile ann daughter and the insecure and unstable nina mar ( toni collette ) and the happy wife and mother constance haverford ( natasha richardson ) and be worry with their mother and have difference to be resolve . evening have one of the best feminine cast i have ever see in a movie and with magnificent performance . the resemblance of the stunning mamie gummer with her mother meryl streep be amazing and she have a performance that honor the name of her mother . the location and costume and set decoration and cinematography and soundtrack be also awesome . unfortunately the plot be confuse and i have not clearly understand the message of this film . why motherhood be so important in the story . be constance engender in the night stand of ann and harris and he would be her father . why ann and harris have not stay together and if the guy really love her like he confess in their occasional encounter in new york . which issue ann lord have resolve after the visit of lila ross . be buddy wittenborn bisexual or his love for harris be a fraternal love . why nina mar change her thought about motherhood in the end . it seem that the screenplay writer or the director fail since they be not able to make sense and fulfillment to the beautiful love story . my vote be seven . title ( brazil ) represent ao entardecer ( in the eventide ) .