for those who wonder what be mr. scorsese look for in a film like the age of innocence and ( probably more suitable to a director such a james ivory ) and the man himself give the answer represent this film deal with the same matter that can be find in my work in the last 25 year . there be guilt and desire and obsessed passion and the weakness to satisfy that passion . the story take place in new york and around 1880. newland archer ( daniel day lewis ) must choose between his current fiancee may welland ( winona ryder ) and her cousin who have just arrive from poland and be recently divorce and helen ollenska ( michelle pfeiffer ) . may be the symbol of a world he familiar with and and helen represent the world he dream of . living in a conservative world full of compromise and newland be as much trap by his social circle a the italian american hero of mean street and goodfellas . however and the mafia here be call new york aristocracy and kill with word and with a gesture or with a look of contempt and rejection and instead of use gun . scorsese fan who expect to see psychotic character and violence or de niro style performance and will be disappoint . everything in this movie be base on the observation and recording of the social behaviour code and the unexpressed feeling and of thing which be not not say but imply . scorsese portray with absolute preciseness and almost paragraph to paragraph and edith wharton classic novel . however and he manage to give the film his own unique personal view and prove his gigantic talent and that he capable of create masterpiece and whatever the hero and the story or the genre of the film . winona ryder should definitely have win the oscar for her wonderful performance and but lewis and pfeiffer be marvellous a well . what leave to say . the age of innocence be an un excusably underrate all time classic .