Henry & June
A sensuous portrait of Anaïs Nin’s entanglement with Henry and June Miller amid the sexually liberated literary circles of 1931 Paris.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- None
- sensual
- intimate
- serious
- arthouse movie night
- literary film evening
What critics said
Critics broadly found the film visually polished and committed to sensuality, but portentous, self-conscious, and less daring or erotic than its reputation suggested.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Anaïs Nin’s encounters with Henry and June Miller anchor the film’s portrayal of literary and sexual life in 1931 Paris.
Anaïs, Hugo, Henry, and June navigate overlapping sexual and emotional relationships outside conventional marriage.
Henry’s work on Tropic of Cancer draws directly on June’s life, provoking conflict over representation and ownership.
Erotic scenes use visual juxtapositions, including musical gestures and tactile imagery, to aestheticize desire.
Films like Henry & June, and why
The Unbearable Lightness of Being
erotic literary drama centered on artistic ambition, sexual freedom, and bohemian expatriate life
The Lover
sensual period drama exploring unconventional relationships, authorship, and social transgression
Before Night Falls
literary biographical drama about writers, erotic experimentation, and creative rivalry
Carrington
stylized relationship drama depicting passionate artistic and sexual entanglements in an expatriate milieu
Movie Details
- Director
- Philip Kaufman
- Release Date
- 1990-09-28
- Runtime
- 136 min
- Rating
- 6.1 / 10 (240)
Cast
- Fred Ward
- Uma Thurman
- Maria de Medeiros
- Richard E. Grant
- Kevin Spacey
- Jean-Philippe Écoffey
- Bruce Myers
- Juan Luis Buñuel
- Féodor Atkine
- Sylvie Huguel
Common questions
- What is Henry & June about?
- A sensuous portrait of Anaïs Nin’s entanglement with Henry and June Miller amid the sexually liberated literary circles of 1931 Paris.
- What is Henry & June like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Henry & June as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Henry & June violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Henry & June.
- What did critics think of Henry & June?
- Critics broadly found the film visually polished and committed to sensuality, but portentous, self-conscious, and less daring or erotic than its reputation suggested.
- Which films are like Henry & June?
- Films with a similar feel include The Unbearable Lightness of Being, The Lover, Before Night Falls, and Carrington.
- How long is Henry & June?
- Henry & June runs 136 minutes.
