Scent of a Woman (1992)
12-month trend
12-month trend
Monthly article views
2025-09 to 2026-08
A scholarship student finds an unexpected bond with a cynical, blind veteran while working as his companion during a holiday weekend.
The story
Charlie Simms, a scholarship student at the exclusive Baird preparatory school, takes a job as a companion to Frank Slade, a blind and cynical retired Army Lieutenant Colonel, during the Thanksgiving weekend. Charlie hopes the job will earn him enough money to travel home for Christmas. However, the assignment leads to an unexpected journey to New York City. As the two navigate the city, the dynamic between the young student and the hardened veteran evolves, forcing both to confront their personal struggles and the complexities of their respective lives while facing the looming pressures of the upcoming school year.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Charlie Simms, a student at the elite Baird preparatory school, is hired to accompany Frank Slade, a blind, alcoholic, and cynical retired Army Lieutenant Colonel, during Thanksgiving. Frank takes Charlie to New York City, where they stay at the Waldorf-Astoria. During their stay, Frank reveals his plan to commit suicide after fulfilling a few personal goals. A pivotal moment occurs when Frank's brother reveals that Frank was blinded in an accident while juggling grenades, not in combat. Later, Frank and Charlie take a ride in a convertible, and Frank manages to convince a policeman to let them go without revealing his blindness. After a tense moment where Frank attempts to end his life but is stopped by Charlie, the two find a new sense of purpose. On the Monday following the holiday, Frank appears at Charlie's school disciplinary hearing. Frank delivers a powerful speech defending Charlie's integrity against the school's accusations. The committee ultimately clears Charlie, and the film ends with Frank and Charlie parting ways on a hopeful note.
- First release year
- 1992
- Runtime (minutes)
- 156
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Martin Brest
- Writers
- Bo Goldman · screenplay
- Cast and characters
- Al Pacino · Frank Slade; Chris O'Donnell · Charlie Simms; James Rebhorn; Philip Seymour Hoffman; Gabrielle Anwar; Bradley Whitford
- Genres
- drama; coming-of-age
- Themes
- resilience; integrity
- Tone and mood
- dramatic; poignant
- Premise and plot tags
- road trip; buddy film; coming-of-age
- Source material / true-story basis
- Il buio e il miele by Giovanni Arpino
- Content notes
- alcoholism
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 82% · scale: percentage · review count: 50; Metacritic · score: 57 · scale: 100 · review count: 52
- Awards and nominations
- Academy Award · Best Actor · win; Academy Award · Best Picture · nomination; Academy Award · Best Director · nomination; Academy Award · Best Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published · nomination; Golden Globe Award · Best Screenplay · win; Golden Globe Award · Best Actor · win; Golden Globe Award · Best Motion Picture – Drama · win
- Production trivia
- Several high-profile actors auditioned for the role of Charlie Simms; Jack Nicholson was offered the role of Frank Slade but turned it down
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
Your lists
Loading your lists…