Day
158 Shadowlands
[1993]
Screenplay William Nicholson
Director Richard Attenborough
Cinematography Roger Pratt
Music George
Fenton
Leads Anthony
Hopkins, Debra Winger, Edward Hardwicke, Joseph Mazzello, Julian Fellowes
Production Price Entertainment
IMDb 7.4/10
Rotten Tomatoes 97%
Nearly
nodded off a few times watching this one. I think Hopkins was the only thing
keeping me awake really in this film about author C. S. ‘Jack’ Lewis (played of
course by Hopkins). The film is based on a true story and is set after Lewis
has written the famous Chronicles of Narnia. He is an Oxford professor
who also lectures on theology, and who spends most of his time at the pub
arguing with his fellow academics. He then hosts an American woman poet, Joy Gresham
(Winger) who has read most of his work. There is a spark between them but it’s
awkward, due to Lewis’ nervous energy and Gresham’s marital situation. The
underlying chemistry between Hopkins and Winger is what makes the film – we see
their platonic love slowly shift into romantic love without it ever really
having to be said. Hopkins is a master at conveying things through facial
expression and his use of rhythm with his lines. You wouldn’t want him with you
when there are dinosaurs or big electric fences about, but Joseph Mazzello did
a job as Joy’s son and his tearful scene with Hopkins was particularly
touching. Other than that, I got incredibly sleepy and it took two cups of tea
and a few mini blueberry muffins to keep me going. It’s more to do with my
taste than the film itself but I fear this one is already slipping into the
black hole of films that were good at the time but soon no-one will remember.
Acting 3.5 / 4
Writing 2.5 / 4
Cinematography 2.5 / 4
Music 2 / 4
HWF rating 2.5 / 4
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